Hello all..

Well summer's almost gone and getting ready for the massive "leaf haul away" season here in New England... so at Tractor Supply I bought one of the small inexpensive trailers to haul leaves and other stuff out to the Transfer Station ( ie: dump ) The Trailer has a 4-pin male connector, so I bought the matching 4-pin female with leads ( white, yellow, green, and brown ) to match. Now the problem for me is WHERE to connect these using "Vampire Clips" ?????
I think the easiest place is to get inside each tail light and work from there, BUT what color and in what location are the proper wires onto which I connect inside the tail light ??? I'm sure many of you have done this already and can get me off in running in no time..

Any help or advice would be most appreciated..ie: THANKS in advance !!

Best regards...// Ernie in NH (( 97 xlt Ranger 2WD 4 cyl Flairside )
<< ernie.duncan@gmail.com >>

 

Ernie have you double checked to make sure you don't have a pigtail already wired under your back bumper? My 2004 came with a trailer connector, but not sure on your year. Bob C.

 

the factory pig tail is ran into the wire pack that runs up behind the bumper from one side of the truck to the other, you should be able to tap into that to get what you need. although you may have one already, but being a 97 you may not.

 

Hi Guys..

Thanks for the responses... I have looked at both of my Rangers ( 97 an 98 ) and neither has the 'pig tail plug" ... there is a plug but it seems to connect only the two harnesses, ie: the main harness running to the back and the "left /right " mini-harness under the bumper that provides all the wiring to lights etc...

I decided to take the bull by the horns and jump into the tail lights and it has really turned out MUCH easier than I thought. I used my VOM to identify the power leads to the Tail Light and each Directional, 'vampired' in leads from each ( total 3 ) and soldered them to the proper hitch-plug leads, used shrink sleeves to insulate and then bundled all together.... WOW it works !!

Just wish these little trailers had a Brake Light system... but Running lights, Marker lights, and Directionals is good enough to get to the dump and back !!

Thanks again guys... drive safe Wherever you are...// Ernie in NH

 

You could probably buy tailights with brake lights and swap them out fairly reasonable. Great job on the wiring Ernie.

 

There are kits that plug in between the main harness and the rear light pigtail. Check your local NAPA Autoparts.

 

NAPA AUTO PARTS


Well, I seem to have missed the part where you already did the wiring. Congrats! But, for future reference for anyone else with a 1997 Ranger looking for a trailer harness, here's the link to the napa page for it.....

 

Hi Todd...

Well IF anyone is ever in the predicament I was in ( ie: dont know nuthin from nuthin ) ever does a 'search' they'll now find your link to the NAPA kit.. and viola PROBLEM SOLVED !!

Thanks again for all the leads everyone..........// Ernie in NH

 

Yeah... sorry I wasn't able to help you out before you had to hack into your harness. At least you did it the correct way with the soldering and heat-shrink tubing! Some people swear by them, but those "vampire clips" you mentioned are a horrible invention. Had you used those without shrink-tubing, your harness could have been subjected to that metal-eating substance they coat the roads with in the winter.....