Adding a 7-Way Connector and Brake Controller to a 2001 Ford Expedition with OEM 4-Way

Question:

We are looking to purchase a Camper Popup with Electric Brakes. Currently have a 2001 Ford Expedition with a Flat 4 connector. What do I need to do to connect the electric brakes Thanks

asked by: Patrick M

Expert Reply:

You will need to add a 7-Way trailer connector and brake controller to your 2001 Ford Expedition to tow a trailer with electric brakes.

Since your Expedition already has a 4-Way you will just need # 37185 to add the 7-Way. To install this new 7-Way you will need to hardwire a couple of wires. It is easy to do on your vehicle. First, the white wire grounds to a clean metal surface.

The blue wire is for electric brake output and the black is for 12 volt power. Underneath your Expedition, if you follow the 4-Way forward on the vehicle it will plug into another connector. On this connector, if you peel back the protective covering you will see the wires.

The blue wire from the new 7-Way will connect to the blue wire in that forward plug. The black wire will connect to the orange wire. You may need additional wire, # 12-1-1. You can also use butt connectors, # 05732-2 to splice in the wires.

The purple wire from the new 7-Way is for reverse lights. If the trailer has reverse lights (most do not) then you would tap into the reverse light circuit. Otherwise you can tape it up and stow it out of the way.

For a brake controller I recommend the P2, # 90885. It is one of our most popular controllers because it is easy to set up and use and it is reliable. It will just plug into your Expedition using harness # 3035-P. I have included a couple of links to the right that will help with this installation.