How to Wire Trailer Brakes to Expeditions

The Expedition is a full-size sport utility vehicle that has been produced by Ford since 1996. Because of its considerable weight and wheelbase the Expedition is ideal for towing light and medium-weight trailers. All models of the vehicle are factory-equipped with a tow package, a flat four-pin hitch and a port, located under the dash to the right of the steering column which makes the fitting of a brake controller a simple project. Once an electronic brake controller is in place and its harness installed in the port, wiring the brakes is an extremely straightforward project.

Things You'll Need

  • Wire
  • Soldering kit
  • Shrink-wrap insulation kit
  • Cable splice (optional)
  • Plastic cable ties
  • Seven-pin hitch
  • Follow the four-conductor trailer lighting harness beneath the Expedition, backward from the flat four-pin hitch to where it enters a protective sheath. At the protective sheath, locate a dead tail wire also emerging from the sheath, color-coded dark blue. This wire is the signal wire from the electronic brake controller port to the trailer brakes.

  • Route loose 12-gauge wire, also color-coded blue, to the location of the round seven-pin hitch that will be necessary to operate a trailer fitted with electric brakes. Because of its location under the vehicle, the connection to the preexisting wire is better made with a soldered joint insulated with a shrink-wrap kit than with a cable splice.

  • Use plastic cable ties approximately every 10 inches along the run of new wire to secure it away from hot and moving components.

  • Attach the end of the new blue wire to terminal two of the round seven-pin hitch when it has been installed.