On the topic of trailers.. Options

[Mericet]

I have just purchased a car in Miami, Florida and need to trailer it back to Central Ohio. I am leaving to pick it up on the 19th of this month and will return on the 23rd. I will be towing with a 99 Chevy Tahoe with a Class 3 hitch with a flat 4 pin wiring connector. A tow dolly would work too.

I do have an offer from someone for a trailer but the wiring is not compatible (7pin). Obviously I am not willing to cut up the wiring just to make it work for me. I do know there are magnetic and suction type lights availabe that can also be used. A set of those would be welcome too.

I know I can just rent something from U-Haul but my budget is limited and will come from funds that I would rather use to buy a few things for the new car.

Any offers for help would be highly appreciated.

Thank you in advance
Neil

[BrianChevy]

I actually think that you can wire up an adaptor to go from 4 to 7. I hate Wal-Mart 100% of the time, but they had them there when i had my towing emergency for about $11.

I do recommend that you consider getting a trailer with electric brakes. My prodigy electric brake controller has saved my ass a couple of times in the past 2 years.

I know it's expensive to setup a towing rig correctly, but the costs of doing in the wrong way are pretty high too.

Maybe somebody can loan you a whole rig for the weekend. that might be a better option. OR you can rent a u-Haul trailer with surge brakes, that would work too!

brian

[trackbird]

Neil,

I have a full set of tail lights that just came off of the trailer. We could build a set of lights out of those. I paid $27 for the new ones, I'll take $20 for these (and help you build something from them). If that fits your budget and function. Or, we can wire them to jacks trailer for the trip and take them off when it returns (just run extra lights on it).

Brian, the trailer is 7 wire, the truck is 4. We can't use the usual adaptor (unless there is one that works in reverse....I don't think I've seen one, but I may not have looked).

[Mericet]

Thanks Kevin, I will see what comes up.

I probably should clarify that I am not looking at buying a trailer at this time. This is a plea for a good samaritan to let me borrow their trailer for the weekend.

[KeithO]

You will want one of the pieces shown on this page:

http://www.hitches4less.com/adapters.html

Probably this one:
http://www.hitches4less.com/6wayroto4fla.html

These are easy-to-find and I know that our local Pep Boys, NAPA and Advance Auto Parts all have these sorts of parts. They are not expensive.

When I went to Richmond, VA to buy my current race car, I took a rented tow dolly. It turned out to be useless because the car was too low to get onto the dolly. My dad ended up driving the two vehicle back to Pittsburgh and I drove the race car - it had dodgy license plates and NO HEAT (temperature outside was in the 30's).

[35th_Anniversary...]

borrow the trailer. buy an electric brake controller, autozone has them for like $70? maybe less and get a 7-wire plug wired to your truck. Like said above you can convert 7 wire to 4 wire, but not the other way. I wouldn't tow a car without a brake controller, especially not that long of a distance.

[Mericet]

The trailer that I do have access to at this time (with said 7pin connector) does actually have electric brakes. I now need to call Land Rover and find out which type of 7 pin they use on their vehicles as the owner of the trailer uses a Discovery to tow with.

[Mericet]

It seems like LR uses a 7pin "J" plug. I will wait for the owner to get back in town (he is running OLOA) and look at it and then get an adaptor.

[slowTA]

Just borrow the truck and the trailer!! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif) Assuming that's an option.

[KeithO]

BTW - if you decide to get a brake controller for your vehicle, find a place (not the dealer if possible) to sell you one and install it. For the sake of $50's labor, you'll save yourself alot of hassle and swearing. I didn't find out how cheap it was to have a brake controller installed until after I installed mine. The installation isn't really difficult but routing the wires from the brake pedal to the rear in a reasonably presentable fashion is time consuming (and a downright PITA in a conversion van).

[35th_Anniversary...]

yes we understood the trailer had brakes, but without an electronic brake controller in the tow vehicle they will not be activated and therefore useless. Maybe I am wrong, but my understanding is that a 7 wire trailer plug is universal. Some trailers might have a 6 wire plug which is different, but I think all 7 wire plugs should be the same.

I agree with Keith. It is cheap to have someone with experience install the electric brake controller. I felt more at ease having the local trailer place wire it up. As expensive as the car I am towing is I didn't want to screw up something as important as the brake controller.

[Mericet]

First of all, thanks everyone for the suggestions.

I spoke with the owner of the trailer and this is the plan. We will visit the dealer where he purchased the trailer and get it the wiring sorted out there. I will also be installing a brake controller on the Tahoe as I would need it anyway as soon as I get my own trailer. And I will get someone to do that. It just seems to make more sense that way and I like having less frustrations in my life anyway.