[dougnc]

I have a tow hitch coming in. I also have to have my exhaust system replaced because of a minor fender bender. Should I try to have the body shop mount the hitch. I don't really think I'll need it anytime soon. Is it something I can mount in the parking lot if I need to.

What's the trade off in having one always mounted?

BTW, what's the quoto on ssrfantics for asking dumb questions? :lol

 

[perinati]

It just slips in when you need it. Very easy once you learn how. Read your owners manuel to learn how to preload hitch for install. I leave mine off till I need it. (looks better off) Some folks leave there's in for protection from small fender benders.The jury still out on that idea. LOL Also do a search on trailer wiring. The 4 wires you need are already there. On frame above the driver side rear axle. there a big wad of black tape wrapped around the factory wiring. Carefully cut thur the tape with razor to expose them. Good Luck



Paul Perinati :ssr

 

[beer100]

The big trick is figuring out which way to pull and twist the knob so that the key may be turned to unlock/lock it in. Or was that twist then pull? Pagh!

 

[JimGnitecki]

Important! Make sure that when you are NOT using the hitch, you have the plastic "cap" installed into the hitch receptacle. That will ensure that you do not get the receptacle full of dirt and grit while driving.

That "cap" is actually a fairly large palstic piece that inserts deep into the receptacle. It is easy to lose when not in use! I keep mine in my concole compartment when the hitch is in use.

Using the hitch as a "bumper" is not an idea I like. I am fearful that someone could hit the hitch when the SSR is parked in a lot and you are not there, and do HIDDEN damage to the hitch receptacle, which mmight not show up until you try to pull a trailer again and it BREAKS.

The hitch was not designed to act as a bumper.

Jim G

 

[dougnc]

It just slips in when you need it. Very easy once you learn how. Read your owners manuel to learn how to preload hitch for install. I leave mine off till I need it. (looks better off) Some folks leave there's in for protection from small fender benders.The jury still out on that idea. LOL Also do a search on trailer wiring. The 4 wires you need are already there. On frame above the driver side rear axle. there a big wad of black tape wrapped around the factory wiring. Carefully cut thur the tape with razor to expose them. Good Luck



Paul Perinati :ssr

Preload? So this is something I can do in a parking lot? Do the preload thing, then whenever I need it just crawl under it and mount the hitch?

 

[JimGnitecki]

Yes!

Jim G

 

[beer100]

Important! Make sure that when you are NOT using the hitch, you have the plastic "cap" installed into the hitch receptacle. That will ensure that you do not get the receptacle full of dirt and grit while driving.

That "cap" is actually a fairly large palstic piece that inserts deep into the receptacle. It is easy to lose when not in use! I keep mine in my concole compartment when the hitch is in use.

Using the hitch as a "bumper" is not an idea I like. I am fearful that someone could hit the hitch when the SSR is parked in a lot and you are not there, and do HIDDEN damage to the hitch receptacle, which mmight not show up until you try to pull a trailer again and it BREAKS.

The hitch was not designed to act as a bumper.

Jim G

Trust me, the hitch, receptacle, and crossbar are pretty tough.

 

[Guest]

trailer towing = charge as you drive wiring question

Sadly, The SSR comes equiped with a 4 wire system for trailer wiring, which consists of a ground, tail light, left directional/brake, right directional/brake provision.

I have a small teardrop camper which has a 12 volt on-board battery, (to power lights in the camper, etc.) The camper has a 7 wire plug which features the same 4 connections as the 4 wire system, plus an auxillary power (which I need to supply power to) electric brakes (which is unused since the camper is not equiped) and back up lights(which is unused since the camper is not equiped).

I understand wiring well enough to know that I need to install an auxillary relay (to supply power to the trailer battery) which would be switched on and off by the SSR main ign switch via one of the SSR fuse boxes.

Once a 30 amp relay is installed it is a piece of cake to wire the 7 prong trailer connector up, and power the auxillary power lead of the plug.

The main fuse box under the hood shows an "Auxillary fuse 2". Simple enough to utilize power from that fuse to power a relay, provided one could figure out what the color code of the wire is that is attached to that fuse, and coming out of the fuse box some where.

Does anybody have any idea what that particular wire color code is?
Or any switched power source that could handle the additional low power draw of a relay? And where that would be located, and what the color coding would be of that wire?

I really do not want to remove the entire fuse box, merely to get at the back of the fuse box to see what color the wire is that runs to "Auxillary fuse 2".

Can anybody help?
Elaine

 

[JimGnitecki]

elaine: Normally I'd have a look at the Helms manual, but I am traveling all this week and into next, so hopefulyl someone else can look it up for you!

Jim G

 

[Mike in AZ]

Trailer Battery Charging

I understand wiring well enough to know that I need to install an auxillary relay (to supply power to the trailer battery) which would be switched on and off by the SSR main ign switch via one of the SSR fuse boxes.

Once a 30 amp relay is installed it is a piece of cake to wire the 7 prong trailer connector up, and power the auxillary power lead of the plug.

The main fuse box under the hood shows an "Auxillary fuse 2". Simple enough to utilize power from that fuse to power a relay, provided one could figure out what the color code of the wire is that is attached to that fuse, and coming out of the fuse box some where.

Does anybody have any idea what that particular wire color code is?
Or any switched power source that could handle the additional low power draw of a relay? And where that would be located, and what the color coding would be of that wire?

I really do not want to remove the entire fuse box, merely to get at the back of the fuse box to see what color the wire is that runs to "Auxillary fuse 2".

Can anybody help?
Elaine

Elaine,

The Service Manual (page 8-1013) shows the "AUX PWR 2" (fuse 1 in the underhood fuse block) should have a 20 amp (yellow) fuse installed. The wire color is "OG" (orange, I believe) and runs through connector C-402 (right rear corner of the frame) to the "REAR AUXILARY POWER OUTLET" at the right rear corner of the bed.

For simplicity of installation, I would recommend the following:

Pick up a heavy duty cigarette lighter plug and an in-line fuse holder from your local Radio Shack or auto parts store.

From the SSR side of the trailer wiring connector, run both the trailer battery charge power and the trailer battery ground wires up through the frame and into the right rear bed area. The separate ground will eliminate the need for a really good ground through your trailer ball for charging the battery.

Put the fuse holder in series with the "Trailer Battery Charge" line and connect to the high side (center pin) of the cigarette lighter plug. Trailer "Battery Ground" goes to the side contact. Leave enough length to stow this when not in use. Lots of creative opportunities here.

Be sure to use a 15 amp fuse in your fuse holder. This is how you protect the Trailer Battery Charging system. The 20 amp fuse in the power distribution box is there to protect the wiring to the Aux Power connector, not limit the current to the stuff connected to it.

Notes of Caution:

1) BEFORE HOOK-UPCheck to see that the Aux Power Outlet is wired with the center lead positive (+) and the outer shell negative (-). This can be done with a voltmeter referenced to chassis ground.

2) BEFORE HOOK-UPCheck to be sure the trailer wiring connector polarity correctly matches the Aux Power Outlet polarity. Ths will be done with the (+) lead on the center pin and the (-) lead on the outer connection of the Radio Shack Plug you just built.

3) The Aux Power Outlet is hot all of the time. It is not controlled by any of the systems. This will mean that you will need to either install a relay in the wiring between the Radio Shack connector and the trailer connector or pull the plug out when you don't want to charge the battery.

4) Without implementation of item 5, the Radio Shack connector will be hot any time the trailer connector and battery are connected. The possibility of shorting to ground exists, but the worst thing that will happen is that you will blow the 15 amp fuse right next to the connector. A simple plastic sleeve (lots of optional protection methods here too) could eliminate almost all issues.

5) Install a simple charging current limiter and heavh duty diode at your battery to keep the inrush current down. This will keep from blowing the 15 amp fuse in the rear of the truck bed. This will also eliminate problems associated with item 4. Talk to an RV house, they do this kind of stuff all the time.

Hope this helps,

Mike

 

[JimGnitecki]

Wow, Mikem-2005! That was GREAT!

Your method is easy and even allows her to use the connection when the SSR ignition is off, which she might truly want to do sometimes.

Elaine, the negative of course is that if you forget and leave the conenction "plugged in", you COULD drain the SSR battery, as I don't believe any safeguards against battery rundown apply to that accessry plug, as I have had my cooler plugged in to the accessory plug inside the passenger comaprtment when the SSR ignition was "off", and it worked.

Jim G