Ford OEM Trailer Hitch wiring question

[pezdyspensr]

So to be clear, you had no 7pin at all and you ordered R1WZ 15k868 C which is labeled as the parking sensor harness bundle and it had everything needed? You also ordered the OEM 4/7 plug and cut into your bumper fascia to install? And was this gray plug up front always present on your unit or was it part of the full harness you ordered?
Have you tested auto emergency braking functionality, and have you had any errors on the Towing App?

Don't forget you still need a brake controller. That get plugged in next to kick panel on driver side.

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[TexasCajun]

This how my truck came. No tow package of any kind.

It was pre-wired for the break controller up front in the Cab. So good to go there.

It was pre-wired to the back bumper so good there.

I did not have a 7 pin connector on my rear bumper. I did have a 4 pin hanging under the bumper.

I would believe that all of the new Rangers 2024/2025 models are pre-wired from the factory and are wired from the cab to the bumper. All you have to do is order the harness or do like I did, remove the 4 pin plug and use that and wire in the 7 Pin harness. This was a cheap easy option over the factory setup.

 

[pezdyspensr]

Thanks. I might be in a unique little subgroup, in that I bought a 24 STX with no tow package and I have no gray connector in the cab. Hard to imagine they took the time wire up a dissimilar core wiring platform for a small subset of models but here I am. Other XL owners on here report having a basic tow package and gray connector present even without TRM so again that implies core harnesses should support 7 pin to cab. As far as I can tell my rear 4 pin has same connection wiring as others though, so I am head scratching at present. Hoping I figure a decent solution at some point.

This how my truck came. No tow package of any kind.

It was pre-wired for the break controller up front in the Cab. So good to go there.

It was pre-wired to the back bumper so good there.

I did not have a 7 pin connector on my rear bumper. I did have a 4 pin hanging under the bumper.

I would believe that all of the new Rangers 2024/2025 models are pre-wired from the factory and are wired from the cab to the bumper. All you have to do is order the harness or do like I did, remove the 4 pin plug and use that and wire in the 7 Pin harness. This was a cheap easy option over the factory setup.

 

[TexasCajun]

That is really crazy to me specially when the truck has a towing weight of 7500Lbs. I would not have thought Ford would leave any of their trucks without the wires in place. It still can tow 7500Lbs.

 

[Jason B]

That is really crazy to me specially when the truck has a towing weight of 7500Lbs. I would not have thought Ford would leave any of their trucks without the wires in place. It still can tow 7500Lbs.

They have a disclaimer.
7,500 lbs towing "When properly equipped." It's up to the buyer/owner to be sure it's properly equipped.
The 5G had no options for a TBC when ordered, on any trim level. It wasn't until 2020 or early 2021 that Ford came out with a solution to add the TBC after purchase.
For 6G, Adv Tow, with TBC isn't even an option on XL/STX.

 

[pezdyspensr]

"Isn't even an option" tells me the main harness is somehow different. Otherwise we are looking literally the same frame and drivetrain. It comes down to wiring. Makes sense that if XLTs have the bumper sensors, that plays into a difference in harnesses. So for those people ordering XLs WITH the basic tow package, do they basically get XLT wiring underneath? So far, it looks like XLTs with no tow package and XLs with basic tow package both have the wiring to the front with the gray cab plug to handle TBC. (which goes against the statement that no XL/STX can get a TBC, though I understand both have to tap into brake signal elsewhere) So is an XL with no tow option the outlier that is not upgradeable? As far as I see it, my rear bumper harness wiring is no different than anyone else. I am just missing the gray plug up front. Pardon my persistence here. Feeling frustrated about assumptions made during purchase, but I am not ready to roll over and take it yet. I may never need to pull 6k (only got a 2.3 anyway) but I'd like to pull more than 3k at some point. Kind of the point of owning these things. I get that there are universal wiring kits out there but I am going to make sure its my only option first.

Also strikes me as odd that after coming up with a wiring solution in 2020/2021 for all trims that they would backtrack for the update.

They have a disclaimer.
7,500 lbs towing "When properly equipped." It's up to the buyer/owner to be sure it's properly equipped.
The 5G had no options for a TBC when ordered, on any trim level. It wasn't until 2020 or early 2021 that Ford came out with a solution to add the TBC after purchase.
For 6G, Adv Tow, with TBC isn't even an option on XL/STX.

 

[TexasCajun]

They have a disclaimer.
7,500 lbs towing "When properly equipped." It's up to the buyer/owner to be sure it's properly equipped.
The 5G had no options for a TBC when ordered, on any trim level. It wasn't until 2020 or early 2021 that Ford came out with a solution to add the TBC after purchase.
For 6G, Adv Tow, with TBC isn't even an option on XL/STX.

Disclaimer, I love those. I'm adding a disclaimer to myself going forward.

 

[pezdyspensr]

I like your method of getting the Curt harness installed, but don't like losing the 4 pin in the process. You said you were going to get the 4/7 pin plug from Ford and see if it plugs and plays with the Curt harness? Did you end up getting that done?

Disclaimer, I love those. I'm adding a disclaimer to myself going forward.

 

[TexasCajun]

I did not get the Ford 4/7 connector yet, we leave Thursday for our long-haul trip. Once I'm back home I'll order it and install it. From what I've been reading the Ford plug will connect to the Curt plug.

 

[flcnplt]

So while I was under my Lariat looking at how to drop the exhaust system to paint it black I noticed this electrical outlet on the back underside of the bumper and I think, and please correct me if I’m wrong, that is where you would plug in the trailer hitch wiring for breaks and blinkers only. Thoughts?

Yes, you are correct the same is on my 2024 even though I didn't get the trailer towing package. Even my dealership told me I was better off buying an after market IV. hitch than paying big bucks fr the Ford hitch. I am installing a Curt #13607 that is made for the 24-25 Ranger.

 

[BB1959]

Yes, you are correct the same is on my 2024 even though I didn't get the trailer towing package. Even my dealership told me I was better off buying an after market IV. hitch than paying big bucks fr the Ford hitch. I am installing a Curt #13607 that is made for the 24-25 Ranger.

I have a 2025 Ranger XLT on order. I did not add a factory tow package. Will it have a four pin connector under the rear bumper? I plan to add an aftermarket hitch. It has the high and convenience packages.

 

[superj]

Yes, you are correct the same is on my 2024 even though I didn't get the trailer towing package. Even my dealership told me I was better off buying an after market IV. hitch than paying big bucks fr the Ford hitch. I am installing a Curt #13607 that is made for the 24-25 Ranger.

i think that is the hitch i got my son for his truck since it didn't come with the tow package. bolted in perfectly fine and he has used it to tow some uhaul stuff with no issues

 

[Jason B]

I have a 2025 Ranger XLT on order. I did not add a factory tow package. Will it have a four pin connector under the rear bumper? I plan to add an aftermarket hitch. It has the high and convenience packages.

Yes, it will have the 4-pin. It's easy to add the hitch receiver.
You can also tow lighter loads by adding a ball on the bumper.

 

[pezdyspensr]

How did it go?

I did not get the Ford 4/7 connector yet, we leave Thursday for our long-haul trip. Once I'm back home I'll order it and install it. From what I've been reading the Ford plug will connect to the Curt plug.

 

[flcnplt]

I have a 2025 Ranger XLT on order. I did not add a factory tow package. Will it have a four pin connector under the rear bumper? I plan to add an aftermarket hitch. It has the high and convenience packages.

The wiring harness comes standard on your truck, it just isn't through the bumper. I just installed a Curt hitch on my new Ranger with the same towing capacity as the factory hitch and it uses the same two bolts on each side. The receiver cost $149.00 vs the $600.00 Ford wants for their hitch.

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