Trailer Electric Conversion

[meegwell]

May be trailering a new to me Yamaha soon. I thought this would be a simple google search conversion part issue, but apparently not. What do I need to do to the 4 prong flat wire harness on my vehicle (v8 pathfinder) to convert it to the round harness I see on the trailer coming with the potential boat (2019)? I see kits and parts etc...is this something I should have done at an auto shop?

 

[Sbrown]

May be trailering a new to me Yamaha soon. I thought this would be a simple google search conversion part issue, but apparently not. What do I need to do to the 4 prong flat wire harness on my vehicle (v8 pathfinder) to convert it to the round harness I see on the trailer coming with the potential boat (2019)? I see kits and parts etc...is this something I should have done at an auto shop?

Does the trailer that is coming with the boat have a braking system?

 

[AZMark]

To @Sbrown’s point- looks like your profile says you have a 24ft boat which should have surge brakes.
You’ll need one additional 5th wire on top of what your truck already has that is tapped into your reverse lights. This signal locks out the surge brakes on the trailer to allow you to back up.
You can do it manually with a little insert that goes in the side of the trailer tongue but that’s a pain to do more than a few times.
If all you’ll tow is a boat then you don’t need the 6th and 7th wires in the round connector - those are for a +12v charging feed and an actual brake controller signal.

 

[Sbrown]

To @Sbrown’s point- looks like your profile says you have a 24ft boat which should have surge brakes.
You’ll need one additional 5th wire on top of what your truck already has that is tapped into your reverse lights. This signal locks out the surge brakes on the trailer to allow you to back up.
You can do it manually with a little insert that goes in the side of the trailer tongue but that’s a pain to do more than a few times.
If all you’ll tow is a boat then you don’t need the 6th and 7th wires in the round connector - those are for a +12v charging feed and an actual brake controller signal.

Yep, pretty much exactly where I was headed with it. To expand a bit, if you're not handy or confident you may want a tech to wire the truck side of things. If you go with a flat 5 pin on your Pathfinder, you can use an adapter from the trailers round 7 pin to the trucks 5 pin flat, or they can install a 7 pin round receptacle on your truck.

 

[lokart]

Check with Nissan as well. The truck may have surge break program options and then you could have them add the 7 pin kit. That being said, I have no idea if this is an option on any Nissan, but worth asking. My F-150 already had the 7 pin with the surge break "trailer assignment" menu. It allows you to have multiple trailer setups and then menu through to select the trailer in tow. Even tracks the millage of each trailer. OR, just stick the reversing pin/key in the side slot like AZMark mentioned. I think that's what half the boaters do. Take the pin/key out though when in forward motion or you won't have trailer breaking.

 

[meegwell]

so if I call nissan I am asking to have a “7 pin” connection installed? It’s the trailer that came with a new 2019 242 fwiw.

 

[Mully262]

Exactly as others have stated. There are 4 pin to 7 blade converters, but you really want to have a 7 blade installed on your vehicle. With the mechanical braking system, the 7 blade will override the brake when you are in reverse. Without going into too much tech detail, if you are only using a 4 pin/7 blade adapter, when you try to back the trailer on level ground or up a slope, the brakes will engage on the trailer. Problematic if you are storing your boat in your garage, since most driveways (around here anyway) are on a slope.