# Disc brakes on a ranger trailer



## ohiou_98 (Mar 19, 2007)

I just bought a ranger boat which comes with a ranger trailer with disc brakes. (I haven't towed the boat yet) The seller tells me the disc brakes are triggered by the brake lights on the tow vehicle. There is a brake wire with a female connection at the end of the tongue.

Am I correct in what I need is one "Y" shaped wire, with each side going the wiring harness for each brake light, and the third "male" end would go to the trailer connection?

Is a ranger dealer the only place one of these can be obtained? If I were to shop on the internet for one, what is this type of connection called?


----------



## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

Mine has a flat 5 connector coming from the trailer and i had to buy a flat 5 to a round plug 7 way adaptor that plugs into the truck. You cannot back the trailer very well unless its plugged in. I believe the brakes work like this: As you apply your brakes there is a spring in the tongue that compresses and activates the brakes. The harder you apply the brake on your truck the more you enguage the trailer brakes, especially with sudden stops. Ranger wear catalog has what im talking about for 25 bucks. Got mine from funtrails for around the same but had to wire it myself because they had the wiring wrong and i could not back up. Knox marine will have them also.


----------



## Richman (Sep 1, 2007)

Ohio U 98....my Ranger has a pigtail which attaches to your reverse lights. It essentially overides the surge brakes when you are backing up. Not sure if your setup is different but the pigtail can be bought froma Ranger dealer for a few bucks.

Rich


----------



## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

the wire is for the backup solonoid...relases the brakes for backing, you can just add a wire to backup lights on truck if you dont want to change to a five pin...also there should be an overide lever on the tounge to use to back up till getting it wired, at least mine has one


----------



## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

i ran a wire from my back up lite on the truck so when you put it in revers it will release the brakes so you can back up,and if there is a problem you wont be able to back it up.


----------



## ohiou_98 (Mar 19, 2007)

Ahhhh, that makes sense. It's surge breaks which will engage when the spring is compressed---which also happens when you back-up. Thus, the wiring goes to the reverse lights, not the brake lights.

I took a picture of the plug. Does everyone's look like this?

Where is the manual override on the trailer tongue?


----------

