Trailer Hitch wiring....for trailer lights

My trailer hitch should arrive any day now.... I've looked over the installation of the hitch, and think I can install it myself w/ little trouble....

What I'm wondering about, is, if anyone has tapped into the rear lighting wiring, to add the trailer hitch lighting connection(s) ?

If so.... any tips ? photos' ?

I want to get this done, by the weekend, when I'll (probably) be picking up a nice Boston Whaler..... if it looks as nice at the pic, in this craigslist post.

http://orlando.craigslist.org/boa/3183583428.html

Wiring the hitch

I got a plug and play Curt T-connector from Autoanything for $47.95 free shipping. It was fairly easy to install. You will have to remove or loosen the rear interior panels and the panel inside the rear bumper where the spare tire is located, but that is really easy. Everything just plugs into existing wiring, no splicing required. I decided to cut off the flat connector and dropped the wires through a grommet beneath the driver side cubby so I could mount a round 4 pin connector attached to the hitch below the bumper. I don't like the wire dangling out the hatch like Curt suggests and like Mazda uses. I will take some pictures later today.

Lando..... thanks for the quick reply and great info...... that does sound easy..... I'll see if I can find that specific Curt T-connector, locally.... (as I might need to use it, this weekend )

It is part #56011 and it also fits the Honda Fit and other vehicles. It should be easy to find.

Nice looking boat. The CX-5 should have no problem pulling it.

Lando.... thanks for the Curt part number. No one in Orlando area had one in stock, but I did find one (the last one they had) at Trends-Auto (also on Amazon.com) .... great price: $34.96, no tax, and free shipping.
They say they can get it to me by Friday.

Curt T-Connector, part # 56011

Hitch arrived yesterday, installed today..... took me about an hour...... Hat Tip to Lando for the photos',..... which helped.

Lando....(or anyone else). I going to install the Curt wiring kit (for trailer lights ), later today.....

Question: Was there a convient place to connect the ground wire (to the body metal) ?

I figure that the total wieght I'll be hauling, to be less than a ton (2,200 lbs. ) boat (alone) wieghs 1000 lbs.

.....nevermind...... Got the ground wire figured out...... The tricky part was removing the rear panels..... There are a few "hidden" bolts under the "tie down" points..... I took a few pics, which I'll post later.... Which should be helpful to others.

Cariboumainiac,

Did you get the boat? I am interested in how the CX5 tows, as that was one of the reasons we were looking at it. Any pics of the boat/CX5 hooked up would be great too...

Yep..... picked up the boat, about 2 months ago. It was located at a rich guys house, about 75 miles from home..... it happened to be on the same day as my grand daughters birthday, so I stopped there to give her a new bicycle (7 years old) and snapped this one pic.... (not a good pic, and has a couple slightly inebriated party go-er, in the pic ).... anyway, you want to know about how the CX-5 towed the boat.... well..... it does tow the boat, but I could tell that it was "struggling", when on the highway .... and the gas mileage really dropped. This Whaler weighs exactly 1000 pounds, the trailer weighs 310 pounds and the motor, I'm guessing is about 350 pounds. The boat is balanced well on the trailer, so the tongue weight is only about 50 pounds, or so. (easy to pick up, when putting it on the trailer hitch.) It is still hot here in Fla, and it is not the time of year to go fishing.... so, I've just been waiting for cooler weather. (I haven't even put the boat in the water yet..... just been fixing the little things, ( new impeller, gear oil, replacing snaps on the cooler seats, ect.... ) The boat is well within the capacities shown in the CX-5 owners manual.... but towing it to the coast, does concern me..... I may just get me a "beater" pick up truck (w/ a V6 motor) and use that to tow the boat. If I used the CX-5 to tow the boat (which is a 14ft, 3 inch 1999 Boston Whaler Dauntless model ), I think I'll just tow it to the local lakes (only a few miles from home).... going over 60mph seems to be "hard" on the Mazda. ..... it is a great boat, in exceptional condition (for being 12 years old), .... perfect size for me.

Spectacular buy on that boat....that looks great! It is even the right proportions for the CX5...LOL. I try to keep the towing on anything I have had (never had a full size truck, or diesel) to about half the manufacturers recommendation for any long towing....I did tow a bilge keel sailboat with my V6 Ford Ranger once, it was a tough 20 miles on the truck, and I sold the boat when we moved, it would not have made it 100 miles towing like that (at or just above recommended weight, 125 LB tongue weight). I would say you would be fine on your local lakes, depending on the ramp angles, but the "beater" truck might be a good move for the long distance and longevity of your CX5. That is one of the best sized boats out there, you got a real beauty in that purchase, happy fishing.

Chop the petrol in for the diesel 175 when it arrives, its rated to tow 2000kg in the UK.

With 88kg on the nose weight (tong as you say)

Nice little boat, congrats & enjoy!

I have been thinking of putting a hitch on the car so I can carry the bicycles... I am not a big fan of putting the bikes on the roof.. However I may have to go to the dealer for that -- I am handy but not that handy! Plus I want to make sure it's done right and the bike rack won't fall off

xtrailman said:

Chop the petrol in for the diesel 175 when it arrives, its rated to tow 2000kg in the UK.

With 88kg on the nose weight (tong as you say)

Click to expand...

The 2.0 litre gas is rated 1800kg (in Australia) which is the same as the 2.2 diesel. I doubt their has been significant changes to the car so I don't know why NA has smaller towing capacities. I still wouldn't pull much with the 2.0.

How did your SUV handle towing the boat out of the water on a steep and slippery ramp? I have a 2010 Mazda CX7 with tow assisit and the larger motor but only 2WD and want to see if I can pull a 16 Bost Whaler Dauntlass? What is your boat pull weight at max and what is your car tow weight? How does you get the boat out of the water? Thanks Leslie