Bombadil Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 I need to wire up my 1995 Legacy wagon for a trailer. Is there an easy way to do this? Has anybody here done it. Any tips would be helpfull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadil Posted August 15, 2006 Author Share Posted August 15, 2006 Bump Hows about a clue were to look to splice in the wiring harness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 best I can say is get in the cargo area and follow the wires for the tail lights. If you are good with a current tester and can get the universal harness at walmart etc. it is absolutely no problem. If you don't have a current tester (it is the one that lights up when there is current...not the one with the needle that moves back and forth) either get one or take it somewhere to have it done for you. Maybe if you called your local dealer they might have one that just connects into the cars harness but back when I did this to my 90 legacy they didn't have a harness for them back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 i've think i remember correctly, outbacks have a trailer pigtail in the right rear corner of the car down / inside/ under ??? something. probably not in your legacy but that might be a place to start looking. i would think a trailer htch shop/store could help. good luck. best I can say is get in the cargo area and follow the wires for the tail lights. If you are good with a current tester and can get the universal harness at walmart etc. it is absolutely no problem. If you don't have a current tester (it is the one that lights up when there is current...not the one with the needle that moves back and forth) either get one or take it somewhere to have it done for you. Maybe if you called your local dealer they might have one that just connects into the cars harness but back when I did this to my 90 legacy they didn't have a harness for them back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltCar Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 I put the box in the driver side panel but I had to run a wire under the hatch sill to the other side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadil Posted August 16, 2006 Author Share Posted August 16, 2006 I officially hate wiring. I got the car wired up. I took your guys advice and got one of those circuit testers with the light in the handle. Every thing works at the 4 connector at the car every thing works on the wires 5 inches from the trailer side of the four connector. Yet no trailer lights. I pulled the cover on the trailer lights(they are brand new) the bulbs are good and when I used the tester I had power, however it was much dimmer then at the back of the car. Whats my problem. The trailer is 17 ft long and I figure I have approx 20+ feet of wire. Is it possiable that I don't have enough power? I would think that the trailer light bulbs would be at least dim but I get nothing. Any ideas guys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdcpony Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 With a simple light you can't tell how much actual current you have. I can break out my Fluke and tell you what I got at the lights, but that won't help if you don'thave one too to test at the trailer. If you wired them in "series" then voltage is additive (you're splitting up the 12V into smaller voltages and the lights won't light). If you wired in "parallel" then amps are additive (you're only sending a little current to each and the lights may be dim or won't light). The test light only looks to see one or the other volts or current not both. If you are in parallel the a larger fuse in the fuse box for the tail lights would fix the problem by allowing more to be drawn. The fuse box terminals are usually wired in parallel as well which is why it is that the amps an alternator puts out that matters in powering a car. The 20' of wire should have no effect on the bulb brightness. How the wires are run will. A simple test is to pull a bulb in the same circuit, or line. If they all go out then you are wired in series. If not you are in parallel (think X-mas lights). You would want the other bulbs to stay on (or in your case to turn on when one is removed. You can only get 12V and the lights need every V to light. However, they can draw extra amps through the line (up to a point) if they have that. I know this was lengthy, but it actually the simplest way to explain it. I'll check in tomorrow if you would like. Tell me if you want me to test mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadil Posted August 16, 2006 Author Share Posted August 16, 2006 Well i have my FL coming over and he is an engineer and we are going to try to figure it out. If I don't have a big enough fuse, could I also install a boaster on the 4 pin connector and fix the problem that way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdcpony Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 When you use your light where do you hook the two leads? One to a ground and the other to the terminal? If so try hooking the ground lead to the other end of the line (the second contact for the bulb would do). There may be a difference. It should light then too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadil Posted August 16, 2006 Author Share Posted August 16, 2006 I ask the wife to continue to fool with it well I am at work. She found something out. If you turn on the headlights nothing works, but if you turn them off then the blinkers will work. Not sure about the brakes I will be looking at that tonight. I must have something hooked up wrong on the dang car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrwitty_1 Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 I ask the wife to continue to fool with it well I am at work. She found something out. If you turn on the headlights nothing works, but if you turn them off then the blinkers will work. Not sure about the brakes I will be looking at that tonight. I must have something hooked up wrong on the dang car. I would check the 4 term trailer connector at the car without the trailer connected, If I remember correct there is a white,brown,green and yellow lead, the white wire is a ground and must be hooked to a ground source, with your test light check the connector terminals, place the light clamp on the white term and then check the remaining 3 terms, one should be parking lamps, one left turn and brake and the other right turn and brake, if they work fine there check the ground wire on your trailer. Most people believe that it will ground thru the ball but that is a poor ground ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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