Yet Another trailer wiring question... Brakes?

[KensAudio]

So far as I can tell, from the OEM trailer wiring harness, or the equivalent after-market option(s), after installation, I'm left with a flat-4 plug to use for a trailer. My quandary is that somewhere in the Baja documentation, it states that any trailer over 1000 pounds should have its own brakes (not "brake lights", its own electrical brakes). But such brakes wouldn't be triggered by a 4-pin connection (just running lights, left turn/brake light, right turn/brake light, ground); we'd need a 5- or 6- or 7- pin connector to address that. So did Subaru just not communicate well with itself when putting all this together?

Is anyone with a Baja towing more than 1000 pounds? Does it have brakes? How are they triggered?

Any help/reference/guidance would be appreciated.

- K

[kman.45]

So far as I can tell, from the OEM trailer wiring harness, or the equivalent after-market option(s), after installation, I'm left with a flat-4 plug to use for a trailer. My quandary is that somewhere in the Baja documentation, it states that any trailer over 1000 pounds should have its own brakes (not "brake lights", its own electrical brakes). But such brakes wouldn't be triggered by a 4-pin connection (just running lights, left turn/brake light, right turn/brake light, ground); we'd need a 5- or 6- or 7- pin connector to address that. So did Subaru just not communicate well with itself when putting all this together?

Is anyone with a Baja towing more than 1000 pounds? Does it have brakes? How are they triggered?

Any help/reference/guidance would be appreciated.

- K

Towing capacity is what about 2500 pounds? I've towed over 1000 to maybe 2000 pounds several times, didn't find the brakes to struggle at all with the extra weight. sure it makes a difference, but worked just fine.

[mikenmel08]

You would need a separate brake controller, and of course a trailer with brakes. But most trailers that have brakes are pretty big and i wouldn't try hauling it anyways.

[KensAudio]

Officially, the Baja is rated to pull 2000 pounds, with a max tongue weight of 200 pounds. That's for the Automatic. I've got the manual transmission, meanning I could tow 2400# (200# tongue weight) if I'd gotten the OEM receiver hitch. As I didn't, and there is no Class II hitch to fit, the class I limits towing to 2000#. OK, I can get by with that.

The manual states that I can tow up to 1000# without brakes on my trailer, or up to 2000# with brakes on the trailer. The only wiring available to hook up to the existing wiring (behind the right rear tire) leaves the user with a 4-pin flat connector (Ground, run lights, left & right turn/brake.)

I'm planning on getting a small brake controller from a reputable manufacturer - one that I hope I can mount in the cabin with minimal obstruction of other things/stuff. Then I have to hook that up to A) ground B) +12 volts capable of a significant amount of current (roughly 3+ amps per brake on a trailer), C) the brake switch (so it knows when to trigger) and finally D) a wire, preferably blue (to match all observed conventions) to run to the back of the Baja, where I will add it to the 4 conductors from the OEM harness, and permanently mount a 6-pin round connector near my receiver hitch. That will leave me with one more conductor which I will likely use just as +12 volts to charge a battery in a pop-up camper yet to be acquired.

I'm hoping to get this all done by next spring so that I can A) acquire a pop-up camper and B) get a cheap trailer for carrying a student's dorm stuff back home.

Stay tuned...

- K

[bulwnkl]

O.P., trailers don't necessarily have to have electric brakes to be over 1,000 lbs, they just have to have brakes. 'Surge' brakes are relatively common, and they're entirely self-contained (within the hitch of the trailer) and are hydraulic. They can make backing a MAJOR PAIN, though (as when trying to back up-hill or over uneven terrain).

U-Haul's brake controllers work well on the Baja (I've had mine in for at least 3, maybe 4, years), and they give you both 4-pin flat and 7-pin round receptacles on a plate that mounts next to the hitch tongue. I've pulled a decent-sized camper with electric brakes up over the Continental Divide and all around when we lived in Idaho. The turbo Bajas will pull them fine, but at least mine wants to overheat. There's nothing wrong except that Subaru didn't put in a large enough radiator. The solution is to either:
1) Put in a larger radiator, or
2) Run nearly-straight distilled water (leave 10 - 20% coolant in to avoid freezing the water up in the heater core when you turn on the A/C or defroster).
I ran option 2, and it worked extremely well. We don't have that camper any more.

Officially, the Baja is rated to pull 2000 pounds, with a max tongue weight of 200 pounds. That's for the Automatic. I've got the manual transmission, meanning I could tow 2400# (200# tongue weight) if I'd gotten the OEM receiver hitch.

Not sure where you got your info, but it is incorrect. Bajas are rated to tow 2,400 lbs regardless which transmission they have (assuming you have trailer brakes. The law limits you to 1,000 lbs without them). Check section 8 of the owner's manual if you have one, or Cars101.com if you don't. The only transmission-specific 'restriction' from Subaru (unless there's some owner's manual quirk for the '03) is that they say you should limit trailers to 1,200 lbs. for long, continuous up-hill towing with the A/T. An aftermarket ATF cooler would eliminate the need for that restriction.