Tow Package Easy to install?

I am thinking about buying the tow package online. is this easy to install? I am just worried that I am going to screw things up. Thanks!

-Marc

I have been concerned about the same, but I woner more about the wiring, does that have to be snaked to the front of the truck, or are the connections already near the rear of the vehicle.

The Factory tow package is great for those folks that want OEM quality. Everything simply fits as it should. My very close friend Twintym has just purchased this unit to tow their new Fleetwood Orbit travel trailer and it works great.
I bought my CURT brand class three hitch from Summit Racing.com for $134.39 plus shipping. Curt Manufacturing warrants its products to be free from defects in material and workmanship for as long as the original purchaser owns the products. Plus, from all the research we did looking for a hitch that is the least noticeable back there, the CURT CHT-13385 unit tucks under so well you can hardly see it. I even mounted the 7-pin and 4-pin connectors up under the trunk so you can’t see anything back there. It just looks very clean to me.

I did purchase the OEM wiring harness because it’s a simple “plug-n-play” proposition and the four wire pigtail is included for your electronic brake controller as well. A hundred bucks but well worth the doe. I used a floor jack and tie downs to secure the hitch to the jack and raised it up and bolted the three bolts on either side and the two bolts in the back of the rear bumper and torqued um down good and wired it up in an afternoon. The instructions that come with the wiring harness are great and have pictures of the step by step process. The wiring harness plugs into a socket that is waiting under your dash and the socket for the trailer harness is tucked into the left side of your frame. So there is no wires to "string" as they are already there for you.

I even mounted the 7-pin and 4-pin connectors up under the trunk so you can’t see anything back there. It just looks very clean to me.
5S Dude - Is it possible for you post a photo showing where you mounted the connectors?

Photos would be awsome! Mainly with the wiring. what r some things we should look out for?

To answer the OP question. The OEM tow package is very easy to install if you have a helper. I would highly suggest any DIYers out there to get a six pack and a foot long sub for a friend and make it a lunch time event. I did my install myself and it felt like I was audtioning for Cirque de Solei. The OEM wiring is really easy. Honda put everything where it should be...just don't be shy to really "tug" at the wire (you'll know what I mean when you get to this step). Hope this helps. :cool:

The Factory tow package is great for those folks that want OEM quality. Everything simply fits as it should. My very close friend Twintym has just purchased this unit to tow their new Fleetwood Orbit travel trailer and it works great.
I bought my CURT brand class three hitch from Summit Racing.com for $134.39 plus shipping. Curt Manufacturing warrants its products to be free from defects in material and workmanship for as long as the original purchaser owns the products. Plus, from all the research we did looking for a hitch that is the least noticeable back there, the CURT CHT-13385 unit tucks under so well you can hardly see it. I even mounted the 7-pin and 4-pin connectors up under the trunk so you can’t see anything back there. It just looks very clean to me.

I did purchase the OEM wiring harness because it’s a simple “plug-n-play” proposition and the four wire pigtail is included for your electronic brake controller as well. A hundred bucks but well worth the doe. I used a floor jack and tie downs to secure the hitch to the jack and raised it up and bolted the three bolts on either side and the two bolts in the back of the rear bumper and torqued um down good and wired it up in an afternoon. The instructions that come with the wiring harness are great and have pictures of the step by step process. The wiring harness plugs into a socket that is waiting under your dash and the socket for the trailer harness is tucked into the left side of your frame. So there is no wires to "string" as they are already there for you.

Do you remember where you picked up the wiring harness?

Yes! As soon as I get my baby back from the body shop I will post photos of my install.

I bought the wiring harness from H & A Accessories.

Trevor at H & A has been a good supporter of this site. Send him a PM and he'll get you the info you need for the wiring harness.

I did the install myself and it was fairly easy, but a word of advice based on my experience. Release the wiring harness at the back of the truck before you bolt in the hitch. If you do it the other way around it makes it much harder to get at the harness and you'll probably end up removing the hitch again.

Cirque de Soleil - LOL. Very true. It took me 20 minutes of contorted weirdness to finally get a bolt in place.

Don't forget to retorque the bolts down after your first tow or 100 loaded miles, whichever comes first.

I see from the wiring instructions that the vehicles built prior to 5/05 do not have a back up light connection, or something to that effect. My truck is a build date of 02/05, wonder if this means I would not easily be able to get the wiring in.

Planning on installing the Curt Hitch this weekend - seems pretty straight forward. Don't have a harness yet. Could someone please explain to me how I can "release the wiring from the back of the truck" prior to installing the hitch in order to make it easier to install the harness later?

Can this be done? What would I then do with the released wiring?

Thanks

Planning on installing the Curt Hitch this weekend - seems pretty straight forward. Don't have a harness yet. Could someone please explain to me how I can "release the wiring from the back of the truck" prior to installing the hitch in order to make it easier to install the harness later?

Can this be done? What would I then do with the released wiring?

Thanks

hI Tg22, Welcome to the club! I typically suck at instruction but I'll give it a try.

Check out Step 15. of the "trailer hitch and harness installation instructions" link I've attached.

http://www.collegehillshonda.com/instructions/06ridgeline/trailerhitch.pdf

It's a pdf so it may take a few seconds to load.

I used a long pair of surgical snips and another member used a single edge razor blade mounted to the end of a small metal rod. The harness end is tucked up into the driver side of the frame and very small hands are required to bring this harness end out far enough to reach the seven pin round and flat four trailer plugs. Don't be shy about pulling enough of this harness towards the back of the truck so you can cut the blue electric tape and unfurrow the remaining harness. After you have finished you can simply Zip-Tie the extended harness loom until you're ready to install the actual hitch. H & A is also a great place to order the harness from. Hope this helps you.

I started to take install photos but got burnt out trying to get the dang harness out from frame so I feel for you.......

5S Dude:

Man, do I appreciate your reply. I have ZERO experience or knowledge with any aspect of towing (never even owned a pickup before!), but I'm going to give this a shot.

Just curious: does hooking up the hitch WITHOUT freeing the harness first put the hitch in the way of freeing the harness later? My guess is yes.

Again, my thanks. Love the truck, and helpful folks like yourself make the experience that much better.

Lastly, thanks but I'm not new here. Member for almost a year, just been sleeping a bit.:)

5S Dude:

Man, do I appreciate your reply. I have ZERO experience or knowledge with any aspect of towing (never even owned a pickup before!), but I'm going to give this a shot.

Just curious: does hooking up the hitch WITHOUT freeing the harness first put the hitch in the way of freeing the harness later? My guess is yes.

Again, my thanks. Love the truck, and helpful folks like yourself make the experience that much better.

Lastly, thanks but I'm not new here. Member for almost a year, just been sleeping a bit.:)

Yes! I'd yank the harness out of the frame rail before you mount the CURT Hitch so the side brackets are not obstructing access. I realize you're not a newbee but I wanted to welcome you just the same. ROC-On!

I am thinking about buying the tow package online. is this easy to install? I am just worried that I am going to screw things up. Thanks!

-Marc
If you do a search for the install you'll find pictures we took of our install we did in May of "06". It took my nephew and I about 11/2 to 2 hrs. to do this install.

Took a quick look under the rear drivers side. I do see a few wires. How can I be sure I have the right ones? Don't want to pull out any tail light connections, etc.

When/if I do have the right bunch of wires, MUST the tape be cut, or can I just pull them down to free them? Approximately how much wire must I have, let say as it would hang under the truck if not secured, to know I have enough?

What I am ultimately looking for are two connectors, one four prong and one ten prong, right?

Sorry for all the questions. Again, ZERO experience in towing, installing a hitch or harness, etc.

Thanks in advance.

Look at the thread that vertrkr started on installing the hitch by himself. I just bumped it. You'll find a lot of advice about this project. The tape is green and it's up pretty high above the bumper. My nephew could barely get his arm up there and reach it. He is very strong. He only got the first tape to break. He was afraid the wires would be compromised if he pulled any harder.

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348

Thanks for the help. Did it a few weeks back - was exactly as described. Hardest part was pulling down wires. Installing the hitch was a breeze. Did it alone. Bent down the muffler hanger, propped up one side of the hitch while I bolted in the other. Piece of cake.

BTW - LOVE the way the Curt hitch looks. Delivered in perfect condition, simple install, looks great. Highly recommend.

In order to install the hitch relay assembly under the dash, anybody have a tip on how to get the dashboard clips to release. I'm afraid too much direct tugging on the lower dash panel will break something.

Question on tow package.....
I want OEM
I understand there is a connector under the rear bumber?
If you are not using the brake relay do you need to install the whole harness from dash back.
Can I just connect under bumper connecter and install hitch?
Help

Sorry about spelling was rushing..

Question on tow package.....
I want OEM
I understand there is a connector under the rear bumber?
If you are not using the brake relay do you need to install the whole harness from dash back.
Can I just connect under bumper connecter and install hitch?
Help

Yes, you need to connect it or you'll have no lights on your trailer. :eek:

mtnmann you don't have to take the lower dash panel off to get to the wires and mount the relays.Move the seat all the way back .Its tight but doable. hmans3

Am looking to add a hitch, and am considering adding the wiring at the same time, with a build date of 02/05 will I have connections behind the tail light or would i need to run wiring all the way to the front of the truck. Have seen some stuff that seems to say the initial builds do not have any wiring at the rear. Can someone confirm if they have an early build what they did for the wiring. Don't need to the wiring that much to run it all the way to the front.

I paid $185 SHIPPED TO MY DOOR for a "Hidden Hitch™" and wiring harness on eBay and it took a whopping 35 mins start to finish for the installation with wiring. I looked at the option of the factory Honda hitch but the cost and having to get into the dash for the wiring just didn't make sense.

I paid $185 SHIPPED TO MY DOOR for a "Hidden Hitch™" and wiring harness on eBay and it took a whopping 35 mins start to finish for the installation with wiring. I looked at the option of the factory Honda hitch but the cost and having to get into the dash for the wiring just didn't make sense.

So did you have to wire up under the front dash? Or did the package you got from ebay eliminate this?????

So did you have to wire up under the front dash? Or did the package you got from ebay eliminate this?????

It all plugs in right at the tail lights.

It all plugs in right at the tail lights.

Can you supply model/type, supplier, ebay seller?

Thanks.

Can you supply model/type, supplier, ebay seller?

Thanks.


Just search ebay

here is some wiring like what I got: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Trailer-Hitch-Wiring-Honda-Ridgeline_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33653QQihZ002 QQitemZ120103478271QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V