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-   -   willwood trailer hitch install help (https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/716873-willwood-trailer-hitch-install-help.html)

balefire 05-06-2014 04:44 AM

Thanks to all who helped me out with my questions.
Big thanks also to Will from Willwood systems who provided me with extra parts at no charge when the used kit I got had missing pieces.
If anyone's curious, it took my shop about 3.5 hrs of labor to install. = $350.
In the end, I had a happy family autox!
http://crisostomo.com/images/hitch1.jpg

Jim-c 12-03-2014 03:54 PM

5 Attachment(s)
Thanks for all the great info in this thread.
I made up a hitch last weekend. Ordering the wire conversion box now.
I used a DT ball mount. A key retracts the pins. No need for pin access.
I also drilled through the entire bumper. I used long bolts, no need for fishing the short ones through the holes.

2003 996

philooo 12-03-2014 04:16 PM

dtball mount to avoid the use of the pin and drilling through the bumper you are one smart mechanic ;)

and respect for the cut in the bumper, I did not know it could be done so neat !

..I thought I had done a clean install, but you beat me to it ;)

can you post picture of your wiring system, I am curious to see how the pro do it :)

congrat'

balefire 06-14-2015 08:54 PM


Originally Posted by philooo (Post 10141633)
I have finally wired the trailer hitch.

The first pic show the cables coming from the left of the trunk where the hitch 'box' is located by the air pump, going into the tail light housing via a small factory hole. I added a grommet for protection.

I was not ready to hard wire it all, so I decided to add a disconnection plug in between the box and the car harness.

Also I decided to split wires from the rear tail light instead of tapping in the car side harness. So if something get screwed up, I can remove it all nice and clean.

I used a cheap trailer plug for connection, that is all I could find at my local auto parts store.

I opened the cable for the split and soldered them, then use electrical tape. Might be overkill but I hate the plastic splitter connectors.

FYI:
Green is turn signal
Red is tail
Black is brake

Luckily there is enough space behind the tail light to hold the additional wires and the hitch plug.

My hitch 'box' being on the left side of the trunk I routed the positive battery cable from the left side to the right side of the trunk using the top engine bay shield (last pic). it flex just enough to allow a cable to be jammed in there, this way it goes all the way to the right side very close to the battery positive connector.

It took me forever to do this correctly but it is a clean job now.

I finally got around to wiring my 996 for trailer lights, but somehow I messed it up.
do I have to wire both tail lights?
currently I wired only my driver left tail light. although both lights come on at night, only the left turn signal works, and only the right brake light works.
any ideas?

philooo 06-14-2015 10:20 PM

yes you have to wire both taillight.
personally to keep things simple I only wired the left turn signal
in case of emergency you can just use the emergency blinker and both tail will flash.
Around here nobody uses blinkers anyways.
I just wanted to keep wire to a minimum so I only wired the left side.

After all I think it would have been better on the right side as this is where the positive cable goes and there is plenty of empty space on the right side.

balefire 06-16-2015 01:07 PM


Originally Posted by philooo (Post 12359684)
yes you have to wire both taillight.
personally to keep things simple I only wired the left turn signal
in case of emergency you can just use the emergency blinker and both tail will flash.
Around here nobody uses blinkers anyways.
I just wanted to keep wire to a minimum so I only wired the left side.

After all I think it would have been better on the right side as this is where the positive cable goes and there is plenty of empty space on the right side.

Stupid question, but which wire or wires do I have to wire to get my other turn signal working?
Thanks!

philooo 06-16-2015 01:42 PM

wires should be labeled , and one should be the right turn signal
you only need to have one wire going to the other tail light. and tap it into the turn signal wire.

docwyte 12-16-2018 07:24 PM

Bringing this back from the dead.

Which DT ball mount are you guys using? I can only find the larger 2" Class 4 ones that use a horizontal locking pin.

The Willwood hitch needs the smaller 1.25" hitch with vertical locking pin.....

xkdc2001 01-07-2022 02:51 PM

And also bringing it back from the dead thanks to SportTows now selling this product.

Has anybody had any luck recently installing a hitch wiring harness into a 996 or 997? I run a 996 4S and am trying to determine what parts I'll need to build up a system for controlling the lights on a jetski trailer.

docwyte 01-07-2022 05:28 PM

I installed my hitch and wiring harness last winter. Everything was fine, I just followed the instructions I found on Rennlist

xkdc2001 01-07-2022 05:48 PM


Originally Posted by docwyte (Post 17890652)
I installed my hitch and wiring harness last winter. Everything was fine, I just followed the instructions I found on Rennlist

awesome. Any tips for the soon-to-be trailer equipped 996 owner?

also do you happen to recall which harness you purchased? I see a couple different uhaul and etrailer options previously mentioned.

docwyte 01-07-2022 05:51 PM

Can't help ya there. I bought my hitch used and it came with the harness


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