[ApriliaGuy]

There are at least 3 different hitch manufacturers (Curt, Valley, Draw-Tite) who sell branded T-type plug-in trailer wiring adapters - no vampire taps or splicing required. All cost very small fraction of the Honda harness. All are easier to install than Honda's harness. There are details in various threads about installing these harnesses.

Yup...but NO! ...not for '05 models! :-x

What you've said (except maybe the install is the same not easier) is very true for early (03-04) Element owners.

I believe that the '07 and up cars also have a powered plug and play aftermark option as well, but the '05 and '06 owners are best getting the Honda unit. (unless there is somrthing recently introduded....if you know of one please post a link!)

We've been dealing with this confusion since 2005.

 

[ApriliaGuy]

...There are those of us that recommend the Honda Harness for good reason. There are those that recommend the aftermarket harness for good reason too - typically low cost.

... Everyone is free to do as they please. But I stand by my recommendation of the OEM harness - not because I bought one either.

The funny/ironic thing is...the cheapy aftermaket "junk" isn't even available for the '05 model. (Owned by the thread stater, and subject of this discussion).

Trying to make a universal kit work on an Element is most likely more trouble than it is worth (unless you're decent w/ auto electrics and/or want to do something custom....and have the time & energy to do it).

BTW...I value you opinion quite a bit....and in this case tend to agree with you.

Just FWIW, I've been happy w/ the Draw-Tite unit in my '04 for the past 5 years. If buying one for a new Element I would consider my options and the various feedback from the EOC.

 

[ApriliaGuy]

I orderd the hoppy 43105 that is suposed to plug right in.will it work,if not why not.why not .thanks.

It won't work in Elements other than 03-04 because the wiring harness are different.

 

[ApriliaGuy]

I DO object to the characterization of aftermarket equipment for the Element as "cheapy aftermarket junk". Primary electrical vehicle wiring isn't rocket science or exotic technology. Honda is famous for CYA conservative over-engineering; adequate engineering is being cost-effective, not "cheapy".

Sorry...my bad. I didn't mean all aftermarket stuff is cheap junk. I meant that the "supposedly" cheap junk isn't even availble....so why even bother discussing it.

I make a big deal out of stuff like blanket responses such as "get the aftermarket one...it is fine" when there isn't one designed for the application. Owners of '07 models have recomended the model # they've successfully installed and used to '03 and '06 owners, which just causes confusion. Many people read these threads (and never post at all) and may not catch the stuff like model year info in a posters profile. (if it is even filled out)

Again, we've been dealing with this confusion since '05, and it gets frustrating saying the same stuff over and over. To make matters worse, many aftermarket suppliers have the wrong information as well.

And again...I like my draw-tite harness . I'd recomend it to anyone with an '03 or '04 Element. It was $35 or so, about 1/4 the price of the kit from Honda....and besides appearing to be a quality unit, it has worked perfectly for 5 years (5k miles towing/85k non towing). I've used Draw-Tite stuff in my work trucks (more than 100k miles towing)with very good results. I broke 2 factory Dodge hitch recievers, and had the factory wiring go bad on 1 Dodge and a Ford, but no problems with the aftermarket replacements.

Remember, the first '05 Honda trailer harness were recalled due to improper wiring. A few people w/ '03-04 have reported defective "converter units" messing up their turn signals with both Honda and aftermarket harness kits. Hoppy was slightly more likely to have this occur, if my memory is correct. Most of the complaints about U-Haul wiring seems to be from cut and splice installs, not instalkation of aftermarket "plug & ply" wiring kits....but do a search for "U-Haul wiring" and you'll find many people recomending against using U-Haul for the wiring harness. (w/ no mention of the "method.")

 

[ApriliaGuy]

lets just hope it doesn't make my 2005 E assplode!

Warning:
Overloading circuit can cause fires. Do not exceed lower of towing manufacturer rating or:
•Max. stop/turn light: 1 per side (2.1 amps)
•Max. tail lights: (7.5 amps)

as long as you ain't got too many lights on the trailer all should be fine.

;-)

 

[ApriliaGuy]

it's got LEDs on it....

yup....good call.

Just watch it if you borrow or rent a trailer w/ a bunch or regular lights, especially an enclosed one w/ all kinds of marker lights on it.

 

[ApriliaGuy]

My plan was to go with a self installed harness from etrailer, but then I decided to add a brake controller so I started leaning toward a dealer install.

Just combine an aftermarket vehicle specific wire/light harness (plug & play) with a seperate brake controler...available from the same supplier.

A good RV/Camping/trailer dealer in your area should have no problems w/ the install if you decide not to do it yourself.

They would be a good source of an auxiliry trans cooler if you decide to go that way too.

good luck.

BTW...a little off topic but...

way back when I had a great little Bronco II, I ran that thing for ages....anyway, it had a 4 way flat wire harness (like the plug & play element harness) on it and I wanted to add trailer brakes. I just wired up the brake controler under the dash and ran the wires to the back. When it came time for the connector at the back I got luck and stumbled on a really cool conecter assembly at the trailer place. It was the typical 7-way round vehicle side connector, but with a 4 way flat pig-tail and a few extra wires coming out the back.

it looked like this but with a much shorter 4wire end.

I mounted it under the bumper and hooked up the wires. The cool thing was all I had to do was unplug the 4way flat connector from the 7wire connector and hook it directly to the trailer when I wanted to tow a "normal" trailer.....no adapter required to go back to a 4wire system. Very neat and tidy and simple.