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Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles
(34 reviews)
Price: $72.77
Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles
Item # HM56009
Retail:$149.83
Our Price: $72.77
You Save: 51%
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- All Info
- Reviews (34)
- Q & A (27)
- Photos
- Why etrailer?
Hopkins Tow Bar Wiring - HM56009
- Wiring Harness
- Plugs into Vehicle Wiring
- Hopkins
- Tail Light Mount
- Custom
Wire your vehicle and get the signal lights required for flat towing without having to splice into your wiring with this custom, plug-in harness. Integrated diodes prevent feedback from RV for safe operation. Wires as combined lighting system.
Features:
- Lets you wire your vehicle to accept your RV's tail, brake, and turn signal lights for flat towing
- Wires towed car as combined system so that brake and turn signals travel along same wire
- Provides 4-way flat plug at front of towed car to connect to motor home
- Plugs in quickly and easily - no cutting or splicing of wires
- Connection points are located near rear bumper
- Prevents electrical feedback to safeguard towed car's electrical system
- Weatherproof box keeps built-in diodes protected
- Won't interfere with electrical system when towed car is not hooked up to RV
- Custom designed for your vehicle
- Includes wiring harness, mounting bracket, and installation hardware
- Extension loop for connecting towed car to RV is sold separately
- Brake light relay (RM-88400 - sold separately) may be required if used with supplemental braking system
- 90-Day warranty
Wiring Your Towed Car with Hopkins
Wiring your car for flat towing has never been easier. No more testing wires or splicing into your electrical system. No need to painstakingly position multiple diodes beneath your vehicle. No worries about voiding your warranty. With this custom-fit towed vehicle wiring kit from Hopkins, all you have to do is plug the harness into your vehicle's existing wiring, which is located at the rear of the vehicle. No cutting, tapping, or splicing is required.
After plugging in the wiring harness, use the included bracket to mount the 4-way flat connector at the front of your towed car. An extension loop (sold separately) is required to connect your towed car to your RV.
Separate vs. Combined Lighting Systems
Some automobiles operate on a 3-wire system, wherein the brake signal and the turn signals travel along different wires to illuminate different lights. (Typically, these vehicles have amber turn signals.) This is referred to as a "separate lighting system." When you hook up for flat towing using this harness, your towed car's lighting system will operate in a combined fashion regardless of whether it typically has combined or separate lighting. This means that the brake and turn signals sent by your RV to your towed car will be carried on a single wire. As a result, your car's brake lights will do the flashing for the turn signals. Your vehicle will still function as designed when not hooked up to your RV.
Do You Need a Brake Light Relay?
Because this harness wires your vehicle as a combined system, a brake light relay (RM-88400 - sold separately) may be required if you use a supplemental braking system with your towing setup. A supplemental braking system depresses the brake pedal in your towed car every time you apply the brakes in your RV. So, if your towed car's brake lights illuminate when the brake pedal is pressed and the engine is off - as is the case when towing - then you need to install a relay to ensure that the lights on your towed car always act in accordance with the signals sent by your RV via the wiring harness. Without a relay, the brake signal from your towed car will override the turn signal sent by your RV when you slow down to make turns, creating a potential hazard.
56009 Hopkins Plug-In Simple Dinghy Towing Harness
Installation Details
This Product Fits The Following Vehicles
- 2015 - 2020 Ford F-150
- 2017 - 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
California residents: click here
Customer Reviews
Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles - HM56009
Average Customer Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars (34 Customer Reviews)
Wire your vehicle and get the signal lights required for flat towing without having to splice into your wiring with this custom, plug-in harness. Integrated diodes prevent feedback from RV for safe operation. Wires as combined lighting system.
- HM56009
Kenneth - 02/09/2019
49329
by: Kenneth02/08/2018
Light kit was delivered very fast. Went together and worked as advertised. Always had good service from etrailer. 473749
Comments
Excellent, easy to install.
Kenneth - 02/09/201949329
- HM56009
by: Phil08/08/2018
2018 Ford F-150
Ford has at least three different electrical wiring plugs all about the same size, the picture really doesn’t show what is actually there! Try them all, once you find the right plug, all works fine! 551421
- HM56009
by: Alan09/26/2020
2018 Ford F-150
Works great. no problems with the insta ll 892984
- HM56009
by: William09/21/2020
Worked perfect. OEM connections plenty of wire no problems 884603
- HM56009
by: Dick G09/09/2020
Plug & play no cutting into vehicle wir ing 876368
- HM56009
by: Ted09/06/2020
Everything fit perfectly and is in operation a year later with no glitches or problems. 875141
- HM56009
by: Terry08/11/2020
I will be installing this on Friday Aug. 14th, I have looked through all of the installation videos, and will be connecting this to a 6-way round connector. Thanks for all of the online information, it is great!! 860071
- HM56009
by: Trace08/08/2020
Product was easy to install and worked during testing, can't weight to get it on the road. 858530
- HM56009
by: Kenny08/04/2020
Super easy to install. Arrived faster than expected. Would give it 5 stars if it was 3 wire or even if the 3 wire attachment was plug and play like this was. Love not having to splice into wires. 855653
- HM56009
by: Billy06/12/2020
2019 Ford F-150
Very good experience locating and ordering base plate and wiring harness etc. for my 2019 F150 that I'll be towing behind motor home. Everything was well packaged and delivered as promised. I recommend etrailer for your products. 814536
- HM56009
by: Terry M05/23/2020
Installed per instruction had one minor question support from etrailer was prompt and excellent 804586
- HM56009
by: Dan C04/25/2020
Made a tough task simple. No splicing wires, just plug it in and run the cable to the front. I wish the rest of the road setup was this simple. 786164
- HM56009
by: Bryan04/20/2020
Even during a pandemic I received my order in a reasonable time frame. And better yet, it is all correct. Great selection and service. I will use etrailer.com again. 783261
- HM56009
by: Jose03/22/2020
Excellent product great factory like weatherproof connects. Plug & play hardest part was to run the wiring harness to the front of the vehicle. Which really was not hard at all, I would definitely recommend this product to anyone wanting to flat tow their vehicle. 769666
- HM56009
by: Paul03/22/2020
2018 Ford F-150
I just installed the wiring harness (HM56009). It was very easy, just plug and play. It only took about a half hour to install. 769476
- HM56009
by: James02/25/2020
Ford F-150
Awesome kit. So much easier than having to remove taillight and splice into my F-150 wiring. Just plugs into existing wiring harness. 758858
- HM56009
by: Steven02/12/2020
2015 Ford F-150
Great products and fast delivery 749954
- HM56009
by: Joel01/10/2020
2019 Ford F-150
All; These folks are EXCELLENT!!! Great prices (better than other web stores in many cases) and their Customer Service is OUTSTANDING, seriously. My order was not huge but they were in constant contact with me, even on a Sunday!, letting me know where things stood and even following up after delivery to make sure I was happy... Where do you get that kind of service today?? I highly recommend etrailer.com. Great folks! 737443
- HM56009
Eric - 10/20/2020
102369
by: Eric10/19/2019
2018 Ford F-150
Very easy to install but watch the video on the website, the connector is not as pictured or as located in the written directions that come with it. It literly took longer to run the wires along the frame rail and zip tie them to make the connections. I used the black 4 way holder and attached it to my bumper bit i don't like it, if i was to do it over i would just hide it behind the license plate. 2018 F150 XLT 4x4 718913
Comments
Still working great
Eric - 10/20/2020102369
- HM56009
Andrew T - 08/29/2020
98041
by: Andrew T.08/29/2019
Great product, easy to install and works just the way it is supposed to. 695252
Comments
Great, no problems
Andrew T - 08/29/202098041
- HM56009
by: Brett06/17/2019
This kit was very easy to install and works as expected. I tow a dinghy about 1x per month and this kit has really made the set up a quick and easy job 659190
- HM56009
by: Raymond04/12/2019
2018 Ford F-150 Raptor
Great product! Easy, quick install. Works great! All plug and play, no splicing. 624244
- HM56009
by: David R01/10/2019
Ford Transit Connect
My daughter moved the package indoors while I was on vacation. I did not open the package until 9 months later when I first needed it. Part of the components were missing. The box was damaged in transit. etrailer went above and beyond to insure that I received the parts needed to use the unit. Great customer service. I am a very satisfied customer. etrailer is a pleasure to have as a supplier. They worked with me when they were not bound to do so, which is a great quality to have these days. More companies should treat their customers like this. 596475
- HM56009
by: Chris Blair12/10/2018
You product was easy to install and took less than 1 hour. The best part is no splicing into the factory wiring. I have passed on your product information to my serving RV technician. 589650
- HM56009
by: Leon12/01/2018
2018 Ford F-150
hopkins hm56009: excellent product easy to install especially if you watch the install video. E-trailer easy to deal with and responsive to my needs. 586618
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Show More Reviews
Ask the Experts about this Hopkins Tow Bar Wiring
- Plug and Play Wiring Harness for 2018 Ford F-150 To Tow Behind CoachI have exactly what you are looking for in the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles part # HM56009 which is a fit for a 2018 Ford F-150 (All Models) and completely plug and play. In fact, the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles is the only plug and play flat-tow wiring harness on the market. Hopkins has been making wiring harnesses for a very long time so you can depend on them and this kit in particular. I have attached for you an install video...
view full answer... - Recommended Wiring Harness and Tail Gate Strip for 2018 Ford F-150 Lariat with Max Tow PackageThe Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles # HM56009 is a fit for your 2018 Ford F-150 but is used for the purpose of sending power from a motorhome to your tail lights when it is towed. That is not the correct fit for what you are seeking to accomplish. To give you the ability to utilize the LED strip at your tailgate I recommend the Reese # 74682 if you have the factory 7 way for a clean connection, but it sounds like the computer may still disable your sensors....
view full answer... - Can Brake Signal be Isolated from Hopkins Wiring for Flat Towing a 2019 Ford F-150To isolate the brake signal from the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles # HM56009 on your 2019 Ford F-150 you can just tie in the Pacer Performance 3rd Brake Light Logic Module # PP20-702. Attached is a photo of the installation instructions for you to check out.
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- No Splice Tail Light Wiring Harness Compatible with 2020 Ford F-150Yes. The Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles # HM56009 is confirmed to fit a 2020 Ford F-150. It simply plugs into your factory wiring connections at your tail lights and is run to the front of your vehicle for connection to your towing vehicle. You will however also need the # RM-88400 relay to prevent the towed vehicle's brake signal from overriding the turn signal from the RV when applying the brakes during a turn. I've attached a video of each installation...
view full answer... - Can Blue Ox 4-Wire Electrical Cord Plug be Grounded to FrameYes, you're on the money; if you are not using the plug of the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles # HM56009 you can ground the plug of the Blue Ox 4-Wire, Coiled Electrical Cord with 4-Way, Round Plugs # BX8861 and be fine. I have added links to video reviews for you as well.
view full answer... - Troubleshooting Hopkins Wiring Harness to Flat Tow a 2018 Ford F-150We've actually heard of this issue before. You can thank one of our tech support guys for finding a simple solution for this. Even Hopkins wasn't aware of it. First of all the harness is just fine and you didn't install anything incorrectly on your 2018 Ford F-150. Technically, you can just keep towing your truck as is and you won't have an issue other than the lights look weird. Like you said, your F-150 has two bulbs in each tail light for the turn and brake lights; one on top...
view full answer... - Replacing a 4-Way with a 6-Way when Flat Towing a 2015 Ford F-150 Behind an RVFor help with wiring up the 6-Way I have included a picture that shows how both a vehicle side and trailer side 6-Way are normally wired. On a 6-Way the 12 volt power wire could be attached to the center pin or the pin in the 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock position (depending on which side you are looking at). I assume the 6-Way you are installing is going on the front of the F-150. All you need to do is figure out which pin on the tow vehicle and/or wiring harness from the tow vehicle to...
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- 5-pole Adapter to Convert 2018 Ford F-150 4-Pole Wiring for Lance 650 Truck CamperIf I have it right you want to add a reverse light circuit to your 4-pole wiring for your Lance truck camper. If you have a 4-pole now and you just want to add another circuit and a 5-pole connector for the camper's reverse lights you can use a 4-pole to 5-pole adapter kit # 20036. This gives you a 5-pole connector and the extra wire to splice into the reverse light wiring on the truck. We don't have 5-pole kits that are plug-in. If I have it wrong please let me know and I'll get...
view full answer... - Recommended Tow Bar Wiring for 2017 Ford F-150For your 2017 Ford F-150, I recommend going with the Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit # RM-15267. This kit is confirmed to fit your truck and will wire it to accept your RV's tail, brake, and turn signal lights. The harness includes a round 6-Way connector that you will install in front of your F-150 and enough coiled wire to go from there to the RV. I have attached an installation video on the 2016 Ford F-150 that you can use for reference. Since you are using...
view full answer... - Wiring Needed to Flat Tow 2016 Ford F-150 For wiring to flat tow your 2016 Ford F-150 I recommend the Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit # RM-15267 and you are also going to need Roadmaster Brake-Lite Relay Kit for Towed Vehicles # RM-88400. If you take a look at the two videos I have linked, they will show you both of these parts being installed on a 2016 F-150 so you can see the exact process you'll need to follow.
view full answer... - Plug and Play Tow Bar Wiring Recommendation for 2018 Ford F-150For a plug and play style of tow bar lighting kit that is a confirmed fit for your 2018 Ford F-150 we have the Hopkins kit part # HM56009 that is a confirmed fit. This plugs in line with the taillight wiring of your truck and makes for a very easy install.
view full answer... - Does Hopkins Tow Bar Harness part # HM56009 Fit 2018 Ford F-150The Hopkins Flat Tow wiring harness part # HM56009 that you referenced does fit both a 2015 and a 2018 Ford F-150 and would be a great solution for your 2018 model.
view full answer... - Flat Towing Lighting Harness Recommendation for 2015 Ford F-150The wiring is different on vehicles that have trailer wiring and ones that do not come with it at all. We see this on other vehicles that will have connections made under the hood and pre-wiring ran to back of some vehicles and on others all of that isn't there at all. In your situation there is a different style of connector than what the part # HM56009 is compatible with. Your truck has a standard round connector since you have the tow package with a factory 7-way. For lighting you...
view full answer... - Will the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit # HM56009 Fit a 2018 Ford F150Yes, the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit # HM56009 is confirmed to fit all models of the 2018 Ford F-150. It will work perfect for flat towing your F-150. Keep in mind that a complete flat towing setup includes a base plate kit, tow bar, safety cables, tow bar wiring (which is what you inquired about), a supplemental braking system, and possibly a high-low adapter. If you are missing any of these pieces just let me know and I can make some recommendations for you.
view full answer... - Troubleshooting Running Light Circuit of Hopkins 56009 Tow Bar Wiring Not Working 2017 Ford RaptorUse a circuit tester like part # PTW2993 to test the green and yellow wire from the gray connectors for voltage when connected to a tow vehicle and the running lights on. If that circuit is active next check the green and yellow wire on the other side of the converter. If there's no voltage there then the issue is a bad converter box. If there wasn't voltage on the input side the issue is most like on the vehicle or the connectors. Try unplugging and replugging the gray connectors in as...
view full answer... - Is T-Section of Hopkins Harness A Separate PartJust the t-section of the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles # HM56009 is not available as a separate part; you would need the whole kit in order to get this section of the harness.
view full answer... - Will a Bulb and Socket Tail Light Kit Work On a 2019 Ford F150 for Flat-TowingI do have an option for you but there is not enough room inside the tail light housing on a 2019 Ford F-150 to install a bulb and socket kit. That said, I wouldn't want to drill into a tail light on a newer truck anyhow wires which is why we have the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles part # HM56009 that offers a plug-in-play installation with no drilling or wire splicing required (see video). I have attached some other parts you might be interested in as well. Roadmaster...
view full answer... - Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Behind a MotorhomeIn order to flat-tow a thirteenth generation (2015-2018) Ford F-150 with all four wheels on the ground behind a motorhome you are going to need a tow bar, base plate kit, safety cables, tail light wiring harness, supplemental braking system, and possibly a high-low adapter. There may also be a few other smaller components that are needed depending on options the vehicle is equipped with. For a tow bar, I recommend the Roadmaster Nighthawk All Terrain Tow Bar part # RM-676. The Nighthawk...
view full answer... - Comparing Roadmaster and Demco Parts to Flat Tow 2016 Ford F-150There is little difference between the Roadmaster EZ5 Base Plate Kit # RM-524431-5 and Demco Tabless Base Plate Kit # DM9519318, each of which fit your 2016 Ford F-150, as both base plate kits will give your truck a clean look and come with complete instructions. The photo I added is of the Roadmaster # RM-524431-5 base plates on a '16 F-150 and there is an installation video for the EZ5 base plates on a 2016 F-150 which I linked for you, though there is not one for the Demco. The reason...
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- Can I Tow 2017 Ford F-150 with 4 Wheels on The Ground And Parts To Tow ItI researched the owner's manual for the The 2017 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 and it can be towed with all 4 wheels on the ground as long as the truck is switched to neutral tow mode. The 2017 Ford F-150 still records miles as it is being flat towed. The only way to avoid recording miles is to tow the vehicle on a trailer with all 4 wheels off the ground. I recommend the Roadmaster Baseplate kit part # RM-524431-5 for the Ford. I like this design because when you are not towing the Ford you can...
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- Recommended Tow Bar Wiring for 2016 Ford F-150You are correct that aluminum doesn't work well with magnets. The Heavy Duty Magnetic Tow Lights - 20' Wiring Harness with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector # TL21RK can only be attached to the cab of your truck if you choose to use them or to a steel bumper. I recommend using the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles # HM56009 instead. This harness connects behind your tail lights to your factory harness and then you simply run the connector on the harness to the front...
view full answer... - Confirming Flat Tow Components for 2019 Ford F-150 4x4You have done your homework for your 2019 Ford F-150 4x4. You can use either the Roadmaster EZ5 # RM-524431-5 base plates or the EZ4 # RM-524431-4. The difference is the EZ5 directly connect to the tow bar and the EZ4 will use a crossbar for connection. So specifically with the Nighthawk tow bar # RM-676, I recommend the EZ5 # RM-524431-5 because the crossbar doesn't come with that tow bar. This tow bar also comes with the umbilical cord and safety cables, so you won't need to get those...
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- Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2017 Ford F-150 Behind an RVYou can use your Even Brake # RM-9400 with your 2017 Ford F-150. The brake light relay # RM-88400 will be needed if you are using anything other than magnetic tow lights such as # C-ATL20A. For base plates for the F-150 you can use # RM-524431-4. I do not know if you already have a tow bar but if not I recommend a non-binding tow bar such as the Falcon All Terrain # RM-522 rated for 6,000 pounds or the BlackHawk # RM-422 rated for 10,000 pounds. Non-binding tow bars like these mean that...
view full answer... - Installation Video for SMI Air Force One Braking System with 2018 Ford F-150We do indeed have an installation video on the SMI Air Force One Supplemental Braking System # SM99243 with your 2018 Ford F-150. I have attached the complete video that you can use for reference. If you are using tow bar wiring that taps into the tail light wiring of your truck, such as with the Hopkins Custom Wiring Kit # HM56009, you will also need to add the Roadmaster Brake-Lite Relay # RM-88400. This is needed to prevent the truck's brake signal from overriding the turn signal...
view full answer... - Wiring Harness to Flat Tow a 2015 Ford F-150 EcoBoost Behind a Motor HomeHopkins shows tail light wiring kit for towed vehicles # HM56009 as the correct option for your 2015 Ford F-150 EcoBoost. There isn't any other plug and play type of harness available for your F-150. I have included a link to a video review of this harness for you. There is a 4-Way flat on the end and since most RVs have a 7-Way connector you could use kit # HM47044 and replace the 4-Way flat with the included 4-Way round.
view full answer... - Parts Needed To Flat-Tow a 2019 Ford F-150In order to flat-tow a 2019 Ford F-150 you are going to need the basic components such as a tow bar, base plates, wiring harness, supplemental braking system as well as a few other less crucial but still needed components such as a battery charge line and brake light relay kit. I have attached recommendations for each of these components below. Roadmaster Nighthawk All Terrain Tow Bar part # RM-676 - The Roadmaster Nighthawk Tow Bar is one of the nicest options on the market as it...
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- Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2015 Ford F-150 Platinum FX Behind an RV Using Blue Ox Base PlatesThe Blue Ox base plates that fit your 2015 Ford F-150 Platinum FX are actually # BX2671. Blue Ox lists them for all versions of the 2015 F-150. I have linked a video showing an example installation for you. For a compatible tow bar I recommend the Blue Ox Alpha # BX7380. It is rated for 6,500 pounds and comes with safety cables. For lighting you can use a diode kit, # RM-15247. I have linked a video showing an example installation for you. You may also need a high/low adapter to keep...
view full answer...
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