oggvorbis
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Pablo
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2019
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- Location
- Victorville, CA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2019 Ford Ranger Lariat FX4
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- #1
I'm coming up on about a month of ownership with my Ranger and I love it. 7,500lb towing capacity is great but in most states you won't be able to tow anything past 1,500lbs (legally). A big mis-step by Ford is not offering or including a trailer brake controller at launch, and at the very least the uncertainty and/or mis-information by salesman, parts and service staff, vendors, etc. The install was in my opinion very easy and straight forward and could be installed by someone with basic electrical skills. Took me a little over an hour from start to finish, including replacing the fascia below the radio. I'm hoping that this post might help anyone that might be considering going after market or may be a little hesitant in installing a brake controller themselves.
I decided to go with the Redarc Tow Pro Elite https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Redarc/331-EBRH-ACCV2.html ($202.10) because of it's small foot print and ease of install. I'm a pretty stocky guy and downgrading to a mid-size truck, I was concerned with constantly banging my knees on a brake controller module or having it rattle around over time on off-road trails. The Redarc module can be tucked away and mounted in any position and the remote module is very small and can be easily mounted anywhere with a few inches of clearance. While I thought that I would miss a screen readout of the braking status, the times I've been in vehicles with the Tow Pro Elite, the feedback from the color changing LED from the remote gives just the same amount of information as my old controller but in a much simpler way. We also regularly tow an off-road tear drop trailer so having that second user control mode where the trailer does not brake proportionally when the truck brakes that I can control manually and independently on the trailer is handy off-road, especially during steeper descents or climbs when I'm trying to maintain inertia of my truck but need to brake the trailer.
I originally intended to mount the remote controller in the center console right below the Trail Control knob. This is also where Ford installed their Redac brake controllers on their Ranger tow vehicles at pre-release media and sneak-peak events. I would have preferred some place higher on the dash within eye level but I didn't think there that had enough rear clearance for it. I didn't really like the idea of having to look that far down while towing to get visual feedback, so I ended up ordering a Lightforce fascia kit from Australia for their Rangers hoping that it would fit, prepared to mount it in the center console if it didn't. Luckily it fit like a glove and the details to it were posted here:
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/lightforce-switch-faschia.1908/
Here's a link for the Redarc Pro Elite's instruction manual:
https://www.redarc.com.au/Content/Images/uploaded/Manuals/EBRH-ACCV2 Instruction Manual.pdf
Ford Service Manual Towing Wiring Diagrams thanks to @FLEngineer :
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/attachments/wiring-diagram-towing-7pin-pg4-pdf.3922/
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/attachments/wiring-diagram-towing-7pin-pg2-pdf.3923/
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/attachments/wiring-diagram-towing-4pin-pg1-pdf.3924/
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/attachments/wiring-diagram-towing-7pin-pg3-pdf.3925/
On to the install:
1. Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. Make sure you have something preventing it from arcing back over to the terminal.
2. Locate the four trailer wires on the driver's side kick panel on the left side. Yellow/Orange(Red), Green/Black, and White were taped together, coming out of the firewall. The first time I looked for the wires, I missed the Violet/White because it's actually taped to a different harness to the left of the three other wires. On my Ranger, the whole butt connector end was taped over so it looked like one continuous normal wire.
The four wires are:
The Tow Pro Elite comes with a wiring harness that plugs in to the main unit and the other end has 4 wires that you will be splicing to the Ranger's tow wires. The wires on the harness are:
3. Butt splice the wires from the included wiring harness of the Tow Pro Elite to the corresponding four wires in the kick panel. BE SURE THERE IS NO POWER RUNNING IN TO YOUR WIRES BY MAKING SURE THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED. Cut off the black ends of the four wires of your Ranger. I used Crimp & Heat Shrink Waterproof Butt Splice Connectors because I was originally planning on routing the wires under the carpet in the footwell and because of snow and post-surf days when it's too cold too properly towel off and I just jump in to my truck wet. Although regular butt splice connectors are probably fine.
If you've never butt-spliced wires before it's pretty straightforward. You strip off about .3" of the wire sheath exposing the copper wire. Insert the exposed wire in to the barrel. Do the same with the wire that you will be splicing together into the other end of the connector. Then crimp down on the barrel. Slight tug to mke sure that you crimped down hard enough and that the wires aren't loose. If using heat shrink tubing, heat shrink the tubing with a heat gun, making sure to evenly heat all sides of the connector. Careful if using an open flame. If you mess up, you can always cut the wire and re-strip. Be mindful of where you cut and splice the wires, the more wire length you keep, the easier it'll be when routing it towards the main unit wherever you decide to place it.
4. Find a suitable place to mount the Remote Control Assembly. You'll need a minimum for 46.5mm plus a recommended distance of 43.5 for the RG45 cable that connects the main unit to the remote head assembly.
5. Once you've chosen a spot for the remote assembly, you'll need to drill 2 holes in to the console panel/dash panel/knockout switch. One 10mm in diameter and another 3.5mm, the center of the holes 7.5mm apart. It's obviously easier if you can remove the panel first. I purchased the Lightforce Switch Fascia so I drilled the holes at the center of a knockout switch blank that was included.
6. Once the holes are drilled, place the Remote Head Assembly behind the trim panel, with the Control Knob shaft and LED coming up through the holes. Place the Remote Bezel over your panel covering the LED. Some people skip this step, but I like using the bezel to remind me what level gain I'm currently at (12 o'clock position). Screw the Remote Head Nut on to the Remote Head Assembly. Torque to 0.8Nm. Turn the knob fully counterclockwise. Place the Remote Head Knob on the shaft with "0" in the 12 o'clock position, alligned with the bezel (if you chose to install it).
7. Find a suitable location to mount the Main Unit. You can mount the unit in any orientation as long as it's secure and doesn't move at all. It also needs to be in a location where it reaches both wiring harness and the RG45 cable to the Remote Head Unit. I used an empty hole behind and above the gas pedal in the footwell. I fastened it with a #8-32 screw 3/4" long (could easily use a 1/2" long screw), a 1/8"x1" fender washer, and a #8 locking nylon nut. I just happened to have those lying around, so that's what I used. I don't think you could go any larger of a screw to fit the main control unit, maybe an M4 screw. This was probably the most difficult part for me because there's not a lot of room to work. I also had to use a really small socket wrench to fit behind the hole in the bracket while screwing down the screw.
8. After securely mounting the Main Unit, you can now run the wire harness to the main unit and plug it in. I ran mine behind the fuse box, below the steering column and dropping down to the Main Unit.
9. Plug in your included RG45 cable to Main Unit, route it towards your Remote Control Head, and plug it in to the back of the Remote Control Head.
10. Install your Remote Control Unit in its final place and replace all trims.
11. Reconnect the negative terminal of your battery.
12. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
The Tow Pro will calibrate itself automatically and takes about 20 brake applications before it's calibrated. Consult your manual for more info!
You can use any cat5 RG45 cable to connect the main unit to the remote head. At first I used a 3' purple cable I had lying around. I then switched it to a 3' flat cable since the switch fascia didn't leave for much room, and while it could have worked, I decided to use the flat cable to leave more room for possible wiring projects. The 3' cable left me with about 10" of extra cable at the main unit to the fascia. I bought the cable here ($0.89!):
https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=301&cp_id=30102&cs_id=3010201&p_id=9547&seq=1&format=2
Update: Had zero issues after install and the REDARC Tow Pro Elite works just as expected. Trailer brakes are applied in proportion to the truck's brakes and trailer brakes can also be applied by pushing down on the REDARC Remote Assembly button. LED gives visual feedback on braking power applied. Have towed three different trailers with brakes, including an almost 1000 mile trip to and from the Grand Canyon from Southern California with no issues.
Happy Towing!
Update 8/21/2020:
Finally got around to purchasing a light bar, rock lights, and additional accessories that will require more than the two switches my lightforce panel provides. Swapped it with a Switch-Pros SP-9100 switch system mounted using the SDHQ mount.
Relocated the control knob to below the 4x4 selector knob like @Hambone437 did. I much prefer it here as I can manipulate the controller with my arm on the armrest and is a much more natural position. I would probably install it here if I was using the Ford branded controller, even though the instructions say to install it on the trim panel covering the driver's side fuse panel.
I decided to go with the Redarc Tow Pro Elite https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Redarc/331-EBRH-ACCV2.html ($202.10) because of it's small foot print and ease of install. I'm a pretty stocky guy and downgrading to a mid-size truck, I was concerned with constantly banging my knees on a brake controller module or having it rattle around over time on off-road trails. The Redarc module can be tucked away and mounted in any position and the remote module is very small and can be easily mounted anywhere with a few inches of clearance. While I thought that I would miss a screen readout of the braking status, the times I've been in vehicles with the Tow Pro Elite, the feedback from the color changing LED from the remote gives just the same amount of information as my old controller but in a much simpler way. We also regularly tow an off-road tear drop trailer so having that second user control mode where the trailer does not brake proportionally when the truck brakes that I can control manually and independently on the trailer is handy off-road, especially during steeper descents or climbs when I'm trying to maintain inertia of my truck but need to brake the trailer.
I originally intended to mount the remote controller in the center console right below the Trail Control knob. This is also where Ford installed their Redac brake controllers on their Ranger tow vehicles at pre-release media and sneak-peak events. I would have preferred some place higher on the dash within eye level but I didn't think there that had enough rear clearance for it. I didn't really like the idea of having to look that far down while towing to get visual feedback, so I ended up ordering a Lightforce fascia kit from Australia for their Rangers hoping that it would fit, prepared to mount it in the center console if it didn't. Luckily it fit like a glove and the details to it were posted here:
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/lightforce-switch-faschia.1908/
Here's a link for the Redarc Pro Elite's instruction manual:
https://www.redarc.com.au/Content/Images/uploaded/Manuals/EBRH-ACCV2 Instruction Manual.pdf
Ford Service Manual Towing Wiring Diagrams thanks to @FLEngineer :
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/attachments/wiring-diagram-towing-7pin-pg4-pdf.3922/
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/attachments/wiring-diagram-towing-7pin-pg2-pdf.3923/
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/attachments/wiring-diagram-towing-4pin-pg1-pdf.3924/
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/attachments/wiring-diagram-towing-7pin-pg3-pdf.3925/
On to the install:
1. Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. Make sure you have something preventing it from arcing back over to the terminal.
2. Locate the four trailer wires on the driver's side kick panel on the left side. Yellow/Orange(Red), Green/Black, and White were taped together, coming out of the firewall. The first time I looked for the wires, I missed the Violet/White because it's actually taped to a different harness to the left of the three other wires. On my Ranger, the whole butt connector end was taped over so it looked like one continuous normal wire.
The four wires are:
- White - Ground
- Yellow/Orange(Red) - 12V Power
- Green/Black (Solid Blue according to Ford Service Wiring Diagrams) - Trailer Brake Controller Out
- Violet/White - Brake Light Trigger (Brake On/Off)
The Tow Pro Elite comes with a wiring harness that plugs in to the main unit and the other end has 4 wires that you will be splicing to the Ranger's tow wires. The wires on the harness are:
- White - Ground
- Black - 12V Power
- Blue - Trailer Brake Controller Out
- Red - Brake Light Trigger (Brake On/Off)
3. Butt splice the wires from the included wiring harness of the Tow Pro Elite to the corresponding four wires in the kick panel. BE SURE THERE IS NO POWER RUNNING IN TO YOUR WIRES BY MAKING SURE THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED. Cut off the black ends of the four wires of your Ranger. I used Crimp & Heat Shrink Waterproof Butt Splice Connectors because I was originally planning on routing the wires under the carpet in the footwell and because of snow and post-surf days when it's too cold too properly towel off and I just jump in to my truck wet. Although regular butt splice connectors are probably fine.
If you've never butt-spliced wires before it's pretty straightforward. You strip off about .3" of the wire sheath exposing the copper wire. Insert the exposed wire in to the barrel. Do the same with the wire that you will be splicing together into the other end of the connector. Then crimp down on the barrel. Slight tug to mke sure that you crimped down hard enough and that the wires aren't loose. If using heat shrink tubing, heat shrink the tubing with a heat gun, making sure to evenly heat all sides of the connector. Careful if using an open flame. If you mess up, you can always cut the wire and re-strip. Be mindful of where you cut and splice the wires, the more wire length you keep, the easier it'll be when routing it towards the main unit wherever you decide to place it.
4. Find a suitable place to mount the Remote Control Assembly. You'll need a minimum for 46.5mm plus a recommended distance of 43.5 for the RG45 cable that connects the main unit to the remote head assembly.
5. Once you've chosen a spot for the remote assembly, you'll need to drill 2 holes in to the console panel/dash panel/knockout switch. One 10mm in diameter and another 3.5mm, the center of the holes 7.5mm apart. It's obviously easier if you can remove the panel first. I purchased the Lightforce Switch Fascia so I drilled the holes at the center of a knockout switch blank that was included.
6. Once the holes are drilled, place the Remote Head Assembly behind the trim panel, with the Control Knob shaft and LED coming up through the holes. Place the Remote Bezel over your panel covering the LED. Some people skip this step, but I like using the bezel to remind me what level gain I'm currently at (12 o'clock position). Screw the Remote Head Nut on to the Remote Head Assembly. Torque to 0.8Nm. Turn the knob fully counterclockwise. Place the Remote Head Knob on the shaft with "0" in the 12 o'clock position, alligned with the bezel (if you chose to install it).
7. Find a suitable location to mount the Main Unit. You can mount the unit in any orientation as long as it's secure and doesn't move at all. It also needs to be in a location where it reaches both wiring harness and the RG45 cable to the Remote Head Unit. I used an empty hole behind and above the gas pedal in the footwell. I fastened it with a #8-32 screw 3/4" long (could easily use a 1/2" long screw), a 1/8"x1" fender washer, and a #8 locking nylon nut. I just happened to have those lying around, so that's what I used. I don't think you could go any larger of a screw to fit the main control unit, maybe an M4 screw. This was probably the most difficult part for me because there's not a lot of room to work. I also had to use a really small socket wrench to fit behind the hole in the bracket while screwing down the screw.
8. After securely mounting the Main Unit, you can now run the wire harness to the main unit and plug it in. I ran mine behind the fuse box, below the steering column and dropping down to the Main Unit.
9. Plug in your included RG45 cable to Main Unit, route it towards your Remote Control Head, and plug it in to the back of the Remote Control Head.
10. Install your Remote Control Unit in its final place and replace all trims.
11. Reconnect the negative terminal of your battery.
12. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
The Tow Pro will calibrate itself automatically and takes about 20 brake applications before it's calibrated. Consult your manual for more info!
You can use any cat5 RG45 cable to connect the main unit to the remote head. At first I used a 3' purple cable I had lying around. I then switched it to a 3' flat cable since the switch fascia didn't leave for much room, and while it could have worked, I decided to use the flat cable to leave more room for possible wiring projects. The 3' cable left me with about 10" of extra cable at the main unit to the fascia. I bought the cable here ($0.89!):
https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=301&cp_id=30102&cs_id=3010201&p_id=9547&seq=1&format=2
Update: Had zero issues after install and the REDARC Tow Pro Elite works just as expected. Trailer brakes are applied in proportion to the truck's brakes and trailer brakes can also be applied by pushing down on the REDARC Remote Assembly button. LED gives visual feedback on braking power applied. Have towed three different trailers with brakes, including an almost 1000 mile trip to and from the Grand Canyon from Southern California with no issues.
Happy Towing!
Update 8/21/2020:
Finally got around to purchasing a light bar, rock lights, and additional accessories that will require more than the two switches my lightforce panel provides. Swapped it with a Switch-Pros SP-9100 switch system mounted using the SDHQ mount.
Relocated the control knob to below the 4x4 selector knob like @Hambone437 did. I much prefer it here as I can manipulate the controller with my arm on the armrest and is a much more natural position. I would probably install it here if I was using the Ford branded controller, even though the instructions say to install it on the trim panel covering the driver's side fuse panel.
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Last edited:
...I have this on my to do list
