8492 - 2019 Ranger - Trailer Brake Controller Availability

VAMike

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My dealer charged me the $339 for the controller but comped the install to keep me happy after selling me a truck with "Best in Class Towing" which in its delivered state was unable to tow anything more than my Subaru could.
Except that isn't actually true. It might not do exactly what you want it to do without additional optional accessories, but there's no need to be a drama queen about it.
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Montana Ranger

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Except that isn't actually true. It might not do exactly what you want it to do without additional optional accessories, but there's no need to be a drama queen about it.
How is that not true? Last fall, I went into my dealer to buy a truck that could tow a 6,000 trailer. "No problem" they said. But it was.
 

Montana Ranger

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Example: trailer with surge brakes. Q.E.D.
Unfortunately, I was not purchasing a truck to pull a trailer with surge brakes. And no where in Ford's documentation was there any qualifier that said "* only applies to trailers with surge brakes".
 

Edsel

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How is that not true? Last fall, I went into my dealer to buy a truck that could tow a 6,000 trailer. "No problem" they said. But it was.
We can argue this until the cows come home, but the reality is that Ford screwed up. The integrated TBC should have been an option available with the trailer package; i.e., you need the trailer package to add it, but don't need the TBC to tow a trailer (surge brakes, <6K#, etc.).

The Redarc+Lumen was their 'Oh sh*t! We forgot to develop a TBC! Who knew this truck would be able to pull 6K#' knee jerk reaction. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall at Ford engineering.

No matter, we have it and I installed it my Ranger (controll button in the shift console next to the TM knob) and I am a happy camper--was not rocket science.
 


VAMike

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Unfortunately, I was not purchasing a truck to pull a trailer with surge brakes.
Doesn't matter--you said it was "unable", it isn't. It's reasonable to say that ford screwed the pooch on delivering an EBC solution, but taking it a step further and ranting that ford lied and that the ranger can't tow what it's rated to tow, etc., is just being a drama queen.

And no where in Ford's documentation was there any qualifier that said "* only applies to trailers with surge brakes".
It doesn't. That's one example of how to do it. Only takes one to show that you were wrong. You can do your own research to find some of the other solutions.
 

VAMike

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The Redarc+Lumen was their 'Oh sh*t! We forgot to develop a TBC! Who knew this truck would be able to pull 6K#' knee jerk reaction. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall at Ford engineering.
No, it was because the lawyers got involved over the auto-braking functionality. As delivered, the truck is pre-wired for a traditional TBC so it's pretty clear that they expected those to be installed.
 

Edsel

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No, it was because the lawyers got involved over the auto-braking functionality. As delivered, the truck is pre-wired for a traditional TBC so it's pretty clear that they expected those to be installed.
Ahhh...yes. That little detail.

I still contend that at least half of it was an 'Oh sh*t!' moment ?
 

VAMike

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I still contend that at least half of it was an 'Oh sh*t!' moment ?
There are pictures of them happily towing trailers with a regular redarc TBC. I really don't believe they thought it was a big deal until legal got involved.
 

Gizmokid2005

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No, it was because the lawyers got involved over the auto-braking functionality. As delivered, the truck is pre-wired for a traditional TBC so it's pretty clear that they expected those to be installed.
I mean, it's not though? Leaving you a bare 4 wires isn't necessarily "pre-wired" for a traditional TBC solution. Every other truck I've ever seen/had that had a trailer tow package had an actual connector that already existed to just plug in a TBC rather than needing to splice together a pigtail to do so.

At the end of the day, Ford dropped the ball hard.
 

Edsel

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I mean, it's not though? Leaving you a bare 4 wires isn't necessarily "pre-wired" for a traditional TBC solution. Every other truck I've ever seen/had that had a trailer tow package had an actual connector that already existed to just plug in a TBC rather than needing to splice together a pigtail to do so.

At the end of the day, Ford dropped the ball hard.
Absolutely agree. Wait until those folks "happily towing trailers with a regular redarc TBC" have an accident and those lawyers get involved.
 

Gizmokid2005

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We're looking at potentially borrowing a family member's camper at some point in the future, I don't otherwise do much towing, but this has been on my list for a while. So I went through the Ford Accessories website for the Los Angeles area and came up with the pricing for the controller and install.

For your perusal (prices as of 9/11/2020):

1599856251482.png
 

Edsel

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We're looking at potentially borrowing a family member's camper at some point in the future, I don't otherwise do much towing, but this has been on my list for a while. So I went through the Ford Accessories website for the Los Angeles area and came up with the pricing for the controller and install.
I can't remember what I paid for the kit (I did mail order), but if I could have had it installed for $100 I would have done it--it was a colossal PITA. That said, in retrospect it was quite character building and I learned a lot about the whole system. Also, my control button is mounted in the center console, near the TM knob, and a dealer might not offer that option.

Other guys here have gotten their dealer to comp the install, you might try that.
 

VAMike

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I mean, it's not though? Leaving you a bare 4 wires isn't necessarily "pre-wired" for a traditional TBC solution
The wires have no other purpose. I mean, I guess plugging those wires into some kind of connector so you can buy the appropriate adapter is something more they could do, but seems like nit-picking to me because splicing two wires really isn't hard. The alternative to the wires found in the ranger would be to manually run new wires from the battery and other spots (turn signals, etc.) to the brake controller and the hitch. This is how it was done before manufacturers realized people would pay a ridiculous amount of money to avoid running those wires. (It's worth avoiding the work, but the cost to add those wires during the build is one hell of a lot less than they charge.) IIRC from looking at install instructions from the australian ranger, they actually still needed to run wires at least as late as a couple of years ago. Bottom line: Ford actually did prewire the US ranger for a TBC, then something happened to make them have to abandon the work they did at the last minute and cobble together a rube goldberg alternative. I haven't heard a better reason than "lawyers".
 

BassRanger

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I would've loved to have the 4 wires for the brake controller. Unfortunately for me, Ford neglected to put them in certain XL trims for reasons I've yet to figure out. The Ford Lumen/redarc unit install actually wasn't that hard, it was having to run the +12V battery, and TBC output wire that was the biggest headache for me. Getting to the CHMSL seems like a task on paper, but it's a 30 min job max on the supercab for someone with reasonable wrenching skills.

I put a towpro on my 2012 RAM that had a factory trailer tow package. It had loose wires for the TBC as well.
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