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Another Towing Question

codestp202

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Ford dealer installed my brake controller. $703$$$$ for controller and installation. I feel ripped. But, service writer said there were no wires to use to the seven pin plug in my 2019, XLT.
WHATEVER they did worked.
Just towed a 2200# trailer with about 1500# of cargo 500 miles with no problem.
Good luck on your installation. Yes, I needed my brakes.
I bought mine for around $289 from the dealership. Installed it the other weekend. Definitely wasn't fun pulling all the trim panels off to get to the 3rd brake light wires but I got the job done. Haven't towed anything yet.
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Kemo Sabe

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I bought mine for around $289 from the dealership. Installed it the other weekend. Definitely wasn't fun pulling all the trim panels off to get to the 3rd brake light wires but I got the job done. Haven't towed anything yet.
I admire you and your ability to install that controller. I thought it’d be a plug and play situation since I had a tow package. Not for me!

I’d like the knob larger, but dealer did nice, left knee high, colorful light knob.
i use the small, center push knob t to check brakes before towing. Just slightly rolling, then pushing the knob to apply selected brake force.
My Ranger towed in convoy with a full size, extended cab Silverado. Had no problems running 70-75. 10-12 mpg. Small gas tank was a pain stopping so often.
Good luck! Happy towing, and you da man for writing your controller!!
 

ElSolo

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My travel trailer is 21 ft, 25 BTT and 5500 lbs loaded. Using a Husky WDH. Pulls best at 60-65 on major Hwys but sweet spot is at 55 on secondary Hwys. Way more to look at as well.
I'm interested in a similar TT to what you're describing. Specifically, we're researching if the Ranger would be adequate to tow around the Keystone Bullet Crossfire 2200bh. It's a 21' box and 25' from tongue to bumper. UVW is 4126lbs, GVWR is 6,300lbs, and a dry hitch weight of 425lbs.

All the numbers seem to work. Even fully loaded w/ a WDH, I anticipate the hitch weight to be at about 700lbs. I've done a preliminary accounting of likely cargo items and I wouldn't be anywhere near the 2,000+ cargo capacity on this (and I was pretty generous on what I included in the list).

Curious to know what TT you're towing around, what your specs are, and what your experience has been. Thanks.
 
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Harleyfever

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Anyone towing full time or at least during the season? If so did you upgrade your alternator or battery?
 

t4thfavor

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Anyone towing full time or at least during the season? If so did you upgrade your alternator or battery?
It’s a 170a alternator, should be fine for what gauge wire goes to the back as long as you’re not driving around with a dc fridge direct wired to the battery.
 


GtownRanger

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Anyone towing full time or at least during the season? If so did you upgrade your alternator or battery?
I’ve looked up here in Canada for an upgraded alternator and I was told it was “complicated” by an alternator shop because of the trucks systems? Has anyone found one? Wish it was higher too.

Jeff
 
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Harleyfever

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It’s a 170a alternator, should be fine for what gauge wire goes to the back as long as you’re not driving around with a dc fridge direct wired to the battery.
When you say direct wired to the battery are you talking about the truck or TT battery? The fridge on the unit I am buying is DC only with a 55 watt solar panel on the roof. Thanks.
 

t4thfavor

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When you say direct wired to the battery are you talking about the truck or TT battery? The fridge on the unit I am buying is DC only with a 55 watt solar panel on the roof. Thanks.
I mean direct line to the truck battery. how many amps does the fridge pull? It should be in the documents for the TT.
 

ryanhuba

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Anyone have experience with Curt's new bluetooth trailer brake system?
If you are referring to the Curt Echo break controller I have a little bit of experience. Long story short, it was unusable in my experience due to how Ford sends the 12v power to the trailer. On previous vehicles the 12v output was always active. On the Ranger it’s not active till it recognizes a trailer. Yes, you can plug your trailer into the Echo and Echo into the trailer and finally get power. However, unless you’re one of the lucky ones...it’ll be hooked up in the reverse fashion and will not be set up properly. According to Curt, it’s got to be hooked and paired with the tow vehicle 1st, then the trailer to operate correctly. If hooked up trailer 1st then tow vehicle, it’s literally sending the signal the wrong way and will not control the trailers breaks. With many exhaustive phone calles to Curt to figure out this issue, it tuned out to be non compatible for me. You will know it’s paired wrong when on the application it always shows breaks, never shows breaks, or the break pressure never moves with applied pressure. I ended up giving in and wiring the Ford Redarc controller into the vehicle. I feel much better having a manual controller now and the ability to operate a the breaks manually without having to keep my phone open and the application up.

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Monark323

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Just order the TBC redarc from Ford. Do you need to program it? Thanks in advance.
 

Big Blue

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Just order the TBC redarc from Ford. Do you need to program it? Thanks in advance.
No, once it is installed it will self calibrate while you drive. You just need to set the brake bias once you hook up your trailer.
 

codestp202

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Got it! Ford wants to charge me 150, but it looks plug and play.
It's not plug and play at all. If it's the Ford one with the emergency brake module, it is quite involved.
Normal Redarcs would be a 45 min process but for the Ford one you need to pull all the trim from the kick panel, to the back of the cab so you can run a wire along the floorboard, and up to tie into the 3rd brake light. It's not a difficult mechanical install, just tedious and time consuming. 90% of the time is running that wire back.

It's worth it in the end to have the emergency braking working so if it does activate, your trail brakes also activate.

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Big Blue

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Got it! Ford wants to charge me 150, but it looks plug and play.
Not quite plug and play. There is quite a bit of work involved to install. Involves removing several internal panels to route wiring to the center high mounted stop light at the back of the cab. Assembling connectors to said stop light. Installing two modules under dash and the control knob. The last of which requires drilling a hole in your selected location.

So if this sounds like something you are comfortable doing, fine. If not maybe $150 for dealer to install is a better deal. Lots of good threads documenting the process. But, no required dealer programming needed.

Actually $150 sounds reasonable, considering what shop rates are now.
 

Monark323

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Not quite plug and play. There is quite a bit of work involved to install. Involves removing several internal panels to route wiring to the center high mounted stop light at the back of the cab. Assembling connectors to said stop light. Installing two modules under dash and the control knob. The last of which requires drilling a hole in your selected location.

So if this sounds like something you are comfortable doing, fine. If not maybe $150 for dealer to install is a better deal. Lots of good threads documenting the process. But, no required dealer programming needed.

Actually $150 sounds reasonable, considering what shop rates are now.

the 150 is only to calibrate/software. Doesn’t include the hardware install.
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