Once you cut the pigtail, there is only one wire. Those other wires at the end of the pigtail are only there to bridge the wires from the male to female factory connector back together. The unit is grounded through the redarc box, and it doesn't need the bed lamp +12 at all. All that lumen unit needs is the CHMSL brake lamp +12 and you can get that in the foot well.
Should have the TBC by end of week and have the same truck as you (Bulldogger)....Question,, would it help at all to take the CMSL off to help to get some access to the the plug? I was looking at headliner this afternoon and agree with you that it is a channel. I am also in Florida and am hoping for some cooler temps....
I understand what you are saying, but on the Lariat there is about a 1 inch metal channel for the sliding window that the headliner also goes into on the top. Not sure if the headliner will pop out. That's why I was wondering if you could get to the plug by taking the CHMSL light off and working from the outside. I am gathering from all of the conversation that it is no walk in the park to install, but do able. Thanks for you help...With the supercab you run the wire along the panels of the floor on the drivers side, up the rear passenger side panel, and up to the 3rd brake light connector. You don't have to drop the headliner, just fish your fingers up there and unplug the connector. It definitely sucked but no reason to drop the headliner?
I have done a lot of towing from a 12' to a 37' trailers and I looked closely at the Curt wireless, but as a old timer I just couldn't trust the bluetooth part...I'll leave that to the young guys,.,.,.,but it does look very interesting and easy. Thanks for the input.
Happy wife, happy life and the chance to have more toys......I'm an oldster too, and love me some wires. But, for the occasional tow-er I'll probably go wireless once I have that need. Right now, I just have a little trailer for my single ATV. If I ever need to tow something bigger I'll get a wireless unit.
BTW, in years past I would load the ATV in the truck, but after an, er, bad experience my wife insisted I get a trailer, so I have a trailer.
I also removed the rear light but the hole where the wires comes through is too small to reach anything. Also the plug you need to disconnect is held in the roof with two plastic push pins and needs to be pulled from inside the cab with the headliner down
Damn they didn't make it easy....everything else looks pretty straight forward, except getting to the CHMSL plug.....thanks for the info....
Headliner will pop out but you need to lower the front first by removing overhead console. You remove over head console by grabbing the back two corners and pulling down this will pop the first two clips, then there are two more in the middle don't pull too hard just enough to pop them then console slides out towards back of truck as it has to extension pieces on the front. Next slide your arm along top of headliner and find the two push pins ford was kind enough to place in there near the back to hold the headliner up. They are about 1 foot in from the sides and 8 inches forward of the rear window. Once it is laying down like in my picture you will see the rear brake light and the mounted plug you need to get to. Then after you assemble two ends on the adapter plug for the brake light just make sure to seat the plastic end on one of them with a small plier as it sticks out too far for a proper connection.
WOW! thanks for the information.....Hope to get started this weekend depending on weather,....thanks again...rec'd TBC today and noticed that the data cable is no longer a CAT5, but Redarc's own...looks long enough so hopefully will not be a problem...thanks again...
