Redarc Tow Pro Elite Install

Jhbryaniv

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I pulled mine to replace it with a Lightforce fascia to put my switches in there, so I've been down there a few times. The trim pieces have like 6 clips and should pull mostly straight out towards you.
I looked at the light force fascia and like it... I fear I may wish I had waited and put the controller head there... #secondguessing
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Gizmokid2005

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I looked at the light force fascia and like it... I fear I may wish I had waited and put the controller head there... #secondguessing
Honestly, I mounted below the 4x4 knob and personally I think it makes more sense there than in the fascia, IMO that's the best spot for it in the center console.
 

21Blackout

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Honestly, I mounted below the 4x4 knob and personally I think it makes more sense there than in the fascia, IMO that's the best spot for it in the center console.
agreed as that is where mine is installed
 

Jason B

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Can I take a moment to revive this thread and complain about installing this brake controller.

jesus.

OK, maybe it is that it is hot outside, and the mosquitos are out in force.

But seriously, why couldn't Ford have the brake wiring terminate into a connector, I would have paid 20 bucks for a Ford connector if it made the wiring plug and play. Hell, I bought an entire Deutsch connector kit that probably ended up costing me more than a hundred bucks just so the wiring for my area lights was clean with minimal splices in the wiring.

I did not wire in the CHMSL, I just used the regular under dash brake signal wire. again, why there isn't a signal wire under the dash for this is beyond me. I am sure the signal originates from back there somewhere. I read somewhere there is a module, maybe in the Ford kit. that module decodes magic signals up at the CHMSL so the signal is in the wiring that runs back there, heck, even if the brake controller had to run a wire back to the bottom rear of the passenger compartment instead of requiring the removal of a ton of trim pieces in the rear seat, and headliner. (All this is deduced per the Ford kit installation instructions PDF)

as for mounting the control knob, I mounted it below the 4wd selector knob as others have done. I had to modify the black cover for the controller so it would sit high enough to screw into the clear collar. . . If I had been thinking I would have taken pictures, but I was drenched in sweat and getting very grumpy. LOL I think I will end up re routing the wire from behind the dash to under the center tunnel in a better way . . . I couldn't figure out how to remove the trim piece that holds the 2 12 volt outlets. . . I didn't want to break anything so I just left it . . . see above about getting grumpy. . .

NOTE - my 2023 had the solid blue wire under the dash, not the black/yellow wire.

Now to find a trailer to try the controller out before we transit to Colorado next month . . .
There is a signal wire from the brake pedal, but that engages the TBC only when you press the brake pedal. That's fine for 99% of the time. But tying to the CHMSL gets you a signal to engage the TBC if/when the pre-collision and auto emergency braking occurs. My guess is that ROW Rangers don't have AEB, so there is no signal for AEB under the dash. Well there is, but Ford frowns on cutting and splicing wires.
Who knows how the 6G TBC will work. It's only available with Advanced Towing Option, which is available only on the XLT High package. So maybe Ford screwed up on the towing options again.
 

Jhbryaniv

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There is a signal wire from the brake pedal, but that engages the TBC only when you press the brake pedal. That's fine for 99% of the time. But tying to the CHMSL gets you a signal to engage the TBC if/when the pre-collision and auto emergency braking occurs. My guess is that ROW Rangers don't have AEB, so there is no signal for AEB under the dash. Well there is, but Ford frowns on cutting and splicing wires.
Who knows how the 6G TBC will work. It's only available with Advanced Towing Option, which is available only on the XLT High package. So maybe Ford screwed up on the towing options again.
And one would think when you buy a truck with a towing package that there would be a plug under the dash (since they don't include a brake controller) for easy access that would tie all the vehicle safety systems together...

I knew I wasn't tying into the chmsl wire when I looked at how much trim needed to be removed.

Doesn't the 6g have the brake controller as an option? I'm sure that means it is tied into the safety systems.... Shrug.

I'm sure Ford borked something else up if they got trailer wiring right... 😂
 


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Honestly, I mounted below the 4x4 knob and personally I think it makes more sense there than in the fascia, IMO that's the best spot for it in the center console.
Agreed that is where mine is installed too. I also zeroed off the knob, and then marked the plastic at about the 8 oclock position and set zero on the dial there. I can look down and see what number i am at with a glance while driving, and easily make sure it is where it should be. Also makes adjusting it while driving easier. bump up to 6 on long downhill grades, etc.
 

Jason B

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And one would think when you buy a truck with a towing package that there would be a plug under the dash (since they don't include a brake controller) for easy access that would tie all the vehicle safety systems together...

I knew I wasn't tying into the chmsl wire when I looked at how much trim needed to be removed.

Doesn't the 6g have the brake controller as an option? I'm sure that means it is tied into the safety systems.... Shrug.

I'm sure Ford borked something else up if they got trailer wiring right... 😂
As I said, the TBC is available on the 6G, but only with the Advanced Towing Package, which is only available on the XLT -High and higher trim lines. I haven't found any info on how easy or difficult it is to add a TBC to the other models.
 

jawinner

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I installed the Ford redarc controller including the long wire to the third brake light. It sucks, but I used it as an excuse to also install a NMO ham antenna mount on the roof, and run power and antenna cable at the same time I had the trim off.
 

Jason B

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I installed the Ford redarc controller including the long wire to the third brake light. It sucks, but I used it as an excuse to also install a NMO ham antenna mount on the roof, and run power and antenna cable at the same time I had the trim off.
Why do you say it sucks? Do you mean the installation process sucks?
Others have installed it have great results.
 

Jhbryaniv

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Why do you say it sucks? Do you mean the installation process sucks?
Others have installed it have great results.
I think they're referring to the install process not the redarc.... :)
 
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jawinner

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Ohhh yeah, I meant the install process. The trim and headliner mainly, but even tying into the wires under the dash could have been better, they weren’t very long so it was tough to work under there.

the actual brake controller is interesting - I’ve never had one with an automatic mode. It completed the learning process and seems to work well so far.
 

_TraMor

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Hoping someone can point me in a direction with my brake controller install. I recently picked up a Tow Pro Liberty and installed, got a test light which shows everything is connected properly except the light for the brakes themselves will not illuminate. I went back out there and soldered everything together per the instructions and used this thread as a reference. At this moment I don't have access to anything with a 7-pin to test but I'd like to confirm it's working before I need trailer brakes. Does anyone have any experience here or what to check?
 

Gizmokid2005

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Hoping someone can point me in a direction with my brake controller install. I recently picked up a Tow Pro Liberty and installed, got a test light which shows everything is connected properly except the light for the brakes themselves will not illuminate. I went back out there and soldered everything together per the instructions and used this thread as a reference. At this moment I don't have access to anything with a 7-pin to test but I'd like to confirm it's working before I need trailer brakes. Does anyone have any experience here or what to check?
You won't be able to test with *just* a test light. The truck needs to sense a load on the trailer for it to pick it up. You can buy an actual test device to do it, but you won't be able to with just a test light.
 

Jhbryaniv

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Hoping someone can point me in a direction with my brake controller install. I recently picked up a Tow Pro Liberty and installed, got a test light which shows everything is connected properly except the light for the brakes themselves will not illuminate. I went back out there and soldered everything together per the instructions and used this thread as a reference. At this moment I don't have access to anything with a 7-pin to test but I'd like to confirm it's working before I need trailer brakes. Does anyone have any experience here or what to check?
Depending on how close you are to a rv dealer you could always just head over and ask if you can plug into a trailer to test your setup...

You never know what the response will be... Or a boat dealer...
 

Big Blue

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Depending on how close you are to a rv dealer you could always just head over and ask if you can plug into a trailer to test your setup...

You never know what the response will be... Or a boat dealer...
Yes, the controller will only activate/wake-up when it sees a load from the trailer brakes. Otherwise it is in sleep mode. The light will then be blue while the trailer is plugged in. It will change to red/purple when the brakes are applied.
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