Tow Package Brake Controller?

[Grumpaw]

I have driven many vehicles that do not have it and did just fine. My current vehicle doesn't have it and it does very well.

Totally agree. Of all the vehicles I've owned over the years, and millions of miles driven, my Ranger is the first vehicle that has emergency braking. So, I am not dependent on it.
I still drive looking many car lengths ahead, and still use the mirrors when backing and changing lanes. Yes, the safety stuff is nice, but I still rely on the OE Mark ll Eyeball !!!

Sponsored

 

[Tom_C]

FWIW, here is how to get to the CHMSL under the dash.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/chmsl-3rd-brake-light-strobe-module.13282/

 

[ControlNode]

In other markets, like Australia, the turn signals and brake lights have dedicated wires at the trailer connector. In those markets using the brake light signal at the trailer connector is appropriate. But in the US, we still use these old/dated connections that use shared turn/brake signals. So, Ford needed to find a connector that had a brake light only signal and cheap to add a t-connection at. The CHML, fit the bill as a 3-pin plug so only 1 wire to pass through (bed light) and the 2 wires to tap into. From a cost of manufacturing POV this was likely the cheapest option for the US truck. Granted, there are those of us OK with tapping wires at the BCM could save the steps of accessing the CHML, but that is likely not an option Ford would trust with an accessory install tech at the dealers, Ford will not even let dealer techs in the US have the same directions giving to dealers in EU to fix and issue with the door seals on the Focus RS (There is a fix to remove tension in the seal and reglue it process in EU. In the US, it's just replace the seal completely, and still no step to address the tension in the seal that leads to the premature self removal).

Rant continues.....

I really don't understand why we don't have a tow area network (TAN). Get all the manufactures to agree on a TAN communications standard. Then you would only need a 4 pin trailer connector: Ground, 12V, TAN (+), TAN (-). The tow vehicle and trailer can communicate to workout what features both support, and if a tow vehicle or trailer needs a safety feature the vehicle/trailer isn't supported, tow vehicle sees the error, reports on dash and locks the gear selector in park while that trailer is connected. This could include the trailer not being read to tow, door not closed, slide/awning not retracted. Also, the tow vehicle side could know it's tow limit and the trailer could be configured with its weight and a warning about too much trailer even.

TAN initialization:
- tow vehicle (TV) sees 12V load on trailer connector
- TV query TAN for hand shake with trailer module
- trailer replies and connection gets established
- TV states it supports x amps on 12v, can report brake lights, turn signals, reversing lights
- trailer replies with brake type (none, surge, electric), supported lights, configured trailer weight
- trailer also states if it is ready to be towed (leveling jacks retracted, awning/slides retracted, doors closed)

Examples of park lock could be:
case 1:
- trailer reported no brakes and a configured weight at 2,500lb
- tow vehicle reports trailer weight requires trailer brakes to tow, as would be the safety requirement of the Ranger.

case 2:
- trailer reports it's not ready to tow, with 15 char reason. (LF level jack)
- TV shows the reason on dash, locked in park.

Also, if the control of the electric brake controllers were moved to the trailer and the braking request of the TV was all the trailer received and it controlled its brakes there could be some other fun/safety added. Imagine the trailer having a yaw sensor and dual brake controllers, if communication with the vehicle is lost and the brake-away is tripped, it could brake the trailer and adjust the left/right braking to brake in a straight line, preventing it from possible hard turning left or right after disconnect if one sides brakes are working a little better than the other's.

Ford has tech on its trucks to estimate bed weight, no reason high end trailers couldn't to the same and report that as the configured trailer weight.

I still think there are too many stupid people towing and the rest of us would be safer if the TV/trailer preventing some of the tows that are happening.

 

[Big Blue]

Reading the Redarc manual and they claim their unit compliments AEB. I presume via the brake light trigger. Maybe we're overreacting.

This setup is for Rest Of World Rangers, not Noth American. They have separate circuits for brake and turn signal lights, unlike NA which combines them for trailer lights.

The reason for the Lumen module is the Ranger uses two different types of control logic for the CHML depending if you have LED or HALO lights. It also is an isolator to prevent back feeding voltage to the BCM.

The reason for the harness to the CHML is because that is the only place to get a brake only signal without spicing into a major harness. Very poor planning by Ford on a truck advertised to tow 7500 lbs.

 

[Racket]

As said elsewhere this is still one addition I'd want on my truck to not worry about needing and not have.

I recall there being a shortage of towing hardware at the factory the first year(s) of US production of tge Gen 5 although my dealer referred me to a specialty shop who put on a Curt hitch and the 7 pin connector.

I looked under my dash and I have the four (one might be hard to spot) wires with the shrink tubing on them, so it appears I could wire in the Redarc:

I've got the Lariat with all the sensors, LED lighting and the automatic cruise control (when it feels like working). It really bugs me the CHMSL module specific for the Ranger isn't available. Is no such accessory needed on similar Fords? From what I read, the company making them before was bought y another and that seems like when they vanished.

I'd much prefer the Redarc although I wonder if there is any other well integrated solution.

Sponsored