2017 Ford F250

[Fishermanbb]

Originally Posted by JHerzog

I couldn't hold out until September so I went ahead and upgraded from my F150 to a new F250 TV. Two questions about the F250 for anyone who upgraded:

1. On my F150 I had to add a relay and fuse to get the TV to charge the battery in the TT. Do you have to do that in the F250 or are they already installed?

2. In the glove box was a baggie with some small parts that reads "Tailgate Delete CAP/Kit". What is that for?

1. No relay needed BUT you have to step on the brake or re-tart the vehicle AFTER the trailer is hooked up to enable the charging circuit. Lot's of info on this over on the Ford forum.

2. The small parts are caps for the camera, remote tailgate release/lock, etc. that will be hanging loose once you disconnect the tailgate. The owners manual will detail this and since you do not have your truck yet you can download it from the Ford site to get "A head Start" as it is 600 pages.

Good luck with the new rig!

[2nOZ]

This is what I use on my F250 for the TT chains.

[JHerzog]

Originally Posted by 2nOZ

This is what I use on my F250 for the TT chains.

Went with smaller U Bolts the Quick Link through that to connect chain hooks. Both rated at 7,500 and 10k lbs respectively. Works great. Yours looks simpler. What are they rated?

[bansai]

I went with these... bought 2 sets in case one of them doesn't fit.

The blue ones are rated for 9500 lbs (3/4")

The black ones are rated for 6500 lbs (5/8")

Don't forget to safety wire the 'screw' hole back onto the shackle. You don't want that bolt working itself out.

[JHerzog]

Originally Posted by bansai

I went with these... bought 2 sets in case one of them doesn't fit.

The blue ones are rated for 9500 lbs (3/4")

The black ones are rated for 6500 lbs (5/8")

Don't forget to safety wire the 'screw' hole back onto the shackle. You don't want that bolt working itself out.

Mine are silver and more like your black ones and rates 7500lbs. I also duct taped the bolt to the U with silver duct tape to insure it does not back out while traveling. after tightening.

[bap]

Kind of stupid engineering on Fords part to make a hitch that requires modification to fit standard safety chains on trailers.

[JHerzog]

Originally Posted by bap

Kind of stupid engineering on Fords part to make a hitch that requires modification to fit standard safety chains on trailers.

Totally agree. It was the same on the F150. If you build a truck to tow, you'd think you'd know how the hooks on safety chains work.

[SilverEscape]

Okay what? The F-150 needs a relay and fuse to charge the battery? So we've used this trailer for 3 years and haven't been charging the battery as we drive? Only when we are hooked up to power? Seems so odd to me that you would have to add extra parts to do this.

Is this is in the F-150 manual so we know what parts to buy?

[tbwill]

Originally Posted by SilverEscape

Okay what? The F-150 needs a relay and fuse to charge the battery? So we've used this trailer for 3 years and haven't been charging the battery as we drive? Only when we are hooked up to power? Seems so odd to me that you would have to add extra parts to do this.

Is this is in the F-150 manual so we know what parts to buy?

It should have been in your glove box when the truck was delivered to you, unless the dealer was kind enough to install it for you.

[SilverEscape]

Originally Posted by tbwill

It should have been in your glove box when the truck was delivered to you, unless the dealer was kind enough to install it for you.

How do we know if it is installed already? I don't recall seeing a fuse in the glovebox but I will look as we don't go in there often so could have missed it. If it's not there and not installed, how do we find out what parts we need? I'll go grab the manual but is it as clear as a "so you want to charge a trailer batter while you travel" section?

[bansai]

Originally Posted by SilverEscape

How do we know if it is installed already? I don't recall seeing a fuse in the glovebox but I will look as we don't go in there often so could have missed it. If it's not there and not installed, how do we find out what parts we need? I'll go grab the manual but is it as clear as a "so you want to charge a trailer batter while you travel" section?

It's a really simple test if you have a volt meter.

Stick it on your camper battery when unplugged from the truck, make a note of the reading.

Plug your camper into your truck, start it. Put the volt meter back on the battery.

Compare the 2 readings. It's worth the 20 bucks to have a basic multi-meter with you in case you don't already.

[tbwill]

Originally Posted by SilverEscape

How do we know if it is installed already? I don't recall seeing a fuse in the glovebox but I will look as we don't go in there often so could have missed it. If it's not there and not installed, how do we find out what parts we need? I'll go grab the manual but is it as clear as a "so you want to charge a trailer batter while you travel" section?

Look in the fuses section of your owner's manual. There is a relay and a fuse listed for trailer battery charging and the locations for them.

[SilverEscape]

Originally Posted by bansai

It's a really simple test if you have a volt meter.

Stick it on your camper battery when unplugged from the truck, make a note of the reading.

Plug your camper into your truck, start it. Put the volt meter back on the battery.

Compare the 2 readings. It's worth the 20 bucks to have a basic multi-meter with you in case you don't already.

My husband has a couple multi-meters. I don't think our plug will reach with the truck just beside the trailer in the driveway though, so if it requires our "hitch-up" positioning, that involves our truck being pointed straight out perpendicular across the street and it irritates the people in the neighbourhood (they could easily drive half a block and go around but we have some stuffy people around us), so unless we are actually hitching up to move it, we don't position the truck that way.

I was hoping I could check just check for a particular fuse location having a fuse installed in the truck?

[PonyExpress]

Im not sure why all the fuss. There is a 12v terminal on the trailer connection 0n the tow vehicle that is always hot with 12v. Google TT 7 pin plug wiring, read which one it is and check with volt meter. If its hot and still no battery charge, its a problem with TT side. Did I miss something?

[bansai]

Originally Posted by SilverEscape

we have some stuffy people around us), so unless we are actually hitching up to move it, we don't position the truck that way.

Understood. We have one of those neighbors too

You can do the same test just off the hitch plug on the back of the truck. See if the 12 volt power terminal is supplying power.

It's the pin in the plug that is located at the '1 O'clock' position. There's more info here on how the plug is wired - https://www.etrailer.com/question-363.html

You can put the volt meters red line on that pin, and the black line on the ground. If it's putting out power, you'll see it on the meter. You don't have to hook up the camper for this test.

I make a habit out of irritating my neighbors from time to time with my various hobbies, so I understand not wanting to do it over a simple test... save those 'irritation' points for things that matter... like having bonfires in the backyard, etc.

Hope this helps you a little. Honestly, I'd be surprised if you aren't getting battery charging... the symptoms would usually surface pretty rapidly if you guys are using the camper a decent amount... like showing up at the campground with a half dead battery.

Worse case, you can wait till you guys are getting ready to head out, and test it then too just as a final sanity check that your battery is actually charging as expected.

[SilverEscape]

Originally Posted by bansai

Understood. We have one of those neighbors too

You can do the same test just off the hitch plug on the back of the truck. See if the 12 volt power terminal is supplying power.

It's the pin in the plug that is located at the '1 O'clock' position. There's more info here on how the plug is wired - https://www.etrailer.com/question-363.html

You can put the volt meters red line on that pin, and the black line on the ground. If it's putting out power, you'll see it on the meter. You don't have to hook up the camper for this test.

Hope this helps you a little. Honestly, I'd be surprised if you aren't getting battery charging... the symptoms would usually surface pretty rapidly if you guys are using the camper a decent amount... like showing up at the campground with a half dead battery.

Super, thanks! Very helpful! We do use it a fair amount but haven't used it without power, so I wouldn't think the battery would ever deplete on the way to the destination then would be charging once connected to power? So, I'm wondering if we just haven't noticed yet.

Originally Posted by bansai

I make a habit out of irritating my neighbors from time to time with my various hobbies, so I understand not wanting to do it over a simple test... save those 'irritation' points for things that matter... like having bonfires in the backyard, etc.

Exactly!

Originally Posted by bansai

Worse case, you can wait till you guys are getting ready to head out, and test it then too just as a final sanity check that your battery is actually charging as expected.

I think we will use your previous suggestions and check before. This year we are going on a 2.5 week trip that will involve up to 5 days at sites without power, so I'd like to make sure it's working before we head out.

[JHerzog]

Originally Posted by SilverEscape

Okay what? The F-150 needs a relay and fuse to charge the battery? So we've used this trailer for 3 years and haven't been charging the battery as we drive? Only when we are hooked up to power? Seems so odd to me that you would have to add extra parts to do this.

Is this is in the F-150 manual so we know what parts to buy?

I went out 3 times before I realized the my 2013 F150 was not charging the TT battery while driving. Went on this forum and was told the fuse and relay for the circuit were in the glove box and Ford did not install them pre-sale. I had owned the truck for almost 4 years and never knew what those things in the plastic bag were for but am very glad I did not throw them away.
On mine the fuse and the relay are in slot 9 and 21 in accordance with the owner's manual. The fuse box is under the hood right in front. Took 2 minutes and all was set.

Don't know why Ford does this hence my initial question about my new 250 because there were no fuses or relays in the glove box.