Install Trailer Brake Controller on 24 XLT with basic tow package

[goober71]

I have a 24 XLT 4wd with FX4 and tow package. I have the hitch and 4/7 pin plugs, but no brake controller.
I saw a very lengthy post on here with a lot of back and forth on the process and whether it works.
Can someone who has done this please direct me to a set of instructions and confirm it works, so I can determine if I want to take this on with my basic skills?
Thanks in advance!

G

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[White willy]

Following as well.

 

[ShadowDragon24]

I tried looking for the tbc plug. but behind the trim panel where the plug is suppose to be there is no access to the makn harness to check for plug. Ill be hauling the radio display out later when I get time off work,(workign 6days a week. 12-14hr days is tiring. lol) to see if its there in the harness on my 2025 xlt anyways. I found out I am prewired for heated mirrors on my xlt, so im hoping i have the tbc plug, and Ill be adding a set of clearview heated tow mirrors(got the part # off clearview aust, and they can ship to north america even without clearview usa having a listing!! and be getting them between now and next summer. lol

in the meantime I had a hopkins tbc from my old vehicle. I just ordered the harness for the fords, I can get the hopkins part # for you. it was plug and play with that grey connector next to the trail module in that thread.

so until i can see if the intragrated tbc plug is there the hopkins will suffice. but I do have the part #'s for the ebony trim piece you put the tbc in, and for the switch aswell.

 

[goober71]

I tried looking for the tbc plug. but behind the trim panel where the plug is suppose to be there is no access to the makn harness to check for plug. Ill be hauling the radio display out later when I get time off work,(workign 6days a week. 12-14hr days is tiring. lol) to see if its there in the harness on my 2025 xlt anyways. I found out I am prewired for heated mirrors on my xlt, so im hoping i have the tbc plug, and Ill be adding a set of clearview heated tow mirrors(got the part # off clearview aust, and they can ship to north america even without clearview usa having a listing!! and be getting them between now and next summer. lol

in the meantime I had a hopkins tbc from my old vehicle. I just ordered the harness for the fords, I can get the hopkins part # for you. it was plug and play with that grey connector next to the trail module in that thread.

so until i can see if the intragrated tbc plug is there the hopkins will suffice. but I do have the part #'s for the ebony trim piece you put the tbc in, and for the switch aswell.

Yes, if you can get me the part #s (and instructions from your install, if possible) that will be great. There was a post on here for a Redarc brake controller with a rotary knob that is supposedly plug and play as well. If anyone has had success with that, please advise.

Thanks.

G

 

[craigc]

Yes, if you can get me the part #s (and instructions from your install, if possible) that will be great. There was a post on here for a Redarc brake controller with a rotary knob that is supposedly plug and play as well. If anyone has had success with that, please advise.

I resorted to the Redarc brake controller with the rotary knob. I would have rather had the full integrated one, but this seems to do the job. I have yet to drill the hole to permanently mount the knob, so for now it is tucked in under the steering wheel as I do not tow using it very often. Eventually I'll drill that hole....

 

[ShadowDragon24]

Yes, if you can get me the part #s (and instructions from your install, if possible) that will be great. There was a post on here for a Redarc brake controller with a rotary knob that is supposedly plug and play as well. If anyone has had success with that, please advise.

Thanks.

G

the hopkins has the main control box you put on the kickpanel. I got it tucked behind. then it has 2 remote lines. a small display that uses double sided tape. and then the gain switch/emergency spike. that you can use the double sided tape, or screw the bracket in. where I still want the intragrated tbc, i just used the double sided tape.

on amazon is where I got both
the harness is
Hopkins 47845 Plug-in Simple Brake Control Connector


and the tbc is
Hopkins 47297 Insight Brake Control


both bought off of amazon. on hopskins website they say the 47297 insight tbc is compatible with the Advance Emergency Braking System. and that connector does say it doesnt fit a 24/25 ranger... but I looked up the bronco kit this site says work from redarc, then found just the harness and looked up what vehicles redarc said their harness was compatible with, and got the same vehicle list from hopkins. and it pluged right in and fully functions no issues

 

[goober71]

I resorted to the Redarc brake controller with the rotary knob. I would have rather had the full integrated one, but this seems to do the job. I have yet to drill the hole to permanently mount the knob, so for now it is tucked in under the steering wheel as I do not tow using it very often. Eventually I'll drill that hole....

Thanks. How hard was the install? From the pics I've seen posted in one of the posts, the controller has to be mounted to a location in the steering well, using a wooden block. Did you do the same? Did the plug work without any issues with the bronco harness?
Please let me know.
Thanks.

G

 

[craigc]

Thanks. How hard was the install? From the pics I've seen posted in one of the posts, the controller has to be mounted to a location in the steering well, using a wooden block. Did you do the same? Did the plug work without any issues with the bronco harness?
Please let me know.
Thanks.

I did not do a wooden block. Just used several zip ties and used a “zip tie gun” to pull them super tight against a bracket in the space to the left of the wheel. It was a little tight fit but as long as it doesn’t wobble loosely should be fine. The only issue I had with the harness is I didn’t realize on the truck the empty socket had a dummy plug in it so you have to remove that and then it plugs straight in. One of the other threads mention that and I had replied to the same thread a while back.

 

[ShadowDragon24]

Thanks. How hard was the install? From the pics I've seen posted in one of the posts, the controller has to be mounted to a location in the steering well, using a wooden block. Did you do the same? Did the plug work without any issues with the bronco harness?
Please let me know.
Thanks.

G

Ill grab more recent pics shortly. yes the hopkins harness worked without issue. the controller works without issue too. and the hopkins tbc even works with the emergency braking

 

[ShadowDragon24]

The display is on the dash next to cluster. double sided tape. same with the gain/spike. nd the brain box of the tbc is behind the kick panel near the plug, you have to mount it in a specific orientation as it is also an inertia controller. if the truck suddenly starts decelerating, it will start applying the trailer brakes lightly so the brake lights come on. it is also compatible with the forward collision emergency braking.

 

[Jason B]

How have you confirmed that it is Pre-collision and AEB compatible?
Somewhere on one of those lengthy threads about adding a TBC, someone mention that the AEB signal had to be enabled by Ford to be present on that connector.

 

[ShadowDragon24]

How have you confirmed that it is Pre-collision and AEB compatible?
Somewhere on one of those lengthy threads about adding a TBC, someone mention that the AEB signal had to be enabled by Ford to be present on that connector.

the instructions in my tbc said it works with the Forward Collision avoidance emergency braking system. it is a proportional controller and a inertia controller, so it doesnt interfere with it the truck systems, you have to mount the control box horizontally for the inertia sensor to work. when it is in a sudden deceleration event without the foot brake being pressed, it will activate the trailer brakes and brake lights automatically.

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