Ok, I just acquired a new '03 F150 Super Cab FX4 Lariat with all the trimmings except the trailer package, so I'm going to add it piece by piece. While I have searched this site for about a week now, went through roughly 1k threads, I have not got the answer I was looking for.

While truffling around on the web looking at receiver hitches I came across an oddity on Putnam's site, it stated that their hitch wouldn't fit with the 17" spare. I was wondering if anybody has had a problem fitting a hitch to their truck because of the spare not fitting between the brackets?

Next question is just to reassure myself on accuracy on the part numbers the 7-way/4-way combo trailer pigtail is no. YL3Z-13A576-GB and the brake controller pigtail and relay package is no. YL34-15416-AA?

Also, does anyone have any insight in over cooling an automatic tranny? I though of replacing the stock transmission cooler that comes with the 5.4 with the one that is on the 7700lb F150 along with maybe the radiator too.

Is there a hitch that any of you can recommend? I was looking at a Reese no. 37034 which is a multi-fit tubular receiver with a weight rating of 7K/12K, it would be more than I would ever use and more than what the truck is rated for.

While I do realize this is quite a bit excessive I'll just use the excuse "I have a new toy and I only want the best." I do tend to do things in excess, just look at the amount of babbling in this post. Take one of the first parts I bought for my little Fox bodied Mustang for example, a $1800 brake system. Oh well, thanking in advance for everyone’s time and input and if you have any advice or comments please feel free to post them.

 

I'd check out one of Fords factory hitches (5k/10k)..... The 17" spare will fit under them, as they come from the factory that way.

I've got the 16" wheels, but LT265/75/16 tires (31" tall, same as the stock 17" size). I put the same size on the spare, and it fits with some room to spare. I've heard that a 33" tire will fit, but just barely!

Can't confirm on your part numbers, as mine came with the package.

You must have gotten a pretty good deal on it...... I'm sure Ford is really going to start "giving" away the '03's with the '04's starting to show up now. Wish I could take advantage of it, but I'm still paying for my '97!!!

I don't think you can "over cool" the tranny fluid, except if you live in a very cold region........ Then, all I'd do is cut out some sort of
cover to put over the cooler that restricts the amount of air. This could be as crude as a piece of cardboard to a nice piece of stainless steel with mounting brackets and all!

I tow a #4500 travel trailer and towing in 90* weather, my trans will sit at around 165* on the highway, but go up to 180* when going up any significant hills. The worst is in stop and go traffic..... It'll jump up to 200* pretty fast, but once I get moving again, it'll go back to 180*.

I've only got the stock cooler, but really thinking about getting the one from Mike Troyer that has a fan attached to it that kicks in at 180* I thinks it's around $200 from his web page.

I don't know about those "multi fit" ones....... Does it use a sliding cross bar to adjust for different frame widths??? If so, then I'd pass. Find one that's specific to the F150 and it'll bolt right up. I've seen a hitch from Brophy that has a 7k/12k rating, but not sure what the spare tire specs were for it. I think it was only $150 from GI Joes......... I thought about getting it, but then thought, I'm towing as much as I'm ever going to with this truck, and I'm well within it's specs, so I'll put that money towards that new tranny cooler with the fan!!

Hope this helps some!

 

I wouldn't say I got the best of deals on the truck but I didn't get really screwed on it either. Total with TTL and the extended warranty was a little over $41K and I put $4k and a S10 down on it. My notes are high but livable at well under $600 a month for the next 5 years, so I'm not going to say I got screwed but I do think they could have come more off of it though.

The Multi fit hitch I'm looking at has a one piece center section just the frame mounts can be flipped around, adjusted, and etc. to make it fit other trucks.



And the install instructions are

http://www.reeseprod.com/support/sup...fs/37034IN.pdf

But I'm still leery of the spare tire. I may just go to the dealer and get the Ford hitch and see if I can con my salesman in to getting it for me at cost too. He already going to get me the 7-way/4-way pigtail at cost so maybe he will add that too.

Thanks, anyone else have any insight?

 

The thing I don't "like" about those hitches, is that you are relying on bolts for the "shear" points to hold the trailers weight on the hitch.... I think even Grade 8 bolts have a lessor amount of shear stregnth then a weld would give you. I also don't "like" the way the frame mounting points attatch.....

The Ford ones are a solid piece of plate on each side and don't have any "cut outs" in them..... I can see those cut outs being a major weak link in that design...... Especially, if you were to be using a weight distributing type of hitch.

JMO on that too. I know they say they are rated the same or more then the stock units, but they just look too "cheap" in design..... I would only use them for a bike rack attachment!!

 

No I'm with your thinking on the bolts in the side plates of the hitch, I also wondered about them shearing off under load. I just figured I would throw it out there to get everyone's opinion on it since it's real easy to get one local at Wal-Mart with out the worry of whether K.Y. was going to be used for the price or not.

But how do you see the hitches that have the main tube pass through the side plates as a problem? My thinking on it was that it would be slightly stronger than if it was just welded to the side plates. The reason I think that is that instead of just having the weld holding the main tube you also have the square in the side plate holding plus the weld. But I am kind of new to the game and haven't been around campers/heavy hauling in over 10 years and a lot has changed since then. I still remember the old Kelsy Hayes hydraulic brake controllers, didn't realize you couldn't get them anymore until I tried to find a website a few months ago.

Oh I forgot to post the last question in my first post. Does anyone have a wiring diagram of the old 7-way Pin style used for campers years ago. I have searched and searched and cannot find one, all I can find is the wiring diagram for the Bargman style plugs.

Thanks again.

 

I don't see that as a problem at all. That's the only way I'd have the cross tube attached to the side plates. That's how my factory Ford hitch is setup. I just wish they would have welded BOTH sides of the tube and side plates!. They only welded the inside connections..........

That brings up another 'issue' I would have with the round tube hitches. Even if there is a hole for it to go thru on the side plates, a round tube would twist a lot easier then a square tube would before you welded it up!

Have you seen Wal-Mart hitches that aren't just the "multi-fit" variety?? The only ones I've seen have the sliding cross tube as well!

 

Oh ok, I think I miss understood you. I though you ment the cutouts for the main tube to pass through but you were meaning the cutouts between the mounting bolts on the side plates.

Come to think about it your right on the Wal-Mart thing too, but the hitch I was looking at at the local Wal-Marts had a one piece main tube, the box had been opened before so I took a peek at the hitch assembly. I guess I see what the Ford dealer will do or head to one of my local RV shops and see what they have.

You could always take your hitch off and head down to a local welding shop and have them weld up the other side of the side plate with a stick or MIG. If you really want the welds to look good have them TIG it but I doubt that anyone is that **** about the looks of their truck if it gets worked.

Thanks Again, and BTW who does Ford have make their hitches?

 

I see how you thought that's what I meant now originally.....

Yes, I meant only the upper part that attaches to the frame of the truck itself.

I want to say that the Ford hitches are made by "Ford" directly, as I think they are brand named "Built Ford Tough" or something like that.......

But, then all of their other "Ford" or "Motorcraft" branded items are usually produced by third party vendors, just built to "Ford Specifications"..... So, they might very well be assembled and produced by the likes of Reese or any other major name brand hitch maker........

Yeah, I've contemplated having the additional welding done, but don't really think it's that necessary........ Maybe if I were towing a lot more weight or was not using a WD setup in the first place. Or if I had my own welding setup, I'd do it just because I could!

Good luck with your prices, but I don't think I'd worry too much if it's only like $50 difference between Fords or the "multi-fit" brand..... I wouldn't even be bothered with a $100 difference in price myself............

 

The plug I was talking was something like one of these things.



Old campers like my uncle's '58 Airstream have them, I just can't find a wiring diagram to show me the pinout on them. All I can find is the Bargman style.

Thanks.

 

Funny you should ask - I was just looking at this stuff last weekend.

I found it Here

Their note about the 12v and brake signals being reversed was relevant, in my case....it seems to depend on your individual trailer.

Good Luck,

Allen

 

Thanks but unfortunately that's the for Bargman style plug that has the flat blade style pins.

That is the trailer end of the connector
And that is the vehicle end.

Notice how the pins surrounding the perimeter of the plug are flat vs. the round pins in the connector in my previous post. Probably most guys on this board only have seen the pin connector used on 18-wheelers and such. But for their application it has a totally different wiring schematic.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Woohoo!! Thank you Airstream, why didn't I think to check there before.

http://www.airstream.com/airstream/p...lug1966-81.pdf

 

Can anyone reassure me on my part numbers?

 

Sorry, I looked at your picture and didn't count the pins.... I thought I was looking at a 6 pin connector, like you see on horse trailers - which I had been working on right before I saw your post.

My bad....

Allen

 

No biggy, the connectors look a lot alike other than the pin count. I have actually seen the 7-way round pin used on horse trailers too. My uncle has a 4 or 6 horse gooseneck that is setup like this, don't know why but it is.

 

I found out something interesting while looking around at hitches. Reese, Draw-Tite, the Hammerblow group, and Tekonsha are owned by one company, Cequent.

Not that anyone really cares about it but I though I would just throw that little bit of info out.