Got the diesel!!!!

Andymon · 04-24-2013, 06:56 PM

Went and test drove the '99 F250 with the 7.3. Man, this truck is in excellent condition and runs like a champ. Like new tires, no burnt smell from the tranny dip stick, smooth shifting tranny. Made an offer and they took it.

The one thing I did see was that the trailer connector is a 5 pin and on my trailer it is a big 7 pin so will have to figure that out.

Thanks to everyone for all your input. We now have just about everything we need to go rv'ing!!!

rhagfo · 04-24-2013, 09:33 PM

Looks like it is time to update the Signature!!

You just bought the best diesel, in a F250, Ford may be getting their act together with the 6.7, but not enough history yet.

It may rattle a bit when cold, but block heater will quite it down a bit.

Hope to see you on the coast soon!

Ron · 04-25-2013, 05:00 AM

Congradulations on your purchase, yes that is a great engine to have. We have 2 2001 7.3 PSD and have never had a problem with them, now get that trailer hooked up and hit the road, Happy Campin....

SAABDOCTOR · 04-25-2013, 05:24 AM

Way to go Nice truck and a great engine!!! swap out that 5 pin plug to a 7 install a brake controler if it does not have one and go enjoy!!! sit back have a cold one and "Job well done"

**JRTJH** · 04-25-2013, 05:33 AM

FINALLY, it looks like you may have hit on the right tow vehicle and at a bargain too.... You just bought the best diesel Ford has ever put in a light duty truck. Navistar made an awsome engine. I'm sure you'll be very satisfied with the truck.

As for the 5/7 pin situation, the 99 superduty came standard with a 7 pin harness mounted beside the license plate. The harness was a plug and play kind of situation that ran from below the cab under the bed with the rest of the rear truck harness. You may find the remaining wires taped up out of the way behind the bumper by whoever modified the truck to a 5 pin connector. The brake controller wiring harness sits under the steering wheel just to the right of the steering column. Ford sells a pig-tail connector with 3 wires to connect to any brake controller. There are a number of aftermarket wiring harnesses that you can buy to connect a specific brake controller to that plug if you want an easier install. That was also the first year that Ford used the under-hood circuit breakers/fuses for the towing harness (in the High Voltage Distribution Box). So if you have problems with the 7 pin connection and existing wires, make sure those circuit breakers are installed and working.

About all I can say is "look out campgrounds, Andymon is headed your way"

fla-gypsy · 04-25-2013, 05:45 AM

Nice find on a highly sought out truck

DJ85 · 04-25-2013, 06:34 AM

Congrats, on the purchase you got a nice truck there.

2011 keystone · 04-25-2013, 08:14 AM

Congrats on the new TV you found exactly what i was looking for.
I ended up with the next best thing 5.9 cummins. But i sure like the truck you bought.

Andymon · 04-25-2013, 08:42 AM

The truck needs a little fixin' here and there. The doors don't make full contact with the rubber seals as I found out this morning going through the car wash! I've attached a couple pics. One of the brake controller in the cab and the other of the connector. There's also a 3 pin connector to the right of the 5 pin. Not sure what that is.

Also, on the hitch there's a label that says Weight Distributing Hitch and below that it says Max Gross TRLR 10000 lbs and Max Gross tongue weight 1000 lbs. Is that enough you think for my TT?

Thanks!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

FINALLY, it looks like you may have hit on the right tow vehicle and at a bargain too.... You just bought the best diesel Ford has ever put in a light duty truck. Navistar made an awsome engine. I'm sure you'll be very satisfied with the truck.

As for the 5/7 pin situation, the 99 superduty came standard with a 7 pin harness mounted beside the license plate. The harness was a plug and play kind of situation that ran from below the cab under the bed with the rest of the rear truck harness. You may find the remaining wires taped up out of the way behind the bumper by whoever modified the truck to a 5 pin connector. The brake controller wiring harness sits under the steering wheel just to the right of the steering column. Ford sells a pig-tail connector with 3 wires to connect to any brake controller. There are a number of aftermarket wiring harnesses that you can buy to connect a specific brake controller to that plug if you want an easier install. That was also the first year that Ford used the under-hood circuit breakers/fuses for the towing harness (in the High Voltage Distribution Box). So if you have problems with the 7 pin connection and existing wires, make sure those circuit breakers are installed and working.

About all I can say is "look out campgrounds, Andymon is headed your way"

**JRTJH** · 04-25-2013, 09:17 AM

That brake controller is a Tekonsha Sentinal (probably a 9055) you can download the operation manual here: http://www.bradstrailer.com/9055.htm

As for the doors not fitting well, Earlier, I mentioned that 1999 is the first year production for the superduty body style. I had similar issues on mine and it was new at the time. Door adjustment helps tremendously provided the door seals are all intact and pliable. If you're not familiar with how to adjust a door properly, you might want to pay a body shop a few bucks to do it right. It's one of those things where you "push in the top" and not only the bottom comes out, but the sides go in different directions too. Of course that adjustment makes the "back door" fit funny and can make matters worse. It can really get frustrating to align the doors "just right" if you don't have a good handle on exactly what's happening to the "whole contraption" LOL

As for the trailer connector, the one on the right appears to be a standard 4 pin connector. It really has 3 pins and one hole. The other one is not the factory 7 pin connector. The actual factory plug was mounted on that bracket, but has been removed and replaced by what's there now. If you look behind that connector you should find 2 more wires, possibly cut off and folded back against the harness.

As for your hitch, that's the factory hitch, we towed a Holiday Rambler 34CBFK with it. We had 1200 lb bars, but the hitch did well with no problems. Your trailer GVW is 7700 lbs, so you're 2300 UNDER the max trailer weight. Depending on how you load your RV, the 15% maximum tongue weight calculates to 1161 lbs. I don't imagine you'll have any issues with the hitch provided you watch how you load the front of the trailer.

Andymon · 04-25-2013, 10:22 AM

Wow! Thanks for a ton of great info!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

That brake controller is a Tekonsha Sentinal (probably a 9055) you can download the operation manual here: http://www.bradstrailer.com/9055.htm

As for the doors not fitting well, Earlier, I mentioned that 1999 is the first year production for the superduty body style. I had similar issues on mine and it was new at the time. Door adjustment helps tremendously provided the door seals are all intact and pliable. If you're not familiar with how to adjust a door properly, you might want to pay a body shop a few bucks to do it right. It's one of those things where you "push in the top" and not only the bottom comes out, but the sides go in different directions too. Of course that adjustment makes the "back door" fit funny and can make matters worse. It can really get frustrating to align the doors "just right" if you don't have a good handle on exactly what's happening to the "whole contraption" LOL

As for the trailer connector, the one on the right appears to be a standard 4 pin connector. It really has 3 pins and one hole. The other one is not the factory 7 pin connector. The actual factory plug was mounted on that bracket, but has been removed and replaced by what's there now. If you look behind that connector you should find 2 more wires, possibly cut off and folded back against the harness.

As for your hitch, that's the factory hitch, we towed a Holiday Rambler 34CBFK with it. We had 1200 lb bars, but the hitch did well with no problems. Your trailer GVW is 7700 lbs, so you're 2300 UNDER the max trailer weight. Depending on how you load your RV, the 15% maximum tongue weight calculates to 1161 lbs. I don't imagine you'll have any issues with the hitch provided you watch how you load the front of the trailer.

Andymon · 04-27-2013, 08:38 AM

When I change out the 5 pin to the 7 pin do I do anything to the connector that has the 3 pins and the hole or just leave it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

That brake controller is a Tekonsha Sentinal (probably a 9055) you can download the operation manual here: http://www.bradstrailer.com/9055.htm

As for the trailer connector, the one on the right appears to be a standard 4 pin connector. It really has 3 pins and one hole. The other one is not the factory 7 pin connector. The actual factory plug was mounted on that bracket, but has been removed and replaced by what's there now. If you look behind that connector you should find 2 more wires, possibly cut off and folded back against the harness.

2011 keystone · 04-27-2013, 08:48 AM

I would leave it there a lot of smaller utility type trailers use the 4 pin plug.

**JRTJH** · 04-27-2013, 05:37 PM

I agree. I'd leave it alone. It's not hurting anything, not in the way and eventually, you'll need to tow a small utility or boat trailer and they all use 4 pin connectors. Since it's there, just work around it. Sooner or later you'll be glad you have it

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