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Camper_Jeff___K's avatar
Camper_Jeff___K
Nomad III
Jan 20, 2025

Flat Towbar Installation For A 2000 or similar F250 4x4

Video: https://youtu.be/5ydGaSMdAig

Our engine broke an exhaust valve which destroyed the engine, piston #5 specificately, leaving us stranded a good thousand miles from home.

There was no way to get out of this situation cheaply. We tried a couple of shippers who declined to haul our truck and camper home. I decided to buy a flat tow kit.

We got a Blue Ox towbar package kit, and brake controller. It worked well but today, on the second day, it went into a fail fault mode and would not work. Sunday, what do you know, no tech support. We drove slowly to get off the freeway to ascess the problem.  We tried a reset which is to unplug the brake unit while it's on, and drain the capacitors for 45 minutes.

Well what do you know, it's working again! We got back in the truck and with relief, continued our woy homeward bound. 

That's the update for now.

This video will show how I installed the kit and wired up. Instead of wiring into the truck lighting system, I took advantage that the truck camper would provide all the signal lighting. A great time saver. I did however have to get two 7 pin extension cables to reach from the TC 7 pin plug, to the tow vehicle 7 pin plug. I also split off a +/- 10 gauge power connection to the F250 battery to keep that battery charged because the brake unit uses between 10 and 15 amps intermittently as brakes are applied which could potentially drain the F250 battery, rendering the braking device useless. 

Enjoy the show.

  • StirCrazy's avatar
    StirCrazy
    Moderator
    Jan 20, 2025

    you can't go by the number of leafs for how much it will handle.  for example your f250 has more leafs than my f350 with a heavy payload package and I guarantee you mine will handle 4500lbs in the back better than yours unless you added more Leafs to it yourself. fronts on the big trucks are even more funny as they put way more weight to the rears and next to nothing moves to the front so it doesn't change much.  even on my truck when I put the camper or 5th wheel on the front weight only goes up about 150 lbs.  its all about the spring rate of the individual leafs.  I have noticed that the new 2023 f350 has an extra overload spring and an extra leaf in the main pack and it is rated the same as mine so I have to see what they did and why.  sometimes the advances are worth changing to and sometimes they are not.  

    its a good thing you had the manual 4x4 and not the pushbutton like I have, but at least your getting it home.  

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