tls001

using your instructions it took about 20 minutes, will take it in for a flash in the next week or so.

blueovelboy

cool glad i could help you out!

slimschade

Thanks for the instructions and great pictures! I just bought a pre-owned 2011 F-150 supercrew from a dealer. The truck was not equipped with the tow package but there is a flat 4 pin connector under the bumper. I told the dealer I had a trailer with brakes. They said no problem and proceeded to sell me the TBC and a small wiring harness with the 7 pin connector that supposedly plugs into the factory harness somewhere up under the spare tire. Now as I read the install instructions and as you mentioned in your first sentence it states you must have the factory tow package to use the factory TBC. What gives? Is it the software or the wiring harness that won't allow installation? Does anybody know? Thanks again!!!

Jack Bauer

Cool, I was wondering if this was possible.

slimschade

Okay, as I mentioned my truck did not come with the factory tow package so I'm going out on a limb and proceeding with the factory TBC install anyway. Yesterday morning, in the parking lot of my office I installed the TBC without an problems. It took about 15 minutes (I was not drinking a beer between every step). My TBC plug was taped to the other plug directly under the dash and had the protective cap on it. When I routed the plug up to where the TBC is mounted the harness was a bit short. I had to fiddle a little with one fat hand crammed into the dash just above the mounting position and blindly feel the plug into the back of the TBC. Today I'm going to drop the spare tire and see if I can plug the 7 pin connector into the factory wiring harness and install an aftermarket Draw-Tight receiver hitch. On Monday, fingers crossed, I'll take it to the dealer for the flash. I'll post the part number of the 7 pin adapter in my next message. Wish me luck!

LeonB

When the harness is taped down under the dash like that, there is a plastic retainer that is part of the harness that is in a hole to keep the wires from moving around. That retainer is pulled out of the hole and inserted in a hole further up and behind where the TBC goes. It gives you a lot more room to work with behind the dash with the harness.

airlifter

Blueovelboy, does your truck have the center consol? I would like to do the install myself but it looks like I will need to remove the consol to remove the first trim piece and I don't know if I want to get into that.

Great information anyway.

Pete

blueovelboy

no i dont. but i think theres only like 4 screws to remove to let the consol move back so you can remove that trim pice to put in your TBC. but thats just a guess

jeffmac1977

Interested in your results slimschade as I am about to do the same thing.

reefpointbar

I did mine a few weeks ago when I bought my "new used" 2009 Lariat. It was pretty much the only option it didn't come with that I needed. I ordered the TBC from Tasca, and put it in. Took 10 minutes. I had to swing by the dealership (Seabreeze Ford in Belmar, NJ) to order a few other things, but while I was there I asked the service guy if he had time to flash my ecu to activate the TBC. He looked at me like I had two heads, and told me the TBC was plug-and-play. I was fairly certain he was mistaken, but wanting to be sure I came back home and did some more research on this forum. I called back, made an appointment, and showed up that friday. He remembered me, and asked to walk outside and take a look at the TBC I installed. When he saw the TBC, he then said that as far as he was aware it didn't need any further programming. I then handed him the service tech instructions that I got from this forum. He looked at it, smiled, and said "well alright then. Let's get this thing turned on!" I was nervous about how he would take me handing him something he probably should have known, but I can tell you he took it like a true gentleman. He told me that since they were a smaller dealership they rarely encounter someone ordering and installing their own factory TBC. They usually order and install the part themselves at the dealership, so he would have never known what else the tech does. He was so interested that he grabbed his Panasonic Tough Book laptop and went out to the bay and watched how the tech did it. Said it went exactly as the instructions on the service bulletin said. He charged me a half hour of labor which came out to $54. I was happy, he was happy. I have to say that I was more happy with the way things went with his attitude. It is very convenient for me to use that dealership, and I know he will remember me in the future. It could have easily turned into a pissing contest, but I'm glad it didn't. He was a man about it, and I didn't have an I-told-you-so attitude towards him. We both win.

Sorry for the long first post, but the main point of my little experience here, is to thank you to all of you who posted the info on how to do simple things like this. Saved me a pocket full of change. Thanks again blueovelboy!

Now onto the blinker mod!