36TK3 Conception Date Today - TV 2008 F450 delivered.

[dz06]

Unit is schedule to begin construction today. Hopefully will be at the dealer's lot on June 6th. Probable delivery around June 10th.

Live in California and plan to pick up on the way to attend niece's wedding in Boston. Need to arrive in Boston by June 17th. Should be easy trip.

Tow vehicle is new 2008 F450 w/Reese Signature 24k hitch. Truck is awesome. I love the look, fit, finish and performance.

Thankfully had hitch professionally installed for flat fee of $525. Took installers 7 hours. It would have taken me several days by myself without air tools. They had to tap the holes for anvil springs and use shims to adjust for easy removal and re-installation of hitch from bed. I inventoried parts before scheduled installation. Hitch was missing 4 special tab washers that Reese sent out by DHL.

Hitch in most elevated position will still allow for installation of Truck Covers USA locking rollup cover. Tie hitch release handle down with bungie cord and cover will extend over hitch with no clearance problem.

Basically very :mrgreen: guy. Little impatient, but still really :D .

[wingnut60]

Sounds like a tremendous combination to have. Congratulations.

[Mikey]

Excellent choices!

Our 36TK3 is at the dealers - we are going down for a quick peek - Delivery scheduled for June 18

2008 F450 Lariat scheduled to be built TODAY!!

We'll hit the road as soon as the house is sold

[berghild]

how exciting for you guys...we can hardly wait ours is supposed to be at Walnut Ridge the first week of June......TK3

[berghild]

oops first week of JULY

[Mikey]

dz06

We went to a Lion's Convention in Boston last year.
Check out Minuteman Campground. Was a KOA at one time
http://www.minutemancampground.com/

Sites are a bit close together, but a VERY nice experience
Very clean, nice store and pool. Great staff
It's about 45 minutes from downtown Boston

We drove in about 15-20 minutes - took subway downtown - huge parking garage (about $5 a day I think - Subway very reasonable too)
It seemed that every street in Boston was either one way (wrong way) or was being worked on!
Got lost - ended up at the airport - expressway free to airport - pay to get back!

Have fun!

[dz06]

dz06

We went to a Lion's Convention in Boston last year.
Check out Minuteman Campground. Was a KOA at one time
Have fun!

Thanks for the info Mikey. I actually grew up in Acton which is the town next to Littleton where Minuteman is located. I'll be staying most of the time at my brothers in Beverly, but may visit/stay in Littleton area.

[dz06]

:D 36TK3 is schedule to be 1st unit completed today. Will now be sent to paint then PDI with schedule for delivery to dealer on June 6th.

I'll leave from California when the dealer receives the unit. Plan is to pick up 36TK3 around June 10th, stay 2 nights for thorough inspection then on to Boston for nieces wedding. My DW will fly out to meet me in Boston. We'll stay 1-2 weeks in Boston area then take 4 weeks returning to California.

:) 1st very long vacation for me and DW of 39 years.

[bstark]

dz06: It's been fun reading your posts. People on here may even get the idea you're just a little excited!

Congratulations on both your new babies and may you enjoy them both to the utmost.

[dz06]

The Mobile suites was born today and is at the dealers. I'll leave tomorrow from California to pickup 36TK3 at Ewings Outpost in Indiana. Should be picking up unit on Wed of next week and then on to the East Coast for 6 week vacation.

[igotjam]

Let me know how your Ford brake controller works with your trailer brakes. Mine doesn't.

[dz06]

Let me know how your Ford brake controller works with your trailer brakes. Mine doesn't.

Ouch! What kind of problems are you having? I seen posts that 2008 Tow Command controllers and electric over hydraulic disc brakes work with no problems at all and some that say brakes don't work right.

I sure hope I'm one of the ones that works with no problems.

[igotjam]

Problem concerns dropped signals or inability of systems to communicate properly with each other. (that's just a guess) What happens is that after hook up it works perfectly, but as you drive along the alarm goes (on the Ford controller) and the error message says no connection. Sometimes it comes back for a while and then alarms again.
Have had the trailer in and been told everything is OK. Same with the truck. Replaced the plug ins twice and nothing changes. My next step is to get the dealer to take both the truck and trailer together but unfortunately the soonest they can look at it is over a month from now. (no other dealers want to look at it as apparently its a wierd system they don't want to deal with)
What I might do is just take the truck to a trailer place and have a aftermarket controller put in instead of the Ford one. I'm told that will fix the problem.

[Mikey]

See topic: Mobile Suites - Brake Controller - Ford
Some info on a fix.

[Hobo]

igotjam

If you have a older Carlisle actuator that does not say computable with Ford and Prodigy controller then you need their add on HBA-CAM2 box to correct the signal being sent. Cost $85. on their web page and easily wired in at the actuator.

I don't know what the start build date was for the new units that have all the wiring internal.

Maybe you don't have the Carlisle but its worth a look.
Rick

[sigo'suite]

http://www.brakesmart.biz/index.html

Just a suggestion for a GOOD brake controller.

[hitchup]

Problem concerns dropped signals or inability of systems to communicate properly with each other. (that's just a guess) What happens is that after hook up it works perfectly, but as you drive along the alarm goes (on the Ford controller) and the error message says no connection. Sometimes it comes back for a while and then alarms again.
What I might do is just take the truck to a trailer place and have a aftermarket controller put in instead of the Ford one. I'm told that will fix the problem.

We had to have a plugin installed in the bed wall, because the DT cord can't reach to the bumper factory installed one. Never had a problem until this week. Our F450 has given us the Alarm sound & says Trailer Wiring Disconnet (or something to that effect) a few times when braking. Weird though since we haven't had the trailer connected for nearly 2 mos. :shock:

[igotjam]

Thanks for all the suggestions. My trailer brake manual is from Active Tech of Texas. Not the same as Carlisle????? Anyway I had new wireing run in the truck to a new plug in the bed....same result. The Ford people say their system works and the DT dealer says the brakes function as designed. My guess is I need something like the Carlisle thing but I'm hesitant to try it on a non Carlisle system?? I think my best bet is a whole new brake controller (not Ford) in the truck.

[golf_bears]

Hello everyone,

Is this problem unique to the F450 controller only or does the F350 also have the same problem? Does anyone know?

Thanks,

Golf_Bears

[sigo'suite]

Thanks for all the suggestions. My trailer brake manual is from Active Tech of Texas. Not the same as Carlisle????? Anyway I had new wireing run in the truck to a new plug in the bed....same result. The Ford people say their system works and the DT dealer says the brakes function as designed. My guess is I need something like the Carlisle thing but I'm hesitant to try it on a non Carlisle system?? I think my best bet is a whole new brake controller (not Ford) in the truck.
http://www.activetech1.com/

No Carlisle and ActiBrake are not the same actuator. As you can see by looking at the link above ActiBrake and Kodiak Brakes are partnered. Both listing the same address in Ft. Worth. That does not mean that you must use their actuator when installing Kodiak brakes; however that is the combination that DT elected to use when they went with Kodiak brakes on their units.

Many dealers in this area who install the Kodiak brakes use the Carlisle brake actuator in lieu of the ActiBrake because they have more confidence in the Carlisle's history.

Regards the brake controller in the Ford. There have been many owners in this area who have changed controllers because of their experience with, and lack of confidence in, the Integrated Brake Controller (IBC).

The controller of choice in this area seems to be the BrakeSmart.
http://www.brakesmart.biz/index.html

I have no horse in this race. I have had the BrakeSmart intalled on my truck and can tell you that I have been very impressed with the difference. They aren't cheap ($485 installed in my case) but to me the peace of mind was worth the price.

Just my 2 penny's worth!!

[sigo'suite]

Dad burn double post.