Roly Poly, Thank you! I'll check that out with my Leer dealer.

 

Roly Poly Is your truck a 2017? The wiring of 2017-2018 trucks is quite different from earlier models. It is my understanding that anything that draws current through the trailer wiring harness will trigger a "trailer connected" mode in the newest trucks. This in turn influences other systems such as Power Train Control Module and Body Control Module.

 

Roly has a 2017 job 2 F350 :-). The Leer adapter has a very long power wire that has to be run under the truck to the battery to get 12v. The power for the cap brake light and the internal cap lights are powered by this connection. The adapter sits in-between the 7way to detect the signal when to activate the lights. Because the adapter is NOT using the power from the 7 way connector you do not have the issue with the trailer showing connected.

Hope that helps.

Roly

 

Thanks again!

 

Is there a drawing like this one for the 2017 F-150 ?

 

My sincere appreciation to danefraz, Roly Poly, Bandera, and others for their helpful comments on how to wire my LeerCap. Ford Body Builders Service and danefraz recommendations followed for the most part. Probably would use 14 or 16 gauge wire if I did this again and 3/8" loom. The firm WireCare provided excellent materials for this job and fast service. Their heat shrink tubing options are great. Wasn't much fun for an older man lying on cardboard in Maine during February, but I was determined to do this once and for it to last the life of the truck. Ends of Ford wiring accessed removed easily with heat gun. Comments about there being too little wire to work with mostly very accurate. Found larger heat shrink tubing over ends of wiring loom made for a neat appearance. There are other ways to accomplish this electrical hook up (the Leer dealer had yet another way not mentioned in these forums) but pleased with the results and NO system gremlins to date. Variable temp heat gun with "hook nozzle" very effective and minimized risk of damaging surrounding wiring/components. Thanks to all of you that contribute to these forums! FWIW, my last Powerstroke served me well for 21 years and nearly 300,000 miles. Was well maintained and sold quickly for $4,500.00.

 

Well.... Leer now has recall on their 7-way adapters, in my case the 3rd brake light on the topper was stuck on. The 7way adapter has been removed and I've wired the topper per the guide listed in this thread using the wire(s) found in the kick panel and the pass-thorough wire(s) to feed a wire that runs from the engine bay to the rear... All is working again.

 

Roly Poly,
Regret learning of your challenges with the CHMSL. Pleased to hear that you've resolved the issue. As you know the wiring procedure we've used isn't easy, but should be problem free and should not produce any warranty issues with Ford. Thanks again for your help.

 

 

I see the last post is a year old, I just bought a 2019 F350 SD and plan to put a Leer 122 shell on. Reading about the mentioned wiring issues concerns me, are there any updates or changes to this issue?

 

Same hear, I just installed my new topper and asked the dealer NOT to wire it up (CHMSL), so now I'm on this project to do so.

 

Guess what I found! With varying information (including different info from dealers) I decided to crawl around under the truck and look. Right behind the hanging spare tire is a VIOLET wire labelled "HIGH MOUNT STOP", the guage of the wire appears to be around 20 so I would think LED only. This is on my 2019 F-350 SD Lariat.

 

Nice find........I'll check mine ('17) tomorrow. Did you tap this violet wire into the third brake light and separate ground?

 

Awesome find! So this is from the factory.... what would it’s intended use be??

I have my Leer 122 ordered, just waiting for the truck!

 

Not yet but when I do wire it I will simply find a screw in or around the taillight cavity and ground there. I haven't ordered my cap yet, I'm visiting the A.R.E. dealer tomorrow. If I can keep the overall height below 7' I'll get a cab high model so the truck could fit in my garage, if not I'll get a mid high cap so my atv could fit in the truck. I think the cab high (A.R.E. CX) will come in at under 7' installed so I'll probably go with that. I talked to the ARE dealer Friday she said it's a 5 to 7 week turnaround time...YIKES!