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Adding Reverse Sensors

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Old Dec 4, 2004 | 10:31 PM
  #1  
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texan2004
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From: Friendswood, Texas
Adding Reverse Sensors

Has anyone added or looked into adding the reverese sensors option on a truck that was sold without them. I have a 2003 F-250 SD 4x4 with the 6.0 TD. I just purchased it used with 24K miles. Wish the previous owner had ordered it with this option but it had everything else I wanted (except the limited slip rear end). I priced the sensors, module, and wiring harness for the sensors at the dealer. Price comes in around $600.00 (option on the truck new was only around $230.00). I am willing to pay for the parts but when I questioned the dealer about instaling this option, none of the techs wanted to do it. I am told that there is no plug in the main wiring harness for this unless it was purchased with the truck new. I am having a difficult time believing this. Does anyone know. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
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Old Dec 5, 2004 | 12:09 PM
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i was looking at doing the same thing on my 04 250 i have found a couple of companies that have aftermarket ones but i don't know about running the stock one. the aftermarket ones bypass the harness and have thier own so thats how they do it. i would like to find a OEM one but i guess we will see.
 
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Old Dec 8, 2004 | 02:37 PM
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hisjr
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i have one that i'm installing in a couple of weeks. its an aftermarket model i purchased off of ebay.

i'll let you know how they work once i'm done.
 
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Old Dec 8, 2004 | 03:44 PM
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I have the reverse sensor option on my 2004 F250. It is real nice to have that extra security. A week after buying the truck it saved my kids bike that was under the bumper... It also help when tryingto park the truck....Good Luck
 
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Old Dec 8, 2004 | 06:34 PM
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parking is the primary reason i bought it. i park indoors but its an "new" spot because i have a long bed crew cab
 
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Old Dec 8, 2004 | 08:37 PM
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Crimestopper makes an excellent unit ,the four sensor version works better than my ford sensors,also Rostra makes a very heavy duty unit. Ive installed plenty of each ,good products,Craig.
 
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Old Dec 8, 2004 | 09:52 PM
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DS02F250
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I really like the idea by a member that was posted on an earlier thread: putting those same sensors on the FRONT bumper as well. I think that'd be a big help, especially with these big trucks. Forinstance, when pulling forward into a parking space and there's a car or a parking lot light HUGE cement ballard in front of you. Or, 3-point parking in a tight spot. I know we all get "used to" our rides and we get used to the various heights of our front ends, but wouldn't it be a nice convenience to have the sensors up front as well? I bet even the Excursion's and a few other Ford larger-scale models could use them.

Ford should SERIOUSLY consider adding this as a standard "safety" feature, IMHO.

Daryl
 
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Old Dec 8, 2004 | 09:54 PM
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GT350Mike
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Originally Posted by 350z
Crimestopper makes an excellent unit ,the four sensor version works better than my ford sensors,also Rostra makes a very heavy duty unit. Ive installed plenty of each ,good products,Craig.
Can you post the link to Crimestoppers and Rostra?
 
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Old Dec 8, 2004 | 10:25 PM
  #9  
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texan2004
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From: Friendswood, Texas
Aftermarket Reverse Sensors

Do you have a cost on the aftermarket reverse sensors.
 
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Old Dec 9, 2004 | 12:55 PM
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I got mine for $50-$60 bucks and they work like a charm. The unit I ordered has 2 surface mount sensors so I did not have to drill in the bumper. The unit also has a digital display that tells you actuall distance from the object behind you (.5 foot increments from 5' to 0'). I got them from sportsimportsltd.com/paasvebase.html

The only thing I added was a switch to turn off the beeper (for towing)

If you want to see some pics they are here:

www.umich.edu/~jimcald/reversesensor

Just an FYI they also sell a unit that has front and rear sensors...
 
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Old Dec 9, 2004 | 10:11 PM
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GT350Mike
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Thanks for the info and the pics.
 
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Old Dec 10, 2004 | 06:11 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by DS59F100
I really like the idea by a member that was posted on an earlier thread: putting those same sensors on the FRONT bumper as well. I think that'd be a big help, especially with these big trucks. Forinstance, when pulling forward into a parking space and there's a car or a parking lot light HUGE cement ballard in front of you. Or, 3-point parking in a tight spot. I know we all get "used to" our rides and we get used to the various heights of our front ends, but wouldn't it be a nice convenience to have the sensors up front as well? I bet even the Excursion's and a few other Ford larger-scale models could use them.

Ford should SERIOUSLY consider adding this as a standard "safety" feature, IMHO.
My boss' Lexus has them. Very handy when parallel parking! I know my truck very very well, but I still wimp out and don't pull up to concrete walls as close as I could in the '03, because of the painted bumper. I'll pull right on up in the '97 because of the rubber strip on the chrome bumper. I've never bumped yet, but it's more reassuring knowing pretty much nothing would happen if I did.

...of course with sensors only in the rear, I end up backing into spots more often than I otherwise would...

Don't get so used to the sensors you forget to use your eyes though! A lady in another company at my office caved in her minivan rear hatch on my step bumper because she said she was waiting for the backup beepers to go off! (Apparently they did finally go off upon impact, heh.) I guess her bumper was so low, the beepers were aiming in at my rear axle or the fuel tank or something farther up under the truck. But jeeez louise, it's not like she couldn't have seen my truck back there if she'd looked! (Merely a scuff on the bumper's clearcoat was all I received from that.)

Duncan
 
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Old Dec 10, 2004 | 11:00 AM
  #13  
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hisjr
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From: Bronx & Queensbury NY
i agree with that. people become lazy with the sensors and dont look back. parallel parking is a must when i'm in nyc and i often look for a metered spot because i know i will fit with my crew cab long bed.


but if you ever want to identify a car in nyc just look for the bumper rash (marks all over the bumpers) and i laugh at the markings on vehicles with sensors are just as bad.

it kills me when i see someone bump me in a parking lot or on the street while parking. bad enough i have to deal with terrible drivers i dont want my vehicle damaged while parked.
 
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Old Dec 10, 2004 | 11:07 AM
  #14  
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jimcald
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Originally Posted by hisjr
i agree with that. people become lazy with the sensors and dont look back. parallel parking is a must when i'm in nyc and i often look for a metered spot because i know i will fit with my crew cab long bed.
Even though I have the sensors I still look all the time. I have had a couple of occasions when the car behind me was so low to the ground that the sensors did not go off (or it may have been the angle of the hood since curbs will set off the sensors). I never completely trust technology over my own senses...
 
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