Upfitter Switches
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,094
Likes: 5
From: Central Illinois
I added the Upfitter Switches to my '09. You need to get the switch panel and the relay box. The most difficult part of the installation was plugging in the relay box harness to the factory connector on the truck. The factory connector had a protective cover that needed to be removed and was located behind the instrument cluster, which made it a pain in the butt to reach. Other than that, it was a fairly easy install.
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
What's the cost for all this? Want to know if it's worth doing it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,600
Likes: 83
I added Ford OEM upfitter switches to my '11 a few weeks ago.
The hardest part was not hard but time consuming and that was grounding it.
The screw heads are on top of the frame rail under the dash to the top right of the driver side compartment and it's hard to turn a wrench up there. It would have been great if these grounding screws were on the bottom.
The fuse box mounts above the parking brake.
If you want pictures, I'll try to get a few.
If you have the console, just find something small and sturdy to pull the upfitter wires from the fuse box to the switches. Earlier trucks you could remove the lower part of the dash (around the fold out cup holder area) but the console obviously complicates this.
The hardest part was not hard but time consuming and that was grounding it.
The screw heads are on top of the frame rail under the dash to the top right of the driver side compartment and it's hard to turn a wrench up there. It would have been great if these grounding screws were on the bottom.
The fuse box mounts above the parking brake.
If you want pictures, I'll try to get a few.
If you have the console, just find something small and sturdy to pull the upfitter wires from the fuse box to the switches. Earlier trucks you could remove the lower part of the dash (around the fold out cup holder area) but the console obviously complicates this.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
I added Ford OEM upfitter switches to my '11 a few weeks ago.
The hardest part was not hard but time consuming and that was grounding it.
The screw heads are on top of the frame rail under the dash to the top right of the driver side compartment and it's hard to turn a wrench up there. It would have been great if these grounding screws were on the bottom.
The fuse box mounts above the parking brake.
If you want pictures, I'll try to get a few.
If you have the console, just find something small and sturdy to pull the upfitter wires from the fuse box to the switches. Earlier trucks you could remove the lower part of the dash (around the fold out cup holder area) but the console obviously complicates this.
The hardest part was not hard but time consuming and that was grounding it.
The screw heads are on top of the frame rail under the dash to the top right of the driver side compartment and it's hard to turn a wrench up there. It would have been great if these grounding screws were on the bottom.
The fuse box mounts above the parking brake.
If you want pictures, I'll try to get a few.
If you have the console, just find something small and sturdy to pull the upfitter wires from the fuse box to the switches. Earlier trucks you could remove the lower part of the dash (around the fold out cup holder area) but the console obviously complicates this.
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Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,591
Likes: 14
From: Pflugerville, tx
also, contact FTE user PartsGuyEd.com, and he should be able to get u a good price.. StanleyZ just did this on his 08, Ed got the parts to him quickly.. search in the 6.4 for UpFitters and user StanleyZ
www.partsguyed.com
Sam
www.partsguyed.com
Sam
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,600
Likes: 83
Thanks for the info. If it's not too much trouble, please get me pics. On the wiring, is it as easy as a "plug-in" or do you have to splice wires? How much did the whole setup cost you. I want to make this addition as I need 1 switch already and don't want to install those "cheapo" ugly looking aftermarket switches. Thanks in advance.
I paid $175.15 for the parts (everything I needed).
If I were smart, I should have taken a picture of it out of the box. It was completely wired (everything I needed).
I have a PDF document for you but I can't attach files here.
It isn't professional by any means but hopefully it will be helpful.
I'll see if I can get it on a webserver and provide a link or may have to resort to e-mail. (Don't post your e-mail address; spam bots like that.)
Last edited by kper05; Jul 31, 2010 at 08:26 PM. Reason: corrected price
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,600
Likes: 83
Copied this from the PDF I mentioned above.
Created a photobucket account to aid with this.
Let me know if this crude how-to document needs any corrections.
Created a photobucket account to aid with this.
Let me know if this crude how-to document needs any corrections.
I mounted the fuse box first above the parking brake. This took me a few minutes to correctly figure out. This leaves the bundle of wires with the male module plug that snaps into the female module plug of the PCM, then the bundle of wires with a male plug that runs to the female plug on the back of the upfitter switches unit, and lastly the grounding wire with ring to the part of the frame inside the dash where two other electrical components were wired with grounding ring.
I did not have to remove the brake controller. It is much smaller than what I remember from a '97 model. Just be careful and work around those wires when pulling the bundle of wires for the switches through.
To pull the bundle of wires for the switches from the fuse box, I used a plastic water line for an ice maker in a refrigerator or whatever I had it for (it was in my garage, was small and looked sturdy enough...lol) and was able to feed it through from the hole in the dash where the switches go to the driver side. There is a small metal rail behind the dash and this water line slid easily along that and I was able to pull it out from the driver side. Once I had the other end, I drilled a small hole into the water line, slid a metal twist-tie into the two holes and attached it to the male module of the bundle of wires for the switches and carefully pulled the water line out and the bundle of wires through.
A fish tape with a small end would be better. The end of my fish tape is fairly large and snags on everything so I chose not to use it.
From there you simply plug in to the back of the switches and then snap the switches module into the dash. Don’t forget to ground it. If I remember correctly, I used a 5/16 open end wrench but a box-end wrench would seem easier.
UPFITTER FUSE BOX
MALE PLUG FROM UPFITTER FUSE BOX TO FEMALE PCM PLUG
GROUNDING SCREWS (FRONT VIEW, LOOKING UP) (RIGHT SIDE OF DRIVER COMPARTMENT)
GROUNDING SCREWS (REAR VIEW WITH WIRES ATTACHED)
FRAME RAIL BEHIND DASH (FIREWALL TO THE LEFT, DASH IS TO RIGHT)
I couldn’t get a good picture of this area.
Once you tidy up the cable after connecting,
I pulled the wire further up into the dash area to keep it out of sight;
bundle of wires to switches is top right of this picture.
I did not have to remove the brake controller. It is much smaller than what I remember from a '97 model. Just be careful and work around those wires when pulling the bundle of wires for the switches through.
To pull the bundle of wires for the switches from the fuse box, I used a plastic water line for an ice maker in a refrigerator or whatever I had it for (it was in my garage, was small and looked sturdy enough...lol) and was able to feed it through from the hole in the dash where the switches go to the driver side. There is a small metal rail behind the dash and this water line slid easily along that and I was able to pull it out from the driver side. Once I had the other end, I drilled a small hole into the water line, slid a metal twist-tie into the two holes and attached it to the male module of the bundle of wires for the switches and carefully pulled the water line out and the bundle of wires through.
A fish tape with a small end would be better. The end of my fish tape is fairly large and snags on everything so I chose not to use it.
From there you simply plug in to the back of the switches and then snap the switches module into the dash. Don’t forget to ground it. If I remember correctly, I used a 5/16 open end wrench but a box-end wrench would seem easier.
UPFITTER FUSE BOX
MALE PLUG FROM UPFITTER FUSE BOX TO FEMALE PCM PLUG
GROUNDING SCREWS (FRONT VIEW, LOOKING UP) (RIGHT SIDE OF DRIVER COMPARTMENT)
GROUNDING SCREWS (REAR VIEW WITH WIRES ATTACHED)
FRAME RAIL BEHIND DASH (FIREWALL TO THE LEFT, DASH IS TO RIGHT)
I couldn’t get a good picture of this area.
Once you tidy up the cable after connecting,
I pulled the wire further up into the dash area to keep it out of sight;
bundle of wires to switches is top right of this picture.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,600
Likes: 83
Here is the Ford document.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...ml/Q117-R2.pdf
Looks like the upfitter fuse box is mounted in a different location.
I either have mine mounted in a different spot or I took the picture at a weird angle.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...ml/Q117-R2.pdf
Looks like the upfitter fuse box is mounted in a different location.
I either have mine mounted in a different spot or I took the picture at a weird angle.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 826
Likes: 1
From: The Sunshine State
The upfitters are an $85.00 option. Ford should make them standard in all the heavy duty pickups. Even if you don't need them right away, you would have the option if you needed them later.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Here is the Ford document.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...ml/Q117-R2.pdf
Looks like the upfitter fuse box is mounted in a different location.
I either have mine mounted in a different spot or I took the picture at a weird angle.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...ml/Q117-R2.pdf
Looks like the upfitter fuse box is mounted in a different location.
I either have mine mounted in a different spot or I took the picture at a weird angle.
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unrulee
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