New truck - well sorta

[Hilltop366]

Got a name for it yet? ???

My dad had a van many, many years ago that was red, and it was also a Ford. You can guess what we called it... Robert. :D

Haha...had to think a bit for that one.

[Old Greenhorn]

And slow guys like me only just got it now. :D

[gspren]

I've owned and towed with Jeep, Dodge, Chevy, GMC, Ford and International trucks and while all were OK sometimes, Ford had the most comfortable seats for long drives. So since my butt has a big say in the buying process my heavy truck is a Ford. If I wasn't towing more than about 4,000 lbs I'd use a Toyota. Your butt may disagree.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I guess the word got out I had bought a Ford and was invited to join the local Ford owner's club. They meet monthly at the community center building next to the court house. They chose to meet there so they could just walk over after their monthly meeting with their probation officers. :D

  I understand they hold AA meetings right after the Ford owners meeting ends. ;D

[Bert]

Looking forward to meeting you at the next owners event WV. :D I have the same truck in black. Its been a workhorse for a 1/2 ton. No complaints.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I got a call from the Dodge dealer yesterday. They tore into my engine and found a bad cylinder and the cost to repair was going to be more than the value of the truck. I found Dodge does not make that engine any more and an aftermarket one was more than they were willing to buy it back from me. They made what I consider a decent offer so they will keep it. I will go over sometime next week and get the rest of my tools and personal stuff out of it and give them the second key. I already called my insurance and canceled it. I will have to see what the process is for the tag and see if I get any property tax or such back from the county/state for it. I have not gotten my new tag for the Ford yet. I'd like to just transfer my tag which is a Veteran's plate to the Ford. 

   I got in my Ford last week after unloading tools and such and it would not start. My local dealer turned me on to a local shade tree mechanic and we traced it to a bad tumbler/switch the key goes in. No prior warning just stopped. Sometimes it would start, other times it would not. Local parts place had it the next day and the mechanic fixed it. 

    Now I need to get him to check on my trailer connection which was working but does not seem to be working with my boat trailer now. I haven't found the fuse box to check that yet or a different trailer to make sure the problem is not with the trailer instead of the truck. I guess I could go by Advance Auto tomorrow and have them check it. I think there is a simple connector you plug in that shows if the connections are operating. We will see. 

[caveman]

Your truck's trailer light issue is likely a fuse, as you suspect, or a bad ground.  The easiest way that I know to check your truck's trailer plug is to use a 12v test light.  Attach the gator clip to a good shiny ground and stick the pointy end into the holes on the flat plug (assuming that is what you have.  On my 2000 F350, there is a fuse block on the driver's side near the brake fluid reservoir and another inside the cab under the steering wheel.  
Green is right brake and blinker
Yellow is left brake and blinker
Brown is running lights
White should be ground

If you have the seven wire round plug, It's similar to test but I don't recall the locations of each and have to do a search each time.

[Claybraker]

Do they use a lot of salt down there?

Slide a wedge of lime around the rim of a glass, then dip in salt. Add lime juice, Cointreu, Tequilla. Every few years here in Metro Atlanta they brine the roads. People still talk about Snowpocalypse/Snowmaggedon 2014. We got almost 2" of the Devil's Dandruff.

[WV Sawmiller]

Cavey,

   Mine has both types. The flat pin connector is on one side and the round pin connector is on the other side. I'll keep looking for the fuse but if it is blowing there is a reason that will also have to be addressed. I disconnect my boat trailer lights before I back it down in the water but it could still have been wet when I reconnected last time.

[gspren]

The tester for the flat 4 is about $4. at Harbor Freight and I've seen the ones for the 7 pin RV plug for $12 or so. I use the 7 pin socket with an adapter for flat 5 pin plug, the RV socket stays cleaner and I needed the flat 5 for my last 2 boat trailers with surge brakes.