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- Joined
- May 15, 2020
- Messages
- 2,406
- Reaction score
- 3,901
- Points
- 113
- Age
- 68
- Location
- Atlanta
- Vehicle Year
- 1997 1987
- Make / Model
- Ranger XLT x2
- Engine Type
- 4.0 V6
- Engine Size
- 4.0 & 2.9
- Transmission
- Manual
- 2WD / 4WD
- 4WD
- Total Lift
- 97 stock, 3” on 87
- Total Drop
- N/A
- Tire Size
- 235/75-15
- My credo
- Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
I scratched off just about everything on the Town Cart list.
I took apart a spare Towncar under hood lamp switch, cleaned all the contacts and soldered leads where the bulb went. Then I connected 3 uber cheap COB led strips to the switch.
I stuck the three LEDs under the lip of the tool box (shine down when lid is lifted) and glued the mercury switch to the lid where it’s out of the way as much as possible. I wired it into the parking light circuit.
Wiring complete, I crawled underneath and grouped all the wires and zip tied them, etc., ready for use.
That done, I cleaned up the tongue list. I made a weblefetzer (or is it a bilateral rakafratz?) for the jack. Combination of old age, laziness, and security. Jack has a helicopter handle with a cross bolt. I took them off and put them in the toolbox for road use if needed. I bent a 1/4” rod thingy threaded on one end from who knows what, cut off the excess (and saved it), bent it so I could slip it in the bolt hole and then drive it with a cordless drill.
Worked perfect. The security feature is you can’t wind the jack down with out one or the other.
I don’t know if I mentioned the reason I use a receiver and drawbar eye is also for theft security. When the drawbar is out, I run the safety chains through the receiver and padlock them.
I put wire loom around the connecting wires. I struggled should I go 7-blade or just 4-pin, but used the 4-pin. I have a 7-blade on the Missing Linc, and I’ll use one of the 4/5-pin adapters. I’ll never put brakes on this trailer, and either way I needed extra wires. So I ran an extra wire for the reverse lights, and an extra wire for the interrupted 3rd brake light, both on bayonet connectors, crimped opposite on the male/female so you can’t plug them in wrong. And I also have the 4-pin aviation connector for the led strobes.
The only thing left is I have to run a connecting wire from the interrupted third brake light on the truck to down near the trailer connector on the truck.
After that - all function needs complete - I put a little scrap aluminum on the sides of the tongue just for eye candy. I also made a little diamond plate nose cap. The nose cap is permanent, but if I take out two stainless 1/4-20 Allen head bolts holding down the trim, I can slide those two pieces out sideways, and pick up the two diamond plate covers to access the spare tire and storage, and the wiring terminal strip. I made a little wooden dowel handle on the right size Allen wrench, attached the padlock key to it, and that sits in the toolbox tray.
I think I can officially say the Town Cart is done. I needed it to be done so I can move it out of the way for the other projects.
I took apart a spare Towncar under hood lamp switch, cleaned all the contacts and soldered leads where the bulb went. Then I connected 3 uber cheap COB led strips to the switch.
I stuck the three LEDs under the lip of the tool box (shine down when lid is lifted) and glued the mercury switch to the lid where it’s out of the way as much as possible. I wired it into the parking light circuit.
Wiring complete, I crawled underneath and grouped all the wires and zip tied them, etc., ready for use.
That done, I cleaned up the tongue list. I made a weblefetzer (or is it a bilateral rakafratz?) for the jack. Combination of old age, laziness, and security. Jack has a helicopter handle with a cross bolt. I took them off and put them in the toolbox for road use if needed. I bent a 1/4” rod thingy threaded on one end from who knows what, cut off the excess (and saved it), bent it so I could slip it in the bolt hole and then drive it with a cordless drill.
Worked perfect. The security feature is you can’t wind the jack down with out one or the other.
I don’t know if I mentioned the reason I use a receiver and drawbar eye is also for theft security. When the drawbar is out, I run the safety chains through the receiver and padlock them.
I put wire loom around the connecting wires. I struggled should I go 7-blade or just 4-pin, but used the 4-pin. I have a 7-blade on the Missing Linc, and I’ll use one of the 4/5-pin adapters. I’ll never put brakes on this trailer, and either way I needed extra wires. So I ran an extra wire for the reverse lights, and an extra wire for the interrupted 3rd brake light, both on bayonet connectors, crimped opposite on the male/female so you can’t plug them in wrong. And I also have the 4-pin aviation connector for the led strobes.
The only thing left is I have to run a connecting wire from the interrupted third brake light on the truck to down near the trailer connector on the truck.
After that - all function needs complete - I put a little scrap aluminum on the sides of the tongue just for eye candy. I also made a little diamond plate nose cap. The nose cap is permanent, but if I take out two stainless 1/4-20 Allen head bolts holding down the trim, I can slide those two pieces out sideways, and pick up the two diamond plate covers to access the spare tire and storage, and the wiring terminal strip. I made a little wooden dowel handle on the right size Allen wrench, attached the padlock key to it, and that sits in the toolbox tray.
I think I can officially say the Town Cart is done. I needed it to be done so I can move it out of the way for the other projects.
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