What exactly is this?!?!

[89frankenford]

ok so do to the trailer woes i had last sunday(see thread about it last week) i decided to rewire my trailer lighting on the truck amongst other things i did to the truck today. while i was under the rear of my truck and splicing in wires i found this sensor thingy. im honestly not sure what the hell it is. ive never seen it before on any truck. it is all rusted and rotted but here is what it looks like now. can anybody identify this? it was mounted on the left side of the rear of the bed on the outside part of the frame(think left most bumper bracket..right above that mounted on the bed underside) it is a single wire(brown i believe).

 

[Skandocious]

What in the hell?!

 

[89frankenford]

hahaha exactly what i was thinking! im going to have to look at all data tomorrow at work to see if i can find a schematic of the rear of the truck. it has a plug at the end of the wire like a normal ford round plug

 

[surewhynot]

Did yours have the factory tow package? If so, there is a plug that looks similar to that that would plug into the 6 way trailer plug adapter that you could buy from ford to mount under your bumper.

 

[89frankenford]

actually no it didnt have a tow package. i put the trailer hitch on myself when i first got the truck( so i could tow my newly purchased 1984 chebby el camino at the time) here is another picture of the connector it has.

the space you see is the bumper on the bottom and the bed on the top of the light

 

[surewhynot]

I have no clue.

 

[radialarm]

I think it's a "Lugnut" energizer!!!

 

[radialarm]

No body going to ask???

Get Tony over there, connect it to his lugnuts and hit the key!!!

 

[F 150Cobra]

is it the socket for the little bulb for lighting of the licence plate ??

 

[89frankenford]

nope both my plate lights are in and this is way off to the left mounted under the bed

 

[A_G]

dont worry about it and ont **** with it. I dont know what it is either. But if you mess it up...god the truck my explode.

 

[Raptor22]

I have never seen that before either, and I have an 89... mine has the factory tow package and I was thinking maybe it was the trailer connector that got ****ed up but it sure dont look like it...

 

[subford]

Brown wires are marker light wires (tail light, plate light and so on).

 

[fatherdoug]

Could it be the speed sensor for the ABS rear axle that plugs into the differential? I'll have to go look at my '89, but I have replaced that sensor on a '93 Aerostar. I can't say for certain, but if its not anything to do with an original tow package, I'm thinkin' ABS?

Yes, that's what it is. There is a port on the front of the differential at the top. Apparently your ABS brakes haven't been working?

 

[fatherdoug]

Here is a picture of the speed sensor

 

[subford]

He said he only had one wire and it was BROWN.
The wires for the Axle sensor are R/PK & LG/BK.

 

[95F350XL]

This might be what your after. Its not gone on big red yet, but I have a light mouned under the left corner. Here are my pics.

 

[89frankenford]

yeah thats where it is! but there is no bulb or cover haha. ill have to look at a friends truck and my fathers truck to see if they have it too....why the hell would they put a light right there anyway?

 

[subford]

yeah thats where it is! but there is no bulb or cover haha. ill have to look at a friends truck and my fathers truck to see if they have it too....why the hell would they put a light right there anyway?

It is the plate light for a no bumper truck. Back bumpers do not come with the truck from the plant, they are an extra. That way you can put on a lift gate, chrome bumpers, step bumpers and so on. But they must have a place for the plate and a light for it.

 

[Raptor22]

It is the plate light for a no bumper truck. Back bumpers do not come with the truck from the plant, they are an extra. That way you can put on a lift gate, chrome bumpers, step bumpers and so on. But they must have a place for the plate and a light for it.

So was it an optional part of the "Light Group" package or was it on all factory Fords?