whats this metal block with springs?

zakt · Post by **zakt** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:10 pm

what is this for (circled in pic) on my 72' not on my 69'??

cep62 · Post by **cep62** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:18 pm

That looks like a adjustable resistor for trailer brakes I think
correct me if I'm wrong, (I know you will) but there should be or was a adjustable bracket to change the power to the trailer brakes.

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:52 pm

or is it soemthing to do with the camper special wiring stuff and dual batteries? i have no idea myself. maybe it is a battery isolator thing?

towtruckerfour · Post by **towtruckerfour** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:55 pm

I have the same thing on my 70 Explorer. I was curious myself what it was.

fireguywtc · Post by **fireguywtc** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:56 pm

Have you traced back any of the wires? Where do they go?

Thunderfoot · Post by **Thunderfoot** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:44 pm

Can one of you 2 take a closer picture of it?

fmartin_gila1 · Post by **fmartin_gila1** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 7:49 am

It is one of the "old school" adjustable units for trailer brakes. You fed full 12 Volts into it and tapped of at different points to go to the brake controller in order to limit the amount of braking. The amount of braking required depended on the trailer size, how much weight, and how many axles on the trailer had brakes installed on them. That's the normal setup for back then.

Fred

zakt · Post by **zakt** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:49 pm

Thanx for the info...

I find it interesting though, I have no hitch or trailer receptical but a receptical that plugged into a truck camper (would that work for powering that???)

Todd

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:37 am

the truck had a bumper hitch probably. are you sure it had no wiring done to add some wiring for a trailer under the rear of the bed?

fmartin_gila1 · Post by **fmartin_gila1** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:26 am

As he said, it probably just had a ball mounted on a step bumper to pull a trailer. I do see a battery Isolater Solenoid mounted just at the edge of the circle you drew on the picture. That could have been used to feed a camper-only battery.

Fred

zakt · Post by **zakt** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:23 am

that battery isolater solenoid looks like it goes to the second battery, is that the setup used to charge both of those?

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:32 pm

check out the 69 cs and power pak diagrams . it shows the wiring for the dual batteries and the camper wiring stuff.

fmartin_gila1 · Post by **fmartin_gila1** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 8:00 am

Yes, the Isolator is activated when the engine is running so both batteries will charge. When the engine is shut off, the Isolator Solenoid is de-activated so that you can power the camper with the second battery and still leave the 1st battery to start and run the vehicle. If needing replacement, keep in mind that the Isolator Solenoid is not the same as a Starting Solenoid, as it is designed to remain activated 'full time' versus the 'intermittant use' of the starter solenoid.

Fred

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