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Old 05-18-2017, 01:03 AM   #1
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Cool 2016 Ford Focus Toad setup advice?

I'm getting ready to buy a 2016 Ford Focus SE Automatic transmission for our Toad. What towing brands/models did you guys use for base plate, tow bar, brakes and lights on your Ford Focus SE?

I'm looking at these:
Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms - BX2663
Blue Ox Alpha Tow Bar BX7365
Roadmaster InvisiBrake Supplemental Braking System RM-8700 -or the-
SMI Stay-IN-Play DUO Supplemental Braking System - Proportional SM99251
Top Post Battery Master Disconnect Switch for negative battery terminal

Not sure about tail/brake lights. Easiest would be magnetic, but is there an easy to setup Toad lighting for the Focus that uses the MH's 7 pin connector?

Any advice, recommendations or opinions greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
David
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Old 05-18-2017, 02:59 AM   #2
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Looks good.....

I tow a Ford Fiesta......ezy-peezy.

I have the Stay n' Play Duo. I like it because it is a simply throw a switch and go brake. Nothing to stow or attach.

Blue Ox sells a light diode kit, again, plug and play - no light bars to attach and it uses the coach 7 pin plug.

One thing you may want to research is the 7 pin plug on your motor home.

Is the pin that supplies power to your tow "hot"?

Mine was not and had to have a line ran. Yes, there may be fuses and plugs but no line.

When I bought my motor home I was told many, many, things. The most popular was, "The line is there, you just have to connect it."

After much research and using a Ford dealer I trust - I was told there is no electric line built into the chassis - - needs to be run. Perhaps Fleetwood runs that line for you.

Congratulatuons on your new motor home - all the best........

g
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Old 05-18-2017, 03:25 AM   #3
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See this thread:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/2016-...ng-275177.html
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Old 05-18-2017, 09:02 AM   #4
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I don't think there is a really easy to install the first time tail light setup for a Focus that would say just plug into the car's existing wire harness. Every thing short of magnetic tail lights will require running new wires from the toad socket at the front of the car to the back of the car. In the back you can splice into the existing wires with diodes or you can drill into the plastic lense housing and install seperate light sockets and bulbs. I did a third option of installing two small switches that connect to the OEM wire circuits without diodes. Somewhat harder to install but very easy to change over (just flip the switch) when towing. I think diodes would interfere with your cars warning system that tells you if a tail light is burned out. Putting a 2nd bulb inside the lens housing it is not possible to position it in the best place for brightness. The housing is a reflector designed with the existing bulb at the center of focus (no pun).
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Old 05-18-2017, 06:07 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Indy Glenn View Post
Looks good.....

I tow a Ford Fiesta......ezy-peezy.

I have the Stay n' Play Duo. I like it because it is a simply throw a switch and go brake. Nothing to stow or attach.

Blue Ox sells a light diode kit, again, plug and play - no light bars to attach and it uses the coach 7 pin plug.

One thing you may want to research is the 7 pin plug on your motor home.

Is the pin that supplies power to your tow "hot"?

Mine was not and had to have a line ran. Yes, there may be fuses and plugs but no line.

When I bought my motor home I was told many, many, things. The most popular was, "The line is there, you just have to connect it."

After much research and using a Ford dealer I trust - I was told there is no electric line built into the chassis - - needs to be run. Perhaps Fleetwood runs that line for you.

Congratulations on your new motor home - all the best........

g
Hey great info. Did you install the Stay n Play Duo yourself or have it done? Just watched the etailer video of the install on a Ford Focus and although I can probably do it, if it didn't cost me an arm and a leg, I would rather have a shop do it.

I've got +13.5volts on the 7 pin MH plug at the 1 o'clock pin, and ground on the 7 o'clock pin.

Thanks,
David
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Old 05-18-2017, 06:13 PM   #6
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Yep, read all of that thread and got a lot of good info. So much info, that it starts getting a bit confusing.

I see you've got a 16 Focus Titanium. I was just going for the SE model automatic. Is there something about the Titanium that swayed you to it?

Thanks,
David
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Old 05-18-2017, 07:30 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by computerguy View Post
That's the best thread. But also see this thread too:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/2014-...ct-180749.html

Some of the "built-in" supplemental braking systems somehow allow a stray current with the negative terminal disconnected and the owners had to resort to a positive terminal disconnect.

Take a look at https://rvibrake.com
You could use a Battery D/C Switch per "ComputerGuy" after wiring a battery direct socket for it.
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Old 05-18-2017, 07:36 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Phochief View Post
Yep, read all of that thread and got a lot of good info. So much info, that it starts getting a bit confusing.

I see you've got a 16 Focus Titanium. I was just going for the SE model automatic. Is there something about the Titanium that swayed you to it?

Thanks,
David
Per the wife - "Heated Seats and Steering Wheel!" We live in Rome, NY. Ours has almost every option available, since we keep our vehicles an average of 12 years, it averages out. Also, our Focus is our "daily driver", so we did want all the Bells-and-Whistles. Most of our options are not needed for a toad.
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Old 05-19-2017, 12:09 AM   #9
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That's the best thread. But also see this thread too:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/2014-...ct-180749.html

Some of the "built-in" supplemental braking systems somehow allow a stray current with the negative terminal disconnected and the owners had to resort to a positive terminal disconnect.

Take a look at https://rvibrake.com
You could use a Battery D/C Switch per "ComputerGuy" after wiring a battery direct socket for it.
RVIBrake looks interesting. I'll take a closer look at that one.

I will use two of the Top Post Battery Master Disconnect Switches (one for positive post and one for negative post). That will assure that there's no chance of any juice passing from the battery to the vehicle's wiring. It will also free up the option to connect directly to both battery posts if needed for 12 volt supply.

Thanks,
David
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Old 05-19-2017, 12:13 AM   #10
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Per the wife - "Heated Seats and Steering Wheel!" We live in Rome, NY. Ours has almost every option available, since we keep our vehicles an average of 12 years, it averages out. Also, our Focus is our "daily driver", so we did want all the Bells-and-Whistles. Most of our options are not needed for a toad.
Ah, I see. We've never had to use the heated seats in our Toyota 4Runner for some reason.

Thanks,
David in sunny south Florida.
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Old 05-19-2017, 09:39 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by Phochief View Post
Yep, read all of that thread and got a lot of good info. So much info, that it starts getting a bit confusing.

I see you've got a 16 Focus Titanium. I was just going for the SE model automatic. Is there something about the Titanium that swayed you to it?

Thanks,
David
A daily driver for me has to have all the gadgets (see my profile name). I used to have an Edge and it too had all the gadgets. The only thing I could not get on the Focus was the adaptive cruise control. But to be a full timer I had to make a lot of sacrifices. That was one I could deal with.
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Old 05-19-2017, 05:13 PM   #12
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A daily driver for me has to have all the gadgets (see my profile name). I used to have an Edge and it too had all the gadgets. The only thing I could not get on the Focus was the adaptive cruise control. But to be a full timer I had to make a lot of sacrifices. That was one I could deal with.
Yep, I'm definitely a gadget kind of guy too.
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Old 05-20-2017, 04:15 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Phochief View Post
Hey great info. Did you install the Stay n Play Duo yourself or have it done? Just watched the etailer video of the install on a Ford Focus and although I can probably do it, if it didn't cost me an arm and a leg, I would rather have a shop do it.

I've got +13.5volts on the 7 pin MH plug at the 1 o'clock pin, and ground on the 7 o'clock pin.

Thanks,
David
I had it installed - I am all thumbs she it come to mechanics..........

g
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Old 05-20-2017, 05:55 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by Phochief View Post
RVIBrake looks interesting. I'll take a closer look at that one.

I will use two of the Top Post Battery Master Disconnect Switches (one for positive post and one for negative post). That will assure that there's no chance of any juice passing from the battery to the vehicle's wiring. It will also free up the option to connect directly to both battery posts if needed for 12 volt supply.

Thanks,
David
I'm also in the process of adding a positive disconnect switch like “c_oneil” did. I already have the WirthCo 20387 Battery Doctor Mini Master Rotary Dial Disconnect Switch on the negative side. For the positive side, I'm using the WirthCo 20138 Battery Doctor "Knife" type (you have to loosen and turn the terminal/lugs around 180-degrees). The reason is I added the RViBrake Toad Battery Charger that required a connection to the negative terminal of the battery. Even though no lights or anything appears to come on, it is still a ground for a possible sneak circuit. The pictures are here:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/mount...ct-272757.html
Reference post #8.
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