hi, i'm new here with a few dumb questions. i just purchased a 2001 f150 super crew with the 5.4L, 4x4 and auto trans. i've searched these boards and found a ton of helpful info, but i need help in verifying what my truck is.
1.) can you tell by the vin # what options a truck has. mine has a hitch with both 7 and 4 pin plugs, but i wondered if it actually has the tow package. also, can you tell the rear end gear with this, or is it labeled somewhere?
2.) if i do have the tow package, do i just need to wire my ford plug into my brake control unit and plug it in under the dash, or do i have to add relays & stuff?
3.) also, on the ford plug for the brake unit, it has an extra wire marked "illumination" that my brake unit doesn't have a mate for. Is it ok to disregard this wire?

thank you in advance for any insight you may provide, and i apologize for all the "newbie" questions
thanks,
buck

 

1. I am 99% sure if you have both the 7 pin and 4 pin plug your truck has the tow package. i think non-tow package trucks only come with the 4 pin plug. Dont know how to tell on the rear gear.

2. my 2002 had the wiring right under the dash to the right of the steering column, all you had to do was plug in the provided coupling (in a plastic bag in the glove box when the truck was new) and wire up your controller. Also there was a fuse you had to install under the hood to give the unit power.

3. Also i think that the illumination wire is if your brake controller has backlighting on its screen when the head lights are turned on.

Hope this is helpful........

 

The rear axle ratio can be found on the door jamb sticker under axle code. It will be 2 numbers or a letter and a number, there's a chart here somewhere to translate. I have 3.55 limited slip, and my code is H9.

The door sticker will also be helpful in determining the max gross vehicle weight, etc.

If you already have a 7 pin connector, the needed relays for electric brakes are most likely already installed.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=184757

 

THere is no way besides Ford's computer system to determine all the options your truck has. Most likely, though, you have the towing package if you have the 7-pin conenctor. Someone could have added it already, but the non towing package F-150's came only twith the 4-pin conenctor.

Check the driver's door sticker, but you probalby have 3.55. 19 for 3.55 open and H9 for 3.55LS.

 

are these two relays necessary if you're not towing a rv w/batteries to charge and if the trailer doesn't have back up lights. again, sorry for the dumb questions. my 01 dakota quad cab was just plug 'n go, so i didn't have to do any thinking. thanks for the input guys.

 

You need to check to see if the relays are already installed. If the truck came from the factory with the towing package, the 7 pin rear harness and the relays were in a bag in the glove box and the previous owner probably installed them.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=184757

 

Look behind the grill for two coolers. One will be for power steering and the second one will be the trans cooler. If you have the factor trans cooler then you have the towing package. (Assuming no one put a trans cooler on later)

Sounds like you have a GEN 3 01 SCREW. That means you have leather wrap steering wheel, and separate head rests on the seats. A lot of those were 355, as Ford went more to 373s later with the 03s.

What is the axle code on the door jam?

 

All 5.4L F-150s come with a tranny cooler. The towing package upgrades it to a larger one.