Flat tow equipment needed to flat tow the 2021 Bronco?

[Dirtrider]

Hello Everyone,

I need to start by thanking all of you for the many excellent contributions and suggestions you have posted on this thread. I bought a 2024 Bronco Raptor last month and I discovered your thread while researching the necessary preparations to get my Bronco ready for flat towing behind our Winnebago Grand Tour. We've replaced our Subaru Outback (with manual transmission) which was our previous tow vehicle with approximately 70k miles of flat towing behind the Winnebago. I have read all 58 pages of this thread and recognize and very much appreciate the time you all have invested in providing all of this advice. I feel like I know you all now and I'd like to buy you all a beer - starting with @grtharris in OK!

I am going to use the Roadmaster RM-035-1 adapter to connect to our Roadmaster Nighthawk tow bar using the Bronco's recovery hooks. I ordered the LOD tie-in brackets to support the bumper and to provide a separate location for the safety cables. I installed the Roadmaster brake pressure reducer and their "2nd vehicle kit" so I could keep using our Brakemaster supplemental braking system. I also installed the Curt 52204 towed battery charger to avoid any battery drain even though the Brakemaster does not use any DC power from the towed vehicle.

I am waiting to receive the LOD brackets and after I get them installed, I believe we will be ready for our first trip with the Bronco as our Toad. However, I have read many horror stories here about the unexplained flat tow failures when the Bronco took itself out of flat tow mode. Was there ever a root cause discovered for this and has it been corrected? I cannot imagine the feeling from a flat tow failure not covered by warranty.

Once again, thank you all! Cheers!!

I had to modify the LOD brackets significantly to get them to fit my '22 with modular bumper. The safety chain 'loops' prevent the bumper from going back against the frame ends. If you want to send me a private message I'll send you the drawings of my modifications. If you are careful you can re-use the 'U' shaped OEM nutplates rather than the LOD supplied washers and nuts.
If I recall, the RM-035-1 adaptor has 7/8" diameter pins which are smaller than the holes in the tow eyelets. I installed Sleeve Bearings/bushings in the eyelets of the tow hooks. I don't recall the exact part number but they were steel shell with, I believe, a bronze lining. I had the eyelets machined and the bearings press fit. It takes up the slop between the pin and the tow hook eyelet. I'm not sure this is the correct part but something like this. https://www.mcmaster.com/60695K6/

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[dgorsett]

Looks good, I'm setting up my new Bronco up to tow now. Had been towing a JL Rubicon up to this point and used the RVI Brake same Blue Ox towbar. I plan on using the same setup for the Bronco. Trying to read through this massive thread to learn as much as I can before I actually do all the work. I was wondering if you use the Anker instead of the 12v outlet in the console because you do not have the RVI Towed Battery charger, or if there is another reason? Thanks for any info you can share.

Just an FYI, the power in the console times out after about 45 minutes. I ran a Battery hot wire near the kick panel with a 12v outlet for my RVI. I also have the RVI charger set up because this forum made me paranoid.

 

[psdtime]

Just an FYI, the power in the console times out after about 45 minutes. I ran a Battery hot wire near the kick panel with a 12v outlet for my RVI. I also have the RVI charger set up because this forum made me paranoid.

Thanks for that info!! That is very important to know! On my Rubicon, there was a way to jump the fuse if I remember correctly to a battery source, is that option? The RVI charger was good idea also because I ran without it for a while and kept getting low voltage warnings on the display.

 

[dgorsett]

Thanks for that info!! That is very important to know! On my Rubicon, there was a way to jump the fuse if I remember correctly to a battery source, is that option? The RVI charger was good idea also because I ran without it for a while and kept getting low voltage warnings on the display.

I wouldn't try jumping to the OEM 12v in some way, Broncos electronics seem very touchy. Running a battery hot to a new outlet was not hard.

 

[psdtime]

I wouldn't try jumping to the OEM 12v in some way, Broncos electronics seem very touchy. Running a battery hot to a new outlet was not hard.

Yeah, you're probably correct. I just hate adding anything more than I have to. I'm assuming you ran it through a firewall gromet? I was thinking about putting the Wireless Breakaway and the Towed Charger on a switch under the hood to keep them off when not in use. They seem to draw the battery a bit (or at least I blame them for it) when the vehicles are not used for long periods. Finding a switch that will last under a hood might be hard, so maybe I can use something like this with each device also having it's own appropriately sized inline fuse. Any thoughts on that?

 

[dgorsett]

Yeah, you're probably correct. I just hate adding anything more than I have to. I'm assuming you ran it through a firewall gromet? I was thinking about putting the Wireless Breakaway and the Towed Charger on a switch under the hood to keep them off when not in use. They seem to draw the battery a bit (or at least I blame them for it) when the vehicles are not used for long periods. Finding a switch that will last under a hood might be hard, so maybe I can use something like this with each device also having it's own appropriately sized inline fuse. Any thoughts on that?

Yes I hooked a 15 amp fuse to battery, through grommet and installed a cigarette plug near kick panel. You have to run your breakaway through the grommet also. I pull the fuse for the battery charger when not in use, added "install fuse" to flat tow instructions

Oops " wireless breakaway "

 

[Kevmoll]

Reports of flat tow failures have slowed or even stopped. I haven't seen one posted for many months. So maybe it was an early manufacture thing that Ford fixed and those that were going to fail have failed. Maybe Ford issued an OTA software update that fixed things. Maybe folks got tired of talking about it, regardless seems to be all good now.

Welcome to the group.

That's good to hear - thank you for your response!

 

[Kevmoll]

@Kevmoll

Well, if you go to the online owners manual, you'll see that Ford is stating that you need to pull a couple fuses depending on your model and year to disable the ABS/Brake system.

I'm unclear if Ford is doing this to prevent glitched system lockup, or more likely due to the electric brake assist ends ~45 minutes into a tow when everything goes to sleep. This could really change your supplemental brake setup assist which isn't ideal. Battery drain too, but that is easily solved from coach power back feed. Might be deeper into the weeds than Ford wants to recommend.

Regardless, I have a 7mt and I have no desire to do the fuse pull dance (you have like 5 minute wait times going in and out of tow mode, really not ideal if you need to unhook and backup or move the TOAD quickly) so I'm going to see how things go. I'm using a AirForce One from DEMCO which I've used for many years and miles towing the LX450 with the same coach.

Hi and thanks for your response. The online owners manual for the 2024 MY doesn't say anything about pulling fuses - and that's part of my confusion and concern. If I set my brake pressure reducer for proper function while the broke boost is active and then it goes to sleep 45 minutes later it would seem I would then have insufficient brake pressure. I guess I will figure it out on our next trip. Thanks again.

 

[grtharris]

Hi and thanks for your response. The online owners manual for the 2024 MY doesn't say anything about pulling fuses - and that's part of my confusion and concern. If I set my brake pressure reducer for proper function while the broke boost is active and then it goes to sleep 45 minutes later it would seem I would then have insufficient brake pressure. I guess I will figure it out on our next trip. Thanks again.

With the "Software fix" that Ford put out serval years ago the brake boost goes to sleep as soon as you go into neutral tow mode. That's why you get the warnings when you go into and out of neutral tow mode.

 

[Kevmoll]

Thank you for your response and it’s nice to “meet” you! I see you’re a frequent contributor! I got lots of good ideas and advice from your posts. I thought I understood that’s what the software update did but then why do the techs at Roadmaster and etrailer insist I still need the brake pressure reducer when using their Brakemaster system?

 

[psdtime]

I just want to say thanks to everyone who has helped out - Jim specially.

We got creative and since the bumper was off we decided to see if we couldn’t use the holes to fit the 6 pin. My friend is a whiz with this kind of stuff.

Here are the results

So now when I flat tow I just pop off the fascia, when I don’t need to flat tow-the whole front end of my badlands looks completely stock.
I am going to do a similar hidden behind fascia mount for the break away switch for my RVI.

I like this! Can I ask where you put the breakaway switch?

 

[AUG41]

I could not find a proper place for the break away and do not want to undo the other fascia to accomplish this. It is mounted between the lower grille fascia and modular bumper along a sub frame. It is tight to get to and I had to shrink wrap some plastic around the clip to prevent any scratches to the fascia or bumper. It basically above the 6 pin hole

 

[psdtime]

I could not find a proper place for the break away and do not want to undo the other fascia to accomplish this. It is mounted between the lower grille fascia and modular bumper along a sub frame. It is tight to get to and I had to shrink wrap some plastic around the clip to prevent any scratches to the fascia or bumper. It basically above the 6 pin hole

Ok, thanks. I think I'm going to make a bracket out of aluminum and bolt it to whatever part that is behind the modular bumper (I think it might be used for different models, shown below). There are threaded bolt holes on the bottom. I think I could use a long bolt from the top and hold it there. I probably only tow 2-3 times per year, and since removing that trim piece doesn't even require tools, I think what you did make perfect sense. Did you use screws with nuts or self-tapping to mount the plug?

 

[AUG41]

I can also use the bracket that holds my Baja design squadrons.

 

[psdtime]

I can also use the bracket that holds my Baja design squadrons

I was thinking about that too. The kit I got from my fog lights included a 3 wire plug to each light, but since I have Baja Design without an accent light, the 3rd wire is unused and they provide an adapter plug, the cool thing, If I ever decide to switch to a light with accent, the wire is there, the bad thing is, there is a lot going on behind my lights (wire wise), and not a lot of space. But maybe you're right, I might look to try that too. I think I was concerned that the breakaway might damage the light as it's getting ripped out, but in hindsight, if my breakaway is getting yanked, I probably have worse things to worry about than the light getting damaged. Thanks again.

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