Hawk installed on new truck

[Gormley Green]

I got around to doing the install today, after getting lots of great advice here. I decided to use Ford's 5th wheel wiring harness (part no. BC3Z-13A576-A) for ease of install. It was basically plug and play, routing the cables toward the front of my bed, drilling a 2" hole and installing the 7 pin. I had to replace the plug on my camper to match. Time will tell if this is the best solution, but given what I've read on here and how it seems to work I can't forsee any issues. The dealer's head wrench agreed. The eyebolts in the bed were very straightford, lots of room under my new Super Duty to play. Install time was 6 hours at a snails pace, a trip to the hardware store, over to my buddies for a socket, and a test drive.

Took it around the block and I now know what all you 1 ton guys/girls are talking about! Don't even know the camper is there. Rear only sagged 1.5" with it on, and not having to fuss with airbags or adding air to my tires is a treat. I think I'm going to like this truck! It's a 2015 F350 SuperCab 6.5" bed, same config and colour as my F150...but burlier and more plain jane inside.

The camper fit is nice, closer to the roof on the cabover but with a bit more room along the bed rails. Maybe some PVC storage tubes are in order...

Cheers.

 

[Gormley Green]

No, it came off my old F150 which had a deeper bed. Too deep IMO!

Those hills (Mt Thyestes in the Tantalus Range) are across the Squamish River and the bushwack to get up is *almost* impossible! But I totally agree. Here's the only trip report that I've ever found http://bivouac.com/TripPg.asp?TripId=6002

Thyestes over my roof last winter.

You should see my front yard!

 

[Ramblinman]

Gormley, May ask what made you go new instead of used? I only ask because I am contemplating the same rig.

 

[Gormley Green]

The incentives Ford offered this summer were too good to pass up. I got a good trade in value for my F150 and covered a lot of the price difference between my old truck and the new one with the employee pricing and other allowances. Basically got the diesel and bulk of upgrade free. I wasn't planning on buying new, but I have no regrets at all. Also I wanted the new 6.7l diesel and none of the previous ones with the exception of the 7.3 but they (mostly) all have many more miles on them now than I want.

I'm not particularly fond of new car smell, but hard to complain

 

[DanT]

Nice set up.
I've had campers be too much for the truck that it was on, its nice to turn the tables on that relationship and have a truck that does'nt even know it has a camper in it's bed. I have a chevy 3500 SRW and I'm looking forward to putting a Grandby in the bed.
No airbags, riding hi, no sway……..Can't wait.
Best Wishes for many safe and happy miles.

 

[esimmers]

I got around to doing the install today, after getting lots of great advice here. I decided to use Ford's 5th wheel wiring harness (part no. BC3Z-13A576-A) for ease of install. It was basically plug and play, routing the cables toward the front of my bed, drilling a 2" hole and installing the 7 pin. I had to replace the plug on my camper to match. Time will tell if this is the best solution, but given what I've read on here and how it seems to work I can't forsee any issues. The dealer's head wrench agreed. The eyebolts in the bed were very straightford, lots of room under my new Super Duty to play. Install time was 6 hours at a snails pace, a trip to the hardware store, over to my buddies for a socket, and a test drive.

Took it around the block and I now know what all you 1 ton guys/girls are talking about! Don't even know the camper is there. Rear only sagged 1.5" with it on, and not having to fuss with airbags or adding air to my tires is a treat. I think I'm going to like this truck! It's a 2015 F350 SuperCab 6.5" bed, same config and colour as my F150...but burlier and more plain jane inside.

The camper fit is nice, closer to the roof on the cabover but with a bit more room along the bed rails. Maybe some PVC storage tubes are in order...

Cheers.

 

[esimmers]

Smart move using the OEM 5th wheel wiring harness to power exterior marker lights and charge the camper battery. It came standard on my '11 F-250 and allowed me to dispose of the Hawk's battery separator since the truck cuts the connection to the underhood battery when the key's off. That results in a slightly higher charging voltage when the truck's running. Does your power cut off too when the key's off?

 

[Gormley Green]

Does your power cut off too when the key's off?

Thanks. Yes, according to my multimeter it's only hot when the key is on. Interesting point about removing the campers battery separator. I went to such trouble to replace the recalled one a few years ago I'm not sure if I want to open the cabinets up and get in there again!

 

[BigGasF250]

Very nice! I have an f250 and it does great hauling around my Hawk.

Congrats on the new truck!

 

[Gormley Green]

Shakedown trip happened yesterday. Headed out from Squamish in pouring rain (we don't use that term lightly here) up to Pemberton, and up the Lillooet River FSR to Keyhole hotsprings. About 65km of forest road to get there that was a mix of freshly graded, washboard, potholed, and thick mud. Great test for the 4x4 and suspension. We found a fantastic campsite up a spur road overlooking the Meager Creek valley and destruction from the 2010 landslide that occured there, the second biggest in Canadian history, which closed that road pemanently (and easy access to some really nice hotsprings). Truck is fantastic, absolutely love that diesel!

Fall colours on the upper Lillooet River.

Mud!

Our campsite and Meager Creek overlook

 

[ski3pin]

Looking good there Mr. Green!

 

[highz]

Looks like a soggily beautiful shakedown trip. Nice pics!

 

[Gormley Green]

Thanks! These photos don't really do the camera justice (too wet to fidget) but I've been playing with a new Olympus OM-D EM-5 as a smaller/handier replacement to my Canon 7D. The best camera is the one you carry around...!