Chip

Fudgicles! I just got new tires last week! went with Goodyears. IMO, they are quieter than the Contis, but will they hold up as well?

Thanks for that tip. Have you seen any pads that fit in the slit ford provided in the bodywork? At the rear wheel jack point, there is a 3” x 3/4” slit in the body work. Or, maybe fit doesn’t matter since the body work is plastic. Just mash it?

Ford provided jack and lug wrench do the job, but it is a little tedious. I wanted to be able to use my floor jack when I recently had a flat tire in the driveway. I've been meaning to get a jack from the junk yard just to salvage the top "catch" that fits to the Ford-designated jacking point. I never got around to it, and there was the van sitting outside with a flat tire. So, I fabricated a block of oak that matched the catch piece. I had to modify it a few times, so this little scrap of wood cost me a couple hours of shop time. If I'd have just made that trip to the junk yard! A second hack was using a bolt with a 13mm (1/2") head to operate the wheel drop. I ground the threads off on three sides so the drill chuck would get a good grip on it. If I had a 13mm Allen wrench, I'd have used that. But I have to say it was very satisfying to wind the tire up with the drill, and, of course, it was easier. Neither of these hacks are revolutionary, but they avoid having to get the jack and lug wrench out of their little hiding-hole in the van and screwing the provided jack up and down takes a lot of revolutions.

Noise comes from the road, but the road doesn’t make the noise—it’s the tires slapping the road and deforming that makes the noise. I use the pressures specified on the label inside the driver’s door: 41/42. But you know how tire pressure is. Once the temperature changes the pressure is affected, and only rarely am I cruising with the specified pressure. Why do you run your tires 44/48? Thanks for the Pirelli recommendation. I’ll look at those when I replace my tires.

My 2021 Connect is ready for new shoes. I love that the original Continentals 215/55 R16 still have some tread life after 73K miles. The van is noisy, and I think the noise comes mostly from the road. I’m wondering if there are tires that are quieter, and long-lasting? I suppose if I replace with the same tires I’d only have to buy 3 while using the original spare as the fourth tire. Regardless, it’s been a few years since previous threads on tire recommendations, so I wanted to ask if anybody has recommendations. Anybody?

I added a lot of sound deadening to my '21. I used an app on my phone to quantify noise reduction, but it didn't show a huge improvement. When it rains, that is quieter. Noise from outside the van, it's quieter. I believe most of the noise comes from the road, and even with foam pads and carpet, it's still noisy. The noise is my strongest complaint about the Connect. When traveling, I often have the "belly" filled with gear, and that makes a significant improvement in noise level. I call the footwell of the second row of seats, removed from the cargo versions, the belly. Stock, the cargo version, at least mine, have openings between that hidden space, the belly, and the drivers compartment. So road noise from the belly is piped into the driving area. I've read the passenger versions are significantly quieter, but have never ridden in one to know.

My ‘21 has warning beepers that chirp when I’m reversing toward solid objects. There is also an annoying crash avoidance system, so there must be a sensor at the front of the vehicle. After recently driving a couple hours on some very dusty dirt roads, I message appeared to let me know the crash avoidance system was disabled due to the sensor being clogged. I have a basic, steel-box, nothing fancy, model, so I’d be surprised if there are 21s without the sensors.

I compared the black/red connector in my '21 to the schematic from Don S. I may not be reading the schematic correctly, but it appears I have no wire at pin 10. So, I'm in search of guidance on what wire opens the lift gate latch.

Since you only want the mattress for occasional use, why not consider an air mattress? Connects are real cozy and there's not a lot of extra space. With the trifold, too much of the space must be dedicated to the mattress. There are air mattresses designed to fit between the wheel wells and some have a built-in pump so are a snap to deploy (inflate), and they fold down to a small space when not in use.

I'm trying to install a switch on the inside of the lift gate of my '21, so I can open it from inside. I just want a switch on the inside of the door itself. My black/red connector box looks the same as pws'. The two Don's and OP (too hard to type pws-autocorrect doesn't like it) had to spend a lot of time figuring this thing out. But the solution is simple, correct? Install a switch between the wires using pin 7 & 10, and that's all, correct? Don R notes a 5.7 volt power source (pin 7?). I'll confirm that's what I have, too. A question about that switch--triggering the momentary switch connects, momentarily, the wires at 7 & 10, correct. That breaks the logic state... then what happens? The BCM tells the latch to open? And what happens to the diverted power--does it just run to ground? That's not normally good, is it? What does "jump pins" and install a "jumper" mean in the context of this thread?

I guess I’m a slow one. I thought this forum dead and gone. I mourned the loss. I just did an internet search and the forum came up in the results. I thought “dead link,” but Wu who, here it is. I’m glad it’s back. Who runs this forum? There are ads, so I guess somebody is getting paid something. Who is it? how did people learn it was back? Just kept trying to hit the URL?

I am driving a '21 cargo van, and don't really know the answer to your question. However, I often wished I started with a passenger van because I *think*, again, don't really know, the wagon would be quieter. Additionally, the passenger version has to be better outfitted with creature comforts. I say "has to be," because the cargo version is just a steel box. The cargo vans have a false floor where the second row seats are in the passenger version. So, after removing your seats, you will not have a continuous deck behind the driver. Some users of this forum have installed their own false floor leaving access to the space under the deck for additional storage, so you could always to that, too. I *think* it not difficult to install tie-down hooks, but haven't done it. Seat removal will probably leave some sturdy, threaded holes where the seats connected, which would be good points for your tie-downs. Does the passenger version have airbags in the back? If so, what will you do with those?

Not sure how difficult it is to replace the line, but a complicating factor is the entire system will need to have the air removed before replacing the refrigerant. Due to this complication, I don’t even consider working on AC. The need for special tools to connect a vacuum pump for pumping down the system always stopped me from my normal DIY approach. disclaimer: it’s been many years since I tried AC work. Maybe things have changed.

Don Ridley, thanks for that list! I had used the forum search but did not turn up your post on the liftgate latch. I hope I find similar pin configs beneath the panel on my ‘21. Preparing that list with links to more detailed descriptions of mods, and the original descriptions, represent significant efforts, which I greatly appreciate. Thanks!

I’d like to be able to open the liftgate while inside the vehicle. If anyone has installed a switch for opening the liftgate from inside the van, please post about how you did it. I’m sure the answer lies somewhere in Don’s wiring diagram, but I have trouble translating from diagrams to “cut this wire, splice in switch.” Thanks in advance.

I’d observed that S&S works differently on 90+ days, suspected cold temps might have an impact, and figured it wouldn’t trigger before the engine was warm. Most of my driving is in Maryland, where temps trend toward moderate, and is the same as when S&S more regularly functioned. I hadn’t considered the battery, which maybe is weakening after two years. Will have to check that out. My use of accessories is mostly limited to radio and cell phone, which I wouldn’t consider a heavy load. I’m not so concerned that I want to take it to the shop, just curious to know what’s going on.

My 21 Connect has the feature that should shut the engine off when the vehicle stops. It did this regularly for the first year, but now it goes through spells where it works. These spells are getting shorter and mostly it doesn’t shut the engine off. I was never convinced the shut downs saved that much fuel, so I’m not too concerned. Still, I wondered if other members have similar experience, and whether it’s not due to user error of some sort. I know there is a button on the console to disable the feature, and I haven’t touched that. any ideas?

Every once in a while, the display on my 21 Connect flashes a message about connecting to the vehicle’s hot spot. Is anyone using the vehicle hot spot? Trying to figure out why I’d want to do that, since I can just use my phone. I suppose I’d have to sign the Connect up for a cellular plan. If you are using the hot spot, I’d be interesting in hearing about your experience.

Paraphrasing Dawes, I hope your Ford Connect runs forever and your favorite bands stay together.

That’s great news! I have a ‘21 and thought I read in my owners manual that the fob would deactivate itself if locked inside the vehicle more than 45 minutes. A deactivated fob would be no fun. So, I just never locked it while camping in it. I’m glad to know I can lock it. Thanks for posting.

Glad to know about the L channel. I originally tried a quick and dirty fork mount for carrying a bike. It didn’t work well at all and the bike would crash over during left turns. The bike clamp mounted to the side wall is way better, and your slab-mounted fork clamps look pretty solid, too. photo shows my first try

It isn’t something I want to add in my TC, but I really like Windguys’ rack, and appreciate the post. The space where I’d like to add a rack is over the driver and passenger seats, since that is just wasted airspace. I dream of raising the seats and having storage underneath. I don’t like the TC seats being down low, like in a hole. But there would be too many challenges to lifting the seats more than a few inches, so an overhead rack is the only way I can envision making use of all that space. Windguys’ photos show two vertical tubes near the middle of the rack, between the rack and the roof. Are those supports, and are they attached to the roof, and if so, how? Love the lighting! Is that wired to the existing light wires or a separate circuit? When camping in my van, I get annoyed by the interior light staying on after the doors are closed, so I like the idea of manually operated switch. That’s something I want to address—on my “when I get around to it” list. Good post—thanks.

Looks like it works! Are the fork mounts attached to L track? Not what I expected L track to look like. Do you have the mounting board attached to the van?

Sometimes if I just quit complaining and start doing… cleaning the window took some bending, twisting, upside-down elbow grease and stretched arms, but I got it done with regular windex and paper towels. Inside windows get a film on them that smears and is hard to get off. Always wondered what it is. It took two washes and polishing, but very nice to have clear vision, at least for now.

OP wants to mount L track at the “back” of the van, right? Seems like that would be right inside the rear doors or liftgate, so the passenger footwell doesn’t come into play. I do think between the vinyl mat and foam insulation beneath the mat, there is a half inch thickness he can cut out, and a utility knife will cut the material. I suggest lifting the mat up and putting something under the mat so as not to drag the knife on the metal floor. I’ve also used a red-hot putty knife to cut through thicker areas, but the utility knife can do it. What’s under the floor, I don’t know. I’m reluctant to make new holes that penetrate to the exterior of the van due to concerns about rust- and weather-proofing. Suggest discovering what’s under there prior to screwing down the L track. An alternative to screwing could be using epoxy to secure the L channel.