Factory vs Dealer Tow packages?

I added at dealership and it’s great. Not sure what difference would be. I have the same package as you (2.3, non Sas) and plan to use mine mostly for my bike rack (although I did go ahead and added the wiring harness just in case). If they offered to add at same price as factory build, I’d go for it. Mine had a fair amount of add’l labor in the price. Agree, good use of pass points! Good luck and enjoy your new Bronco!

As far as I know the only difference is your trailer hitch and the wiring harness. I don't think the radiator or the transmission cooler are any larger when you order the tow package.
I got an aftermarket hitch up here in Canada for $174. 10 minute install.

7 wire plug factory, 4 wire dealer install.

I took the tow package out, and had the dealer install. The price was comparable and fair. The dealer then failed to install the wiring harness and claimed that was extra and wanted an additional $1000. Told them to go pound sand. It’s ridiculous.
As usual, get everything in writing in full detail… dealers be dealers…

Jollyorangegiant

I took the tow package out, and had the dealer install. The price was comparable and fair. The dealer then failed to install the wiring harness and claimed that was extra and wanted an additional $1000. Told them to go pound sand. It’s ridiculous.
As usual, get everything in writing in full detail… dealers be dealers…

They are separate parts but not $1000. Wiring harness $125 part, $220 installed.
https://accessories.ford.com/products/trailer-tow-wiring-kit

Bbrown728

They are separate parts but not $1000. Wiring harness $125 part, $220 installed.
https://accessories.ford.com/products/trailer-tow-wiring-kit

Yeah, I’ll just do it myself at some point.

I installed the hitch yesterday on my Badlands, I just got. Aftermarket Curt hitch with 4 bolts was easy ! 10 minutes. Hitch was $100. The wiring can be done at a trailer place cheaper. If I am not mistaken the Curt wire harness is plug and play. I think the Ford harness uses wire taps and is more expensive. Lots of YOUTUBE videos on the install.

TreBronco

I didn’t order a tow package because of constraints. My dealer recommended ordering without and adding them later. Because of this, they offer parts and labor at the same price as if I added it to my order.

Figured I ask if there is a difference from the ford Factory vs the dealership beyond the price?

If not, this is a pretty nice way to use the FordPass points.

Also, I have a 2.3L engine, non-sas. Ford Tow package might be overkill, but with the FordPass points, it might be the same if I got aftermarket somewhere else.

The difference I believe is you get a 4 pin connector instead of a 8 pin. At least that's what it showed on Ford Accessories.

Dirt Dog

I installed the hitch yesterday on my Badlands, I just got. Aftermarket Curt hitch with 4 bolts was easy ! 10 minutes. Hitch was $100. The wiring can be done at a trailer place cheaper. If I am not mistaken the Curt wire harness is plug and play. I think the Ford harness uses wire taps and is more expensive. Lots of YOUTUBE videos on the install.

Click on the dude below, he'll walk you through it. But I believe you need to have the led tail lights.

etrailer CURT wiring install

I had a convenience step with brake lights on my previous vehicle which goes (went) into the trailer hitch receiver. A little convenience, allowing me to step up and reach into the Sienna's cargo area more easily. Plus the brake light, giving me four.
So I put it on my Badlands (4DR, SAS, Lux): fit nicely under the spare. Then I noticed something funny: my blindspot indicator was disabled! I really like that feature, too. Apparently, when I plugged in the step's brake light into the 8-pin connector, it "told" the Bronco's computer that I was "pulling a trailer," and thus disabled the blindspot indicator. The engineers probably figured that pulling a trailer would confuse the blindspot sensors!
I gave the step/center brakelight to a friend. I like that blindspot indicator. The over-the-shoulder view is not very good in the Bronco 4-door.
Perhaps an aftermarket tow package will not confuse the blindspot sensors.

That seems like a good deal, the difference is the 4pin vs. 7 or 8 pin working harness, which my understanding is really just the difference between a brake control and not one. My dealer screwed me up when they told me the difference was how much weight could be pulled, they told me the dealer one would cut down in half, which I was worried about, come to find out that wasn’t the case. I eventually removed the tow package to try to get it sooner, so I’m hoping they will give me a decent deal since they screwed up.

if you are pulling a small overland trailer with a 12v fridge unit, you can keep it running with the factory tow pack just like on a large truck and trailer set up but if you have an aftermarket hitch you will only have stop turn and brake light functions via the 4 pin

There is a tow module that gets installed with the factory hitch. I have the tow package on my Badlands with LUX package. When I have a trailer wiring harness plugged in, the computer in the bronco knows and it disables certain features like the blind spot alert.

RETmed14!

if you are pulling a small overland trailer with a 12v fridge unit, you can keep it running with the factory tow pack just like on a large truck and trailer set up but if you have an aftermarket hitch you will only have stop turn and brake light functions via the 4 pin

But you can always add an extra power feed for that function. That is what I am planning to do for my home built trailer.

Jakob1972

But you can always add an extra power feed for that function. That is what I am planning to do for my home built trailer.

, yep . Tow pack is prewired all the way in harness up to battery for 7pin, adding 4 or 7 pin after you will need to open up part of harness at back of your Bronc , easy for the 4 pin , not so much for the 7pin, if adding a 7pin would definitely recheck ECM after install.

RETmed14!

, yep . Tow pack is prewired all the way in harness up to battery for 7pin, adding 4 or 7 pin after you will need to open up part of harness at back of your Bronc , easy for the 4 pin , not so much for the 7pin, if adding a 7pin would definitely recheck ECM after install.

OH I was just going to wire that one to one of my Aux switches. just to supply 12v charging to the trailer.

Jakob1972

OH I was just going to wire that one to one of my Aux switches. just to supply 12v charging to the trailer.

Cool, just make sure that that AMP's of aux switch will hold correct load for your desired device attachments :)