No Brake Controller

[jgbanshee]

I purchased a trailer with electric brakes and would like to pick it up soon but I do not have a brake controller in my truck yet. What happens if I plug the 7 flat connector into my truck and pull this trailer? Will everything work except the trailer brakes or will the trailer brakes lock up immediately?

 

[jones6780]

It will work just fine to bring it home, unloaded I hope. Electric brakes work when electricity is applied, no power - no brakes.

Russell

 

[jgbanshee]

So, the brake controller sends power to the trailer brakes? I thought that the trailer brakes were directly related to the truck brake lights.

 

[JB4310]

The way I understand it the trucks brake light switch sends the signal/power to the trailer brake controller box in the truck, the controller then sends power to the trailer brakes via the harness, the box is adjustable thru user setting, a higher setting means more power going to the brakes, equals greater braking power.

So they wouldn't work with no controller in line.

What type/size trailer?

JB.

 

[Diamondpilot]

You guys have it right, but there is always a but. I have installed over 100 controllers but I have on two instances seen GM trucks simply lock up the brakes 100%. This has only been twice, both with 1500 series around the same year.

Your best bet is just go get one and install it. Only takes 20 minutes. Just put one in a Titan last night.

Chris

 

[newbury]

You guys have it right, but there is always a but. I have installed over 100 controllers but I have on two instances seen GM trucks simply lock up the brakes 100%. This has only been twice, both with 1500 series around the same year.

Your best bet is just go get one and install it. Only takes 20 minutes. Just put one in a Titan last night.

Chris

Chris -
How about giving us a good link or two to a site(s) that best shows how to do it for a range of vehicles.
I'm sure you know some good ones as well as some bad ones.
tia

 

[J_J]

Just plug it up and test your lights. Then do a short pull and see if any trailer brakes are working, if no drag, your OK, but if it locks the brakes, just unplug and take it home. Now if the trailer has a backup battery, disconnect it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Here is the company I buy all my stuff from. Its a husband and wife team, and she knows here stuff also, and they are always eager to help. Good people and nice site. I can usually get stuff cheaper even with shipping from them than I can anywhere else.

R and P Carriages Trailer Sales, Service, Parts and Rentals

They have a good how to section with pictures on the help tab. They also sell a ton of stuff through EBAY so look them up.

Chris

 

[RobertN]

What truck do you have? On most newer trucks, they are prewired for trailer brakes. Mine was as simple as hook four color coded wires to the brake controller, and plug the connector on the end of those wires, to a connector under the dash. It took longer to mount the controller to the dash than it did to "wire" it up. 15-20 minutes at most...

My old truck did not have 7-wire wiring('89 F250), nor did my wifes 1/2 ton Dodge. Those took a couple hours to do a nice wiring job on. For the Dodge, bought a harness kit direct from Dodge; had directions and everything.

If it is an empty trailer, I would get at least the brake and turn lights working. That should be enough to get you home. In most states, you do not need brakes on trailers less than 2500lbs(your state may vary).

I'd definitely check to see if your truck is prewired though. If it is a 20 minute job, I'd put the controller in before you hook up the trailer.

 

[Soundguy]

You guys have it right, but there is always a but. I have installed over 100 controllers but I have on two instances seen GM trucks simply lock up the brakes 100%. This has only been twice, both with 1500 series around the same year.

Your best bet is just go get one and install it. Only takes 20 minutes. Just put one in a Titan last night.

Chris

On the 7 pin connector, ther eis a wire that needs to be swapped sometimes .

I have a gmc ykon, and when i used a 7to6 adapter on my 6pin trailer.. the brakes lock immediatly as aux power hits brake pin... hoppy, the co. that makes the adapter evidentally knows about this non standad wire issue and mak sit so that 7 pin to 6 and 5 pin adapters can be taken apart and swap 2 wires internally to correct this.

gotta love 'standards'.. especially when there are sooo many of them.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

Forgo to add.. you can get a chep hoppy controller for 50$, and then get the adapter plug for your truck if your truck is from 98+.. usually then just needs a circuit breaker or maxi fuse.. and then you are good to go.

takes like 10 minutes to install.. and only 2 of that is the wireing if your truck is already tow-package capable and has a 7 pin plug. rest of it is physically mounting the box.. etc to yor dash..

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

On the 7 pin connector, ther eis a wire that needs to be swapped sometimes .

I have a gmc ykon, and when i used a 7to6 adapter on my 6pin trailer.. the brakes lock immediatly as aux power hits brake pin... hoppy, the co. that makes the adapter evidentally knows about this non standad wire issue and mak sit so that 7 pin to 6 and 5 pin adapters can be taken apart and swap 2 wires internally to correct this.

gotta love 'standards'.. especially when there are sooo many of them.

soundguy

Yea, that is what we ran into. That's why I just tell everyone to go to 7 pin round and get rid of all the adapters and while you are at it go ahead and get a brake controller. They are getting cheaper every day. See them on Ebay for around $40 for a basic time delay unit.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

and get rid of all the adapters and Chris

You will need the adapter plug to mount the hoppy controller I spoke ok. The controller just comes with a pig tail harness that goes to bare wire. You then need to look on the shelf for the quick connect plug that matches yor tow vehicle, and then but connector the 2 harness' together so that you can plug the brake controller into your truck under the dash.

I would NOT want to try to hardwire one without the correct plug adapter.

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

You will need the adapter plug to mount the hoppy controller I spoke ok. The controller just comes with a pig tail harness that goes to bare wire. You then need to look on the shelf for the quick connect plug that matches yor tow vehicle, and then but connector the 2 harness' together so that you can plug the brake controller into your truck under the dash.

I would NOT want to try to hardwire one without the correct plug adapter.

soundguy

I mean all the adapters back at the hitch/trailer plug. You know the 6 round to 7 round and the 4 flat to 7 round. They usually are the cause of problems for me. I just buy the male 7 round at WalMart for $6 and wire it up to the trailer.

Chris

 

[buckle97]

Here is the company I buy all my stuff from. Its a husband and wife team, and she knows here stuff also, and they are always eager to help. Good people and nice site. I can usually get stuff cheaper even with shipping from them than I can anywhere else.

R and P Carriages Trailer Sales, Service, Parts and Rentals

They have a good how to section with pictures on the help tab. They also sell a ton of stuff through EBAY so look them up.

Chris

Thanks for the link Chris! I just bought a Tekonsha Prodigy controller and adapter for my truck from them and it has already shipped.

 

[BigE_]

That Prodigy controller is a nice controller. I have one on my Blazer, and it works well, especially the self adjusting feature.

Yep, I said Blazer -- 99 TrailBlazer to be exact with a little 4.3L engine. It has no problems pulling 6500 lbs, but stopping was/is an issue with that much weight, so when I had my tractor trailer custom built, I had them add an extra pair of brakes, so now all four tires have brakes. I can stop faster with the trailer on and loaded than I can with no trailer.

Just make sure you adjust your boost when you load your trailer. I went out and got just over 2 cords of very wet birch, along with a new wood stove. I think I was pretty close to the 7500lb limit on the trailer.

I forgot to adjust the boost up from b1 (unloaded) to b3 (loaded). Came up to my first stop sign, hit the brakes, and blew right through it. Woke me up in a hurry. Nope, I didn't even think to hit the emergency lever, happened so fast. You can bet that's one of the things I also double and triple check now whenever I hook up.

-Steve

Oh - final thing - make sure the brake battery is good on that trailer, or the brakes aren't going to work very well.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Thanks for the link Chris! I just bought a Tekonsha Prodigy controller and adapter for my truck from them and it has already shipped.

They are good honest hard working people. The have good prices and will do what ever it takes to get your trailer or truck set up right at a fair price with quick shipping.

Chris

 

[buckle97]

Oh - final thing - make sure the brake battery is good on that trailer, or the brakes aren't going to work very well.

I don't think my trailer has a battery. Is this necessary for the brakes to work?

 

[Soundguy]

The trailer battery is only for the brake-away action to work.. IE.. if your trailer become sdisconnected, there is a pull cable which trips a switch that powers the brakes from a small onboard battery that charges off your tow vehicle.

IF your wiring is correct, and the battery is not shorted out, the e-brakes will work FINE with no battery / breakaway kit on the trailer.

soundguy

 

[buckle97]

The trailer battery is only for the brake-away action to work.. IE.. if your trailer become sdisconnected, there is a pull cable which trips a switch that powers the brakes from a small onboard battery that charges off your tow vehicle.

IF your wiring is correct, and the battery is not shorted out, the e-brakes will work FINE with no battery / breakaway kit on the trailer.

soundguy

Thanks.