Hey all, new here. I recently bought a 6.5x14 tandem factory trailer that has electric brakes on the rear (3500lb axles). The previous owner has cut the wires coming out of them, and I am wondering what I need to get them working, I know I need a brake controller, but how does it connect from the truck to the trailer?? Does it wire into the trailer light plug somehow? Also, how effective are trailer brakes? Im using a 97 dodge ram and mainly use the trailer to haul logs, and with the trailer loaded down descending hills the truck has a hard time stopping all that weight, and it wears out the pads fast. Any help or advice is appreciated, thanks!!
Help with trailer brakes (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter straightpiped318
- Start date
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From member Scrapdaddy: Trailer Wiring Diagrams | etrailer.com
if it's just the wires being cut, then splicing them should do the trick. But it's more likely they were cut for a reason. Maybe a short or the brakes not working. You do need of course a wire that goes from the brake controller in the truck to the brakes. And a ground. Normally this would be part of the connector at the rear of the towing vehicle, and you'd need a matching plug on the trailer. The plug will be different than the usual 4 wires flat one just for lights. It can also be a loose wire if you don't have the correct plug and want to DIY, but that's not as tidy.
A good trailer brake can be very effective, it will even slow down the truck. Normally, you should be able to set it up in such a way that the truck will brake as if there were no trailer, at least for RV type trailers. Now of course if you load up a flatbed to the max with huge logs you'd need serious brakes.
A good trailer brake can be very effective, it will even slow down the truck. Normally, you should be able to set it up in such a way that the truck will brake as if there were no trailer, at least for RV type trailers. Now of course if you load up a flatbed to the max with huge logs you'd need serious brakes.
Thanks Brimley,
I must of posted that for a different question.
I must of posted that for a different question.
yep
The two wires coming out of the axle to brakes should be black and white. White is the ground and black is the wire that activates the brake magnets to engage the brake shoes when a signal is received from the brake controller.
Get an Ohm meter and check to see if the black wire is shorted to the frame, that maybe is why the wires were cut. P.O.'s do some strange things. As posted above, the trailer plug should be at least a 5 wire connector. Yellow, Green, Brown, White and Black.
DANGER ALERT: The 16' trailer probably has 3,500 LB axles for a total payload of 7,000#, figure 1,000# for the trailer and you are left with 6,000# capacity. If you have a max load and some low tires, the trailer can enter a swaying motion that rapidly escalates into a jack knife and can leave you DRT. The trailer brakes can be applied and stop the swaying as soon as it starts. I urge you to not tow that trailer until you have brakes installed and working.
I used to own a trailer manufacturing and supply business, we covered five states.
Get an Ohm meter and check to see if the black wire is shorted to the frame, that maybe is why the wires were cut. P.O.'s do some strange things. As posted above, the trailer plug should be at least a 5 wire connector. Yellow, Green, Brown, White and Black.
DANGER ALERT: The 16' trailer probably has 3,500 LB axles for a total payload of 7,000#, figure 1,000# for the trailer and you are left with 6,000# capacity. If you have a max load and some low tires, the trailer can enter a swaying motion that rapidly escalates into a jack knife and can leave you DRT. The trailer brakes can be applied and stop the swaying as soon as it starts. I urge you to not tow that trailer until you have brakes installed and working.
I used to own a trailer manufacturing and supply business, we covered five states.
