Factory Brake Controller Question/Issue

[Tom Tulloch]

Reading through these posts made me wonder about something so while you experts are available, I'll ask. It's probably a dumb question, but will there be any damage done to the factory brake control system if I hook up and tow a utility trailer that doesn't have brakes. I'm guessing the round connector on the trailer won't have the brake wire connected, but how does the brake control system react to no connection on the female end? Is there a warning message?

 

[Tom Schindler]

If I slide the emergency switch while it says "Trailer disconnected", my brakes work on the trailer. I know that for a fact. If I need to, I can rewire the brakes if you guys think that will fix it, it is not a big deal.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Reading through these posts made me wonder about something so while you experts are available, I'll ask. It's probably a dumb question, but will there be any damage done to the factory brake control system if I hook up and tow a utility trailer that doesn't have brakes. I'm guessing the round connector on the trailer won't have the brake wire connected, but how does the brake control system react to no connection on the female end? Is there a warning message?

People pull trailers all the time without brakes. No worries!

 

[Cyclone]

Yeah, pulling a trailer that doesn't have brakes is very common for small/light trailers. The connector is just providing for the lights at that point.

 

[brhulen]

I recently picked up a 23 foot expandable trailer to take my family to Florida this winter. The cost savings alone with a camp site vs. a hotel will pay for the trailer and fuel since we are going to end up in the Florida Keys.

I have a 16' flat bed trailer that doesn't have this issue, so I am pretty sire it isn't the truck itself but something in the trailer.

The system keeps connecting and then disconnecting the trailer while driving. Says "Trailer disconnected" and a short time later "Trailer Connected". When "Disconnected", the lights and brakes work as normal.

The camping trailer has 6 of the wires used (Ground, Aux, Brake, running, left, right) while the flatbed is only 5 (Brake, ground, left, right, running).

I replaced the plug on the trailer since the old plug was in pretty bad shape and was doing the same thing as the new plug is.

How does the system know if a trailer is or is not connected?

Update, I took my King Ranch to the dealership and as I suspected the factory 7 pin outlet was defective. For some reason the brake wire connection would intermittently fail so they went ahead and replaced it. So that being said I still believe your outlet is faulty as well. I would replace it as soon as possible as Murphy always lurks around the corner!

 

[brhulen]

Yeah, pulling a trailer that doesn't have brakes is very common for small/light trailers. The connector is just providing for the lights at that point.

The first time you pull a trailer without brakes on a slick road and have to make an emergency stop you'll wish it had brakes. Now looking at it with a positive outlook you'll have an opportunity to check the tail lights and brake lights on the trailer without even having to get out! Jack knifes are plumb ugly.

 

[Tom Tulloch]

Got your point brhulen! At this point I only have a small utility trailer that I don't often tow over 40. Looking for and RV trailer soon tho!

 

[brhulen]

The only reason that I mentioned the trailer brakes even on a light trailer is I had a snowmobile trailer swap ends when I had to hit the brakes up in Alaska. I was able to hit the gas and straighten it out and fortunately no one was coming. No harm no foul but made me a firm believer in trailer brakes. If you ever get serious about buying a travel trailer I have a 1996 25' Airstream trailer that I'm looking to sell. I bought it new in 1997 and recently moved up to a 31' Airstream, so if you're "really" looking give me a shout!

 

[Tom Schindler]

Took the trailer out for a short trip (About an hour away). Trailer pulled fine, but it was still connecting/disconnecting. Right before we got to the campground, got an error saying "Trailer wiring malfunction".

I did dig through the wiring a little. As usual with RV's, it is a rats next of connections. One thing I found interesting was that there is a 30 amp self-resetting circuit breaker in the trailer brake wire. The breakaway adapter connects from the positive battery lead to the brake side of the circuit breaker.

Any clue why? (Besides the obvious of to keep it from an electrical fire, but it should be protected by the two vehicle and if there was a failure of the breakaway adapter, it is connected on the brake side of the circuit breaker)

My 16' flatbed trailer does not have a circuit breaker anywhere on the trailer system and any other trailer with EB's do not have this. All trailer wiring diagrams never show or even suggest the addition of a 30 amp self resetting breaker.

I did find a nice plug electrical box on Amazon that I am considering installing to clean up the wiring and make sure everything is good.



At a minimum, I want to clean up the rats nest. 12 volt wiring does not scare me at all. Household power scares the crap out of me.

I want to suspect the truck wiring, but it doesn't do it on my flatbed. I checked the ohms of the magnets and they are within spec, so I don't think it is the magnets.

Any other things I havent thought of or may be missing?

 

[brhulen]

As I posted earlier my glitch was a bad trailer receptacle. When they dug into it they found corrosion on the brake wire so they went ahead and replaced the receptacle. My error message would show up on all three trailers that I pull.

Brett