Trailer brake wiring

jharvey

Shutter Bug
Joined
Apr 1, 2005
Messages
542
Reaction score
0
Location
Georgia
Anybody got a write up or know where I can find out how to totally re-wire trailer brakes? I'm pretty sure the magnets are toast and I really just want to rip it all out and start from scratch.

Thanks
 

Max Power

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2005
Messages
1,035
Reaction score
0
Location
winnipeg/manitoba
Trailer brakes are really simple. There are 2 wires to each brake. One is ground and the other is the one you supple voltage to apply the brakes.

Basically you have 1 wire coming from your trailer plug and it splits to each brake. You could ground the other wire to the frame but a better way to do it would be to run the ground from each brake to a ground junction that comes directly from your electrical plug.

Let me know if you have any more questions.
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2005
Messages
623
Reaction score
0
Location
Alexandria, Virginia
Max Power said:
. . . . a better way to do it would be to run the ground from each brake to a ground junction that comes directly from your electrical plug.

That's how I do it also. Try to have the least amount of splices possible, esp on the brake connections. I do however install a junction box on the trailer where the lead goes to the truck. This makes it easy to track down problems.
I've got seven trailers and it seems like it's always something. People smashing lights, breaking plugs etc.

Ron
 

FordMastertech

Ford Guru
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
65
Reaction score
0
Location
Burlington CT
The inside of the drum where the lug studs are is where the magnet grabs the drum when power is applied to them. The magnet is mounted to a lever, kind of like the lever that was used for the drum style parking brakes years ago. The rotation of the wheel/drum pulls this lever/magnet and applies the brake.
FMT
 

sassyrel

SDD Junior Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2005
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Location
iowa
jharv--you can get just the mags at any trailer dealer--sure there bad--or is the wiring messed up??? hot wire the brakes direct on the trailer to see if working-with wheel jacked-should lock tight---or hooked to truck-should drag tires while moving at full apply of brake switch lever---empty of course!!!!!!!!!!!
 

jharvey

Shutter Bug
Joined
Apr 1, 2005
Messages
542
Reaction score
0
Location
Georgia
sassyrel said:
---empty of course!!!!!!!!!!!

You're no fun :D One mag is missing the other one looks like it has been run over. I haven't had time to mess with it yet, maybe this weekend if the wifey ok's it :dunno
 

iracemine

black and tan
Joined
Dec 10, 2006
Messages
958
Reaction score
0
Location
Cheese Curtain
thread back from the dead!!!!!!

I have a prodagy brake controler, new. and a new trailer, brakes adjusted right. when towing ill hit the brakes and for about two or three seconds the contoler reads fine, but then sets into a overload statis for one or two seconds and then goes back and forth. when sitting still I have my ol lady use the manual lever and ill shake the **** out of the wires plugs and nothing?????? both mags working, i get 2.0 ohms resistance at the trailer plug, mags hooked up in parallal, all wires and connections are good except for the wire of trailer ground is only like a 18 gauge. please help!!
 

iracemine

black and tan
Joined
Dec 10, 2006
Messages
958
Reaction score
0
Location
Cheese Curtain
so I spent an hour re-wireing the break away switch and it still doesent work so I know there is somthing I did wrong but cant understand. please any suggestions would help. thanks.
 

firesoutmatt

SDD Junior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2005
Messages
47
Reaction score
0
Location
Indiana
Check the 7 way plug and make sure the wires are in the right spot and you don't have a loose stran of wire touching another terminal.

It's real easy to not see if you don't check close. :thumbs

I've chase my tail for hours and it ended up being a single stran of wire touching the terminal next to it.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
30,545
Messages
266,136
Members
14,673
Latest member
Doms350
Top