Interesting observation regarding my ITBC during a roadside inspection....

[gsbrockman]

This past Friday, I was returning from Spiro, OK with a stack of three gooseneck trailers for a customer in Mt Sterling, KY. Near the 111 mile marker on I-40 in TN, just a little east of Wildersville, TN, I was the lucky recipient of a Level 1 roadside inspection courtesy of a TN CVE Officer.

Part of his inspection was verification of the electric trailer brake breakaway function. I removed the lanyard, and, since the trailers were all brand new, everything worked as designed. Additionally......I left my truck running the entire time as it was around 86*F at the time.

As the officer finished up the inspection in his cruiser, I reconnected the lanyard. The CVE Officer had me sign off on the paperwork, I received my copies, and I began to merge back onto the interstate.

As I was merging, I had to use the brakes, and noticed the brakes didn’t seem to work like they did. I hit the manual lever on the ITBC, and it showed no trailer connected. I then merged back into the emergency lane to investigate.

In a nutshell, I guess the ITBC doesn’t like having the lanyard yanked.

Shutting off the truck and restarting it did not reset the functionality of the ITBC.

With the truck still running, I climbed onto my flatbed, removed the 7-way plug, re-inserted it, and thankfully, all was well once again.

I was hoping I didn’t have to start chasing fuses or relays along a busy interstate. I was also hoping that pulling the lanyard did not in some odd way backfeed the ITBC and fry it.

Stuff like the above, and eeeeediot drivers, are a few reasons why I detest roadside DOT inspections.

I’d much prefer the Officer say “go to the next exit to Business XYZ and we’ll conduct it”.....or, just light me up near a rest area entrance or such.

Since everyone likes pictures...here’s one of the load.

From the bottom up, a 25+5 dual tandem, a 20+5 single tandem, and a 14’ gooseneck dump.

 

[Wayne M.]

Without seeing a schematic of that circuit, I can’t positively give a reason for what happened, but the same thing happens with the current production F550 body lights. If there’s a problem in that circuit, that circuit shuts down until the open or short is fixed. There is a current sensing device that can pick up on opens or shorts. There are no more fuses on that circuit like the previous trucks had. It was a real head scratcher for me, but that body lamp circuit has no fuse to blow, and reenergizes itself when the problem is fixed. I had to print out the schematic and prove it to myself. No fuses.
Sounds like you’ve experienced a similar event.
So I’d like to know. After you pulled the lanyard out, how exactly did you check operation? Did he make you pull up to see if the wheels locked?

 

[NIsaacs]

Some of the universal digital brake controllers say to unplug the trailer before testing the breakaway. That the back feed might fry the controller. That makes for a useless controller. I think I have one of those

 

[jhenderson]

Every time I’ve had an inspection I’ve pulled the trailer plug because I was afraid of a backfeed problem. I guess I did the right thing for the wrong reason.

 

[jgillott]

Good information. Thanks for sharing it. When you take your trailers in for the annual PA safety inspection, the first thing they do is pull the breakaway switch and have you pull against the brakes to confirm operation. I've always taken the trailers in with the old Ram, but if I ever take them in with a more modern truck, I'll be sure to disconnect the pigtail before they do the test.

 

[GAmes]

I was told long ago to disconnect the 7 pin before pulling the lanyard because there was a chance that it would harm the brake controller. In an inspection in BC the officer insisted on pulling the 7 pin. He didn't care about my equipment, he wanted to make sure the battery in the trailer was hooked up and charged. Of all the level ones I've had I believe that was the only time they checked the break away. I had a roadside insp once in NV about three miles past a weigh station. The weigh station was closed and I made it a point to let the officer know how stupid it was to pull me over beside the highway instead of randomly checking trucks that rolled through the inspection facility. She agreed with me, but continued the inspection.

 

[NIsaacs]

She agreed with me, but continued the inspection.

We had one of those in Arizona. The truckers called her the "Dragon Lady" she was proud of that....

 

[Wiredawg]

Without seeing a schematic of that circuit, I can’t positively give a reason for what happened, but the same thing happens with the current production F550 body lights. If there’s a problem in that circuit, that circuit shuts down until the open or short is fixed. There is a current sensing device that can pick up on opens or shorts. There are no more fuses on that circuit like the previous trucks had. It was a real head scratcher for me, but that body lamp circuit has no fuse to blow, and reenergizes itself when the problem is fixed. I had to print out the schematic and prove it to myself. No fuses.
Sounds like you’ve experienced a similar event.
So I’d like to know. After you pulled the lanyard out, how exactly did you check operation? Did he make you pull up to see if the wheels locked?

Wayne,
Here is the wiring diagram provided in OEM Wiring Manual for a 2017 5500 for your review/assessment:

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Ron

 

[gsbrockman]

So I’d like to know. After you pulled the lanyard out, how exactly did you check operation? Did he make you pull up to see if the wheels locked?

Yeppppppp....that’s exactly how it was verified.

He even made me open the door, so he could see I was not using the service brakes or parking brake. Without asking, I even gave it a small amount of throttle, just to further satisfy him.

 

[TFucili]

Hadn't thought about this potential issue, so thanks for the info fellas.

 

[gsbrockman]

Hadn't thought about this potential issue, so thanks for the info fellas.

Well......the real bigger issue is that had I NOT had to brake before attaining speed merging on to I-40, and I got on down the road and reallllllly needed to brake hard, it might not have wound up being a pleasant experience.

So....whether you run commercial and are subject to this type of occasional test, or if you’re an avid RV’er and perform a somewhat good pre-trip on your own, be prepared for what I encountered. Hopefully this will assist all that choose to read it.

 

[Wayne M.]

Well, looking at that schematic, I see that fuses are still used, and a 30a fuse 11 supplies the trailer tow module. The output for brake current is the blue 2.0 (about 10 gauge) wire and that goes right from the TT module to the rear plug. Due to what was described, a circuit protection system may be inside the TT module, but it’s ultimately protected by fuses, as well as all your lighting being fused.
What I would do, is to check out the fuse box and stock up on the different fuses that are in there to put in your road box. Due to the globalization efforts, there could be anything in there, and possibly hard to get.

 

[gsbrockman]

@Kirwin had a great write up on procuring fuses for the 2013 & newer HD trucks....I believe his source was Amazon.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Nice pic and load!

Sounds like unplug 7 pin THEN pull.

 

[MMeier]

Every time I’ve had an inspection I’ve pulled the trailer plug because I was afraid of a backfeed problem. I guess I did the right thing for the wrong reason.

This past Friday, I was returning from Spiro, OK with a stack of three gooseneck trailers for a customer in Mt Sterling, KY. Near the 111 mile marker on I-40 in TN, just a little east of Wildersville, TN, I was the lucky recipient of a Level 1 roadside inspection courtesy of a TN CVE Officer.

Part of his inspection was verification of the electric trailer brake breakaway function. I removed the lanyard, and, since the trailers were all brand new, everything worked as designed. Additionally......I left my truck running the entire time as it was around 86*F at the time.

As the officer finished up the inspection in his cruiser, I reconnected the lanyard. The CVE Officer had me sign off on the paperwork, I received my copies, and I began to merge back onto the interstate.

As I was merging, I had to use the brakes, and noticed the brakes didn’t seem to work like they did. I hit the manual lever on the ITBC, and it showed no trailer connected. I then merged back into the emergency lane to investigate.

In a nutshell, I guess the ITBC doesn’t like having the lanyard yanked.

Shutting off the truck and restarting it did not reset the functionality of the ITBC.

With the truck still running, I climbed onto my flatbed, removed the 7-way plug, re-inserted it, and thankfully, all was well once again.

I was hoping I didn’t have to start chasing fuses or relays along a busy interstate. I was also hoping that pulling the lanyard did not in some odd way backfeed the ITBC and fry it.

Stuff like the above, and eeeeediot drivers, are a few reasons why I detest roadside DOT inspections.

I’d much prefer the Officer say “go to the next exit to Business XYZ and we’ll conduct it”.....or, just light me up near a rest area entrance or such.

Since everyone likes pictures...here’s one of the load.

From the bottom up, a 25+5 dual tandem, a 20+5 single tandem, and a 14’ gooseneck dump.

View attachment 114357

This past Friday, I was returning from Spiro, OK with a stack of three gooseneck trailers for a customer in Mt Sterling, KY. Near the 111 mile marker on I-40 in TN, just a little east of Wildersville, TN, I was the lucky recipient of a Level 1 roadside inspection courtesy of a TN CVE Officer.

Part of his inspection was verification of the electric trailer brake breakaway function. I removed the lanyard, and, since the trailers were all brand new, everything worked as designed. Additionally......I left my truck running the entire time as it was around 86*F at the time.

As the officer finished up the inspection in his cruiser, I reconnected the lanyard. The CVE Officer had me sign off on the paperwork, I received my copies, and I began to merge back onto the interstate.

As I was merging, I had to use the brakes, and noticed the brakes didn’t seem to work like they did. I hit the manual lever on the ITBC, and it showed no trailer connected. I then merged back into the emergency lane to investigate.

In a nutshell, I guess the ITBC doesn’t like having the lanyard yanked.

Shutting off the truck and restarting it did not reset the functionality of the ITBC.

With the truck still running, I climbed onto my flatbed, removed the 7-way plug, re-inserted it, and thankfully, all was well once again.

I was hoping I didn’t have to start chasing fuses or relays along a busy interstate. I was also hoping that pulling the lanyard did not in some odd way backfeed the ITBC and fry it.

Stuff like the above, and eeeeediot drivers, are a few reasons why I detest roadside DOT inspections.

I’d much prefer the Officer say “go to the next exit to Business XYZ and we’ll conduct it”.....or, just light me up near a rest area entrance or such.

Since everyone likes pictures...here’s one of the load.

From the bottom up, a 25+5 dual tandem, a 20+5 single tandem, and a 14’ gooseneck dump.

View attachment 114357

This past Friday, I was returning from Spiro, OK with a stack of three gooseneck trailers for a customer in Mt Sterling, KY. Near the 111 mile marker on I-40 in TN, just a little east of Wildersville, TN, I was the lucky recipient of a Level 1 roadside inspection courtesy of a TN CVE Officer.

Part of his inspection was verification of the electric trailer brake breakaway function. I removed the lanyard, and, since the trailers were all brand new, everything worked as designed. Additionally......I left my truck running the entire time as it was around 86*F at the time.

As the officer finished up the inspection in his cruiser, I reconnected the lanyard. The CVE Officer had me sign off on the paperwork, I received my copies, and I began to merge back onto the interstate.

As I was merging, I had to use the brakes, and noticed the brakes didn’t seem to work like they did. I hit the manual lever on the ITBC, and it showed no trailer connected. I then merged back into the emergency lane to investigate.

In a nutshell, I guess the ITBC doesn’t like having the lanyard yanked.

Shutting off the truck and restarting it did not reset the functionality of the ITBC.

With the truck still running, I climbed onto my flatbed, removed the 7-way plug, re-inserted it, and thankfully, all was well once again.

I was hoping I didn’t have to start chasing fuses or relays along a busy interstate. I was also hoping that pulling the lanyard did not in some odd way backfeed the ITBC and fry it.

Stuff like the above, and eeeeediot drivers, are a few reasons why I detest roadside DOT inspections.

I’d much prefer the Officer say “go to the next exit to Business XYZ and we’ll conduct it”.....or, just light me up near a rest area entrance or such.

Since everyone likes pictures...here’s one of the load.

From the bottom up, a 25+5 dual tandem, a 20+5 single tandem, and a 14’ gooseneck dump.

View attachment 114357

Nice lil load !!! years ago when I pulled out of Oklahoma, one nut case there used to take off with 5 40'ers at once !! Don't know, he still might be, used to gross right around 54k lbs !!!

 

[gsbrockman]

Nice lil load !!! years ago when I pulled out of Oklahoma, one nut case there used to take off with 5 40'ers at once !! Don't know, he still might be, used to gross right around 54k lbs !!!

What was he towing with? 54k GCW sounds about right, figuring each 40’ gooseneck weighing in around 9k each, if not more.

 

[MMeier]

What was he towing with? 54k GCW sounds about right, figuring each 40’ gooseneck weighing in around 9k each, if not more.

Just a one ton Dodge, bit extra power, 5 speed, nothing special .

 

[NIsaacs]

Nice lil load !!! years ago when I pulled out of Oklahoma, one nut case there used to take off with 5 40'ers at once !! Don't know, he still might be, used to gross right around 54k lbs !!!

How did he stay under legal height? I would think 4 would be max, even with the tires off the stacked units.

Assuming this stack was on a road ready trailer, I would think it would be about as high as you can go.