2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission A quick question...

[CO Lineman]

Might be better in the tow area but I will ask here first... A couple months ago I was towing my camp trailer down the road I needed to make a pit stop to get something to eat well when I turned on my turn signal it activated my brake contoller. After a little messing with it and such we decided to go on after I had unplugged my brake contoller. It was still doing the problem just with no brake contoller it wasn't locking up the brakes... A ways up the road it cleared up and made it home alright. Forgot about the problem and towed the camper twice since then... Tonight I go to hook up to the traielr to go camping the weekend and pull out test if the lights are working and it locks up the brakes again so I have to drive about two miles not using my turn signals and without messing with the lights. Then I go out a couple hours later with the trailer still hooked up to the truck and try everything and it is working just fine... I am going on a fair size road trip and would like the trailer brakes to work... I thought I would start by getting a new brake controller but what else can I look at or for so it doesn't happen while on the road trip...

 

[Grizzly]

It sounds like you have a crossed wire in the trailer wiring harness or a short where a piece of wire is touching your brake wire. I would do a continuity test on your plug-in connectors or take it back to whoever wired your trailer.

 

[bmoeller]

If you don't have good ground between the truck and trailer, weird things happen. When I wire a trailer, I also use the ground wire connections on both plugs. That way you aren't relying soley on the ball connection.



I have a Schuck hitch, and it doesn't ground well since it uses poly cushions/bushings. Minimal metal contact between the parts.



As said before, you could have a crossed wire also.

 

[Bob Wagner]

check the grounds on the trailer brakes too. I had the issue too

 

[RustyJC]

Another possibility is that the 7-pin connector on the rear of the truck is packed with water, grit and debris. This can cause a high-resistance short between the pins. I've had this happen on my 2002 which gave me a "trailer connected" signal on my Jordan Ultima 2020 brake controller with the truck sitting in the garage!



The solution is to take the connector apart, clean it thoroughly with WD-40, contact cleaner, etc. , pack it with dielectric grease and put it back together. No more problems since I've done that.



Rusty

 

[Bill Lins]

Rusty said "I've had this happen on my 2002 which gave me a "trailer connected" signal... with the truck in the garage. "



Musta been one of them "stealth" trailers! ;-)