trailer brake problems; fairly long

[dpuckett]

I am going to be pulling a 40' GN trailer with my 91 D350, and have had problems getting the trailer brakes hooked up. I robbed the working controller out of the 93 flatbed, and put it in the 91, and hooked it up the same as it all was in the 93. I KNOW the controller worked in the 93, because I used it to haul hay on the truck and on an 18ft carhauler trailer I have. I also know there is no problem in the truck and wiring, because I hooked it up to the little trailer, and it all worked perfectly. Where should I begin looking on the big trailer? The trailer ground is welded to the frame at the front, and again at the rear next to the axles. I dont care for that kind of set up, (I'd prefer to run the wire all the way back) but then again I didnt design it. I will also add that when I hook up a test light to the ground and then the brake wire at the trailer end, it lights up the display in the controller, as if there are brakes, when in fact there are not. I figure it is reversed feedback or something like that. I am no electrical genius, but I can follow instructions, and figure stuff out, normally. I also tested the wiring in the trailer by jumping a hot wire from the battery (truck unhooked; plug unhooked) to the trailer brake wire, and am getting current to the rear brakes.

I have a DrawTite Activator II. In truck, hooked black wire to positive terminal, with 30 amp fuse under the hood; red wire to brake pedal switch; white to ground- neg terminal; blue to output. EVERYTHING checks out on the truck side. Like I said, it works on my '03 carhauler, but not the 40' er. Going to take it back to the owner tomorrow, to let him figure it out, but hoped someone here might have a "duh" fix I missed of didnt think of.



Daniel

 

[dpuckett]

UPDATE

Hooked up my little trailer today, and took it down the gravel road a piece. Locked up the wheels several times. Hooked it back up to the GN, had numbers on the display for a while, but when I tried to adjust it, it disappeared. WE both came to the conclusion that there was a problem in the trailer wiring. Gonna check stuff tomorrow- basically connections to the brake drums, and see if there is any corrosion, etc in the wiring. May have to take it to a trailer place to get it fixed if it needs to go beyond that. Any suggestions on that for COlorado Springs? Or places you have had bad experiences at and I need to avoid? I know the guidelines try to limit bashing, so try to keep that in mind. Just would like to get going this week, by Wed if possible.



Daniel