Trailer Brakes on 2011 2500

[RMarrison]

All,



I have been fighting this issue all day and I am about to give up. I have completely refinished my trailer, all new lights, wiring, brakes and battery/break away.



I cannot for the life of me get the brakes to activate!!! I have looked at the wiring a million times, and is all correct. I am beginning to think there is something wrong with the new truck.



Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.



Rob

 

[RustyJC]

Do you get a "Trailer Connected" indication on the EVIC when you plug in to the 7-pin connector? Do you get an output readout on the integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC) when you activate the brakes manually using the ITBC hand control?



Rusty

 

[RMarrison]

yes to both... .

 

[RustyJC]

What's the output reading on the ITBC when the manual control is fully engaged at a stop? (Mine reads 99. ) If you keep the manual control fully engaged and try to pull forward, do you feel any trailer braking? What do you have the ITBC gain set at? (I have to run mine at 9. 5. )



I'm having a conversation about insufficient trailer brake controller output with my dealership service manager and (through the dealer) STAR right now. Having said that, the controller is working though.



Rusty

 

[GCroyle]

Do you have a substitue vehicle to test your trailer brakes with?

 

[RMarrison]

ITBC reads 99 when using manual brake control, i have adjusted the setting top to bottom and no luck.

Look for a sub vehicle now to test the brakes with.

Are these ITBC's known to have issues?

 

[RustyJC]

OK, it sounds promising if you're getting an output reading. Have you tried to pull forward from a stop with the manual control engaged and the output reading 99? Do you feel any trailer braking?



Rusty

 

[HBarlow]

Start with the basics.

Using a 12 test lamp or multimeter do you have 12v at the seven pin receptacle at the rear bumper of your truck when the brake pedal is depressed? If not you have a brake controller or truck wiring/fuse problem.

If you do, do you have 12v present at any of the trailer brakes? If not, the problem is in the trailer seven pin male plug or the trailer wiring.

 

[B.G. Smith]

If you replaced the brake shoes did you adjust them up tight then back off a few clicks? Also you might try pulling the pin on the breakaway switch and see if that activates the brakes, I would unplug the trailer from the truck to try this. bg

 

[Alan Reagan]

ELECTRIC * HYDRAULIC * DISC TRAILER BRAKING SYSTEMS



This link gives a quick reference to the pin outs and some troubleshooting tips.



Two quick ways of seeing if the magnets are engaging:



1. Have someone press the brake pedal while you stand at each wheel and see if you can hear them click or engage.



or



2. Take a magnetic compass and hold it about six inches away from the wheel. Have someone press the brake and if the system is working and the magnets are engaging, the compass needle will point toward the wheel.



I kept getting the cross mark on my controller indicating the trailer brakes weren't connected. I had just used it with my other truck and it seemed fine. Finally I slid under the trailer and found that one of the brake wires had been hit by something and flattened against the frame rail with the wires sticking out of the insulation. I repaired the wire and the disconnect error went away and the brakes worked again.