ELECTRIC BRAKES FOR CAR TRAILER (please help)

[ghostnthedark]

i finally found a car trailer,BUT it has an electric brake set up?yall probably already know what this is but i dont. the connector on my hitch has a connecter that plugs on the trailer but it's not the one i need???my connection is a small grey box female connector,and the the trailer has a round connection. the guy told me that i needed an electric brake kit for my hitch.but wouldnt all i have to do is cut mine and splice it with the tralier connection.....HELPPP PLEASE!!

 

[Blaine122300]

You probably have a 6 or 7 prong round connector on the trailer, right? Well you will need a brake controller if you want to use the brakes. Otherwise, you can get the correct connector for the truck side and just haul it with no brakes.

Basically what the controller does, is tap into either your brake pedal wire, (there is usually one if you have cruise control) or into your brake light. This is how the brake controller senses that you are stepping on the brake. This in turn sends 12v DC direct from your battery to the trailer brakes, activating the electromagnet and activating the brakes.

The controller is adjustable to give you just the right feel. You may have to run all the wiring for the controller, unless you have a newer vehicle that is pre-wired. A lot of newer vehicles with tow packages have this option. You just get a small wire harness that splices right into your controller. It is very simple that way. I had a controller on my 96 Tahoe, and I had to run all the wire. Was a pain, but at least I had brakes on the trailer.

Any more questions, feel free to ask. I wired the whole brake assy. so I feel I know quite a bit about it.

You can get a controller for about 40 bucks and up. I got mine at Northern tool on line.

Later,

Andy

 

[ghostnthedark]

i have 96 ex it has cruise control. so your saying all i need is a brake controller. run it from the brake light to the trailer and it'll work?

 

[Blaine122300]

the controller sits in the cab and you will run a wire from the brake light or brake pedal wire to the controller. The controller box from then gets wired to your trailer wiring. Go on line and see if they make a wire harness for a brake controller for your application. They are fairly common. I'm sure any place that will install a trailer hitch will also install the brake control box.

Keep the questions rolling.

Andy

 

[ghostnthedark]

ill check with one of those places,you are a genius!!!!!thankxx a billion

 

[zip96]

We have a 91 ex. with the towing package which includes the flat 4 prong pulg under the rear bumper. This plug controls brake lights signals etc. For the trailer I needed a 7 prong plug (electric brakes and trailer power) I purchased a plug that had a four prong end to fit the ex plug, as well the plug had another 4 wires (one for the brake controller, one for power to the trailer. one aux wire and one for the ground. To connect the additional wires and controller I needed to have two hot wires from the battery ( one went to the controller and one went directly to one of the wires on the plug) I then ran another wire from the neg side of the battery to the brake controller. The last connection was from my brake wire right by the switch by the pedal, this went to the brake controller. The plug and controller instructions were easy and simple to understand, probably easier than what I have done here. Once you have the plug and controller all it takes is some time to run you wires.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Local autoparts stores usually have them, a connector for the back of the truck, and wire if you need it right away.

I would NOT tow without the brakes, unless it was a very short distance and you wern't going fast.

 

[Blaine122300]

Well, if the trailer were empty, it wouldn't hurt to tow without the brakes, but, yeah, with a loaded trailer, brakes are a must.
Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best!