Brake Control problems

[Chris7]

DW and I are supposed to be leaving Thu for our 29th Wedding Anniversary. Taking our TT out for the first time by ourselves. We have a new Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 HD.



Truck came with a factor installed brake controller. Trailer is about 5-years old. We took trailer to local tire shop to make sure tires and breaks on trailer were good.



Truck keeps saying Trailer is disconnected. Trying to find someone to look at both connections, but may not have time. Would you believe between the regular Truck Brakes and Exhaust break we would be fine? Not driving up and over the hills, just along the coast.


cd :O)

 

[Jerry1]

I’m no expert, but I think it would depend on the weight of the trailer.

Personally, I’d do everything I could to get it working. That not working correctly would give me grief the entire trip.

 

[dirtbiker]

What trailer are you pulling? Most state require [working] brakes on trailers over 3000 lbs gross. If you end up in an accident with known malfunctioning brakes on the trailer, if required, your insurance probably will not cover it, and you could be in a world of legal and financial troubles. And my guess would be in a new HD truck, that a plug into an OBDII would tell that it didn't have working brakes when you set off.

This being said, legalities aside, I wouldn't want to have to do emergency braking on a TT without brakes. It doesn't matter how good the brakes on the tow vehicle is, the trailer will do its own thing without brakes under heavy braking.

 

[ls99]

check connector pins on the truck for corrosion, also be sure plug is fully inserted. Some Deoxit spray on both trucck and trailer connector pins. If that does not work, likely wiring problem.

 

[dirtbiker]

Also, to help diagnose the problem, you could ask your local RV dealer if they would let you connect to one of their RVs to rule out the truck being the issue (and being new, it probably isn't the issue). And before doing that, make sure to check the fuses on your truck.

 

[Car-Guy]

Certainly would not be driving it far until it's fixed. Sounds to me like an "open" in the wiring somewhere. I'd look real hard at the connection plugs first. (Both male and female.) I think the idea of connecting up to and pulling another trailer is a good idea... Should tell you if it's your truck or trailer and then where to start looking.

 

[38Chevy454]

X2 on clean the connections on each plug. Trailer needs brakes and lights to be working. Truck brakes alone are not enough in panic stop, not to mention that if you get into trailer sway, a little manual application of trailer brakes and it straightens right up. Since trailer brakes are electric, needs good conduction at the connections. Any RV place will have a tester they can plug into your truck and check that it is wired and working correctly. It really seems you just have an electrical issue, and it may be simple as cleaning the plug connections.

 

[Chris7]

Great suggestions. Thank you everyone. I have a friend with a trailer and I think we will start with trying to plug theirs in. The trailer has sat for about a year so it could be its plug and the Deoxit sounds like a good idea, too.



It is about 8500 lbs so, yeah in a bad situation stopping with truck breaks only could end badly. We'll figure out something else if we can't get it working.


cd :O)

 

[youbet]

Do all the lights work including running lights, backup lights and brake lights?
Do the trailer brakes work (regardless of what the truck is telling you regarding the connection status)?

Does your owners manual give instructions for setting up the brake controller?

What TT are you pulling? Be specific.

 

[Chris7]

TT is a Kodiak Dutchmen, 39' long, about 8500 lbs. IT is about 5 years old. We previously towed with a Toy Sequoia and did that last year with no problems.



I did read through the manual for the Truck. Brake controller should be "plug and play". There is a menu where you can select add or subtract to the gain for whether or not you want more power from the TT brakes or not.



I'm not sure if the lights were working. We had dropped it off to have the tires and brakes checked. The shop is looking at the controller and wiring to see if it is something simple, but they certainly aren't experts. So when I go pick it up I'll check the lights. Should I be able to visually see the brakes depress on the TT when I push the pedal?


cd :O)

 

[Sniggle]

I am having a similar issue with a trailer I just bought. I ordered a new connector for it($25) as the connector was pretty beat up... hoping that solves it.

 

[Bamaman]

Most would start with a 12 volt electrical tester at the 7 pin connector on the rear bumper.

If you touch the correct pin (with the tester) as someone steps on the brake, the light on the tester would get brighter second by second. The lights one of the pins would light up when lights are cut on. Same with the brake light and each turn signal.

If you have no power to the 7 pin connecter on the bumper, the trailer lights and brakes will remain off.

Might also be a connector behind the dash controller that needs to be plugged to a wiring harness. There will also be another pigtail on the 7 pin bumper connector that will probably plug into a wiring harness.

RV dealers deal with these issues and can figure them out in a flash.

 

[youbet]

TT is a Kodiak Dutchmen, 39' long, about 8500 lbs. IT is about 5 years old. We previously towed with a Toy Sequoia and did that last year with no problems.



I did read through the manual for the Truck. Brake controller should be "plug and play". There is a menu where you can select add or subtract to the gain for whether or not you want more power from the TT brakes or not.



I'm not sure if the lights were working. We had dropped it off to have the tires and brakes checked. The shop is looking at the controller and wiring to see if it is something simple, but they certainly aren't experts. So when I go pick it up I'll check the lights. Should I be able to visually see the brakes depress on the TT when I push the pedal?


cd :O)

I’m camping right now! And it’s snowing here in southern Indiana!

As you describe your situation, it sure sounds like the contacts on your 7 pin plug on the trailer cable are to blame. Get out there with some contact cleaner and a pipe cleaner. The contacts on the truck mounted connector are new and probably ok. The guys at the RV shop are probably going to clean the trailer plug contacts for you and you’ll be good to go.

To test your trailer brakes, drive slowly and activate them without applying the truck brakes. You should feel the trailer significantly slowing you but not locking up. Use the brake controller sensitivity adjustment to fine tune per the manufacturer’s instructions.

That’s a big boy TT you have Chris7. Make sure you have trailer brakes before leaving. And enjoy your honeymoon trip!

 

[dirtbiker]

TT is a Kodiak Dutchmen, 39' long, about 8500 lbs. IT is about 5 years old. We previously towed with a Toy Sequoia and did that last year with no problems.



I did read through the manual for the Truck. Brake controller should be "plug and play". There is a menu where you can select add or subtract to the gain for whether or not you want more power from the TT brakes or not.



I'm not sure if the lights were working. We had dropped it off to have the tires and brakes checked. The shop is looking at the controller and wiring to see if it is something simple, but they certainly aren't experts. So when I go pick it up I'll check the lights. Should I be able to visually see the brakes depress on the TT when I push the pedal?


cd :O)

That's definitely a good-sized TT that I wouldn't tow any further than absolutely necessary without working trailer brakes. You have a weight distribution hitch for it, right?

Hoping to hear it's an easy fix.

 

[Piper20]

There is a setting for electric over hydraulic brakes on the configuration screen. Make sure the setting is set to electric brakes. Most TT are just electric.

 

[Chris7]

Brakes worked fine when we picked it up. I will be cleaning the contacts and checking that everything is still working this evening. And I have no doubt an RV service center could have figured it on in a flash, but sadly they are all booked through June.


It is a big 'in. We originally bought it when kids were little younger and needed more room. Now they are older and don't want to go or hard to get everyone out at the same time. Our G-pups are going with us, a Great Dane and a Husky, so we will have plenty of room for them.


I'll check the manual for configuring the system.


cd :O)

 

[Chris7]

Trip was great and went off with a hitch. See what I did there. :O)


So the brakes never ceased to work, but the connection is "loose" and we did get a warning to check the wiring several times. I kept the lights on and could see that the trailer lights never went off and we never had a problem slowing down and I was able to manually control the brakes to check them.



The warning light is disconcerting so will still have a RV shop or person take a look and see if maybe the trailer side needs to be replaced. A neighbor mechanic gave us some Electric Connection grease to try, as well.


cd :O)

 

[old medic]

AWESOME... glad you had a good trip