We just bought a 95 GMC Topkick and a 95 Vermeer 1250. Both units have been reconditioned and we have been very pleased with both items so far. I have one concern with regards to the breaks on the chipper and the controller in the cab of the truck. The company that we bought the equipment said they put breaks on the chipper. I never asked what exactly they meant by that. We recently noticed that the break controller in the cab doesn't light up and when you move the slide the trailer doesn't slow the truck down at all. So I assume that they controller is not working, but I am not sure if it is supposed to or not. On our chipper, there is a new breakaway switch mounted on the tongue.... so I am wondering if this is what they added? Does anyone have any suggestions for me to tell if we have electric brakes on the chipper or if that breakaway switch is all we have? I guess I can call the company we bought the equipment from and ask, but I think this is a very basic question and I feel stupid for not knowing. Any insight is greatly appreciated.
Help with trailer brakes
- Thread starter emr
- Start date
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Welcome EMR, If it has an emergency break-away electric brake activation device on the tongue, it has brakes. The brake controller in the cab activates the same brakes, but proportionally vice full on. Trouble shooting brake controller/wiring problems can be very frustrating even for someone with lots of experience with trailer brakes. I would recommend you try to find a local "trailer" shop, as they usually make quick work of trouble shooting and correcting wiring problems. If you want to attempt it yourself, find the wiring diagram on-line for your brand/model electric brake controller, for your truck and for your chipper. The most common problem is a poor or no ground. With no lights, check power (fuse). A really good basic check is to plug it into someone else's truck and find out if it is your truck, or the chipper that has a problem. When all else fails, sometimes it is easier to run new wires than to find the gremlin. I use large gage wire, solder the joints and use water proof heat shrink. This eliminates many future problems. Hope this helps, good luck.
backwoods12
ArboristSite Operative
brakes
up here that slide style break controller isnt allowed on road.
there fullly automatic last ten years. and electric power opereates ther break pads on trailer
up here that slide style break controller isnt allowed on road.
there fullly automatic last ten years. and electric power opereates ther break pads on trailer
Yesterday I was looking at the controller and found a red wire with an in-line fuse that was not connected to the truck at all. I plugged it into the truck and the controller worked. Now I just have to find the correct spot to plug it in. The fuse box doesn't have a spot labeled for the brake controller. Every slot that I tried so far keeps the controller lit up when the truck is not running. I guess I have to find a slot that only supplies power when the ignition is on. Any thoughts on which slot I should use?
Rookie1
Addicted to ArboristSite
Id get a test light and check all the empty slots for power with key on then turn key off and check for power. Maybe thats why it was unplugged.
That is what I was going to try, but then I found this site:
http://www.etrailer.com/faq_brakecontroller.aspx
Under the "Typical Brake Control Wiring Diagram" section I found out that the red wire needs to be connected to different area of the truck.
http://www.etrailer.com/faq_brakecontroller.aspx
Under the "Typical Brake Control Wiring Diagram" section I found out that the red wire needs to be connected to different area of the truck.
Rookie1
Addicted to ArboristSite
So your saying the red wire is the trigger wire to activate the brakes. In that case yes you will need to find the wiring diagram for that controller and your truck and hook it up to the proper wire or plug.
JJuday
Addicted to ArboristSite
Check all grounds. I had the same problem on my Dodge and gooseneck. Guys who installed the six pin in the bed of the truck and the gooseneck hitch doomed the project from the start when they went too deep with the cable cutters around the trailer whip. Result was it worked great for a few years and then the Indiana winters too their toll and corroded all of the wires that had been cut past the insulator jacket. Racked my brain for days straight, started with controller, ended up at axles with no obvious stuff. Crawled under truck and a wild guess and there it was.
I finally put a seven pin in the bed and tossed the six and whip, no saving either. DC stuff in trucks can act weird, improper grounds can force electricity to find it's own path home or not get back at all. Good luck, Josh.
I finally put a seven pin in the bed and tossed the six and whip, no saving either. DC stuff in trucks can act weird, improper grounds can force electricity to find it's own path home or not get back at all. Good luck, Josh.
I ended up plugging the red wire into the fuse box/relay box and adding a $2 switch so that I can turn it on and off as needed. We have been using it this way for about 2 weeks now and it seems to be working fine. This is just a temp. fix until we can get a professional to look at it. Thanks for all the help.
hi guys trailer guy for 20 years the red wire is activated by the brake light switch when you apply the brakes so you need to tie it in to that wire and you will be good to test trailer brakes hook up battery charger to frame ground on trailer and test terminals on plug on of them will act like a short and the brakes will hum most of the time when this is connected works best if you jack up one wheel and have someone spin it while you contact the wire for a split second if it is the right one the wheel will stop right now. then check the other side .
Phill
Phill
