Trailer brake controller

Boomerbrent · Mar 25, 2005

Hi everyone. I just purchased a new 2005 Chev Silverado pickup which will take delivery on next week. Will need to put in the trailer brake controller, and the truck comes with the harness that plugs in under the dash. My question is, will I still need to purchase the 20 or 30 amp circuit breaker, or do I just use the wiring diagram to directly hook up the harness to the controller?
Thanks!
BoomerBrent

Indydirtfarmer · Mar 25, 2005

All of 'em I've worked with already have the breaker built into the truck, IF it has the harness/trailer towing package. Mind you that I've been working with Dodge 3500's.

jwstewar · Mar 25, 2005

I didn't for my '99 when I did it. The "pig tail" was in the glove box in a bag. Included in that bag was a 30 AMP fuse that had to be installed in the fuse box under the hood. Has worked fine so far. No problems, other than my controller itself is now acting up. I've checked the wiring going to the controller and all is fine, but it won't apply the brakes automatically. I have to manually apply them while applying the truck brakes. I've only towed w/ it 2 or 3 times since that started doing it, but before I tow any more I'll be replacing the controller.

HomeBrew2 · Mar 25, 2005

I don't have any experience with the newer rigs that have all the trailer wiring built in, including brakes but, respectfully, I'd be a little concerned if my brakes were protected by a fuse instead of a circuit breaker. You'd only know the difference if a short blew the fuse and you had no brakes. Obviously, a cb would reset and allow use of the brakes.
Cheers!

KAB · Mar 25, 2005

I just installed a brake controller on another GM vehicle and the company included a connector for 03-04 Full Size truck, it was designed to plug into the controller and into the fuse panel on the truck. No place or directions to add a circuit braker.

As for the 30 amp fuse, that is to activate the AUX (hot wire) to the trailer. Leave it out no extra hot wire to the trailer.

Kurt

rdln · Mar 25, 2005

only needed to plug in harnes for our 03 yukon.

jwstewar · Mar 26, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( As for the 30 amp fuse, that is to activate the AUX (hot wire) to the trailer. Leave it out no extra hot wire to the trailer. )</font>

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I was thinking about that last night - couldn't sleep. I remembered then that it was for aux and not the brakes. I remember now, that one time when I pulled a horse trailer via an adapter from the 7 pin RV to the 6 pin round that I couldn't budge it at first. Seems as though it's brakes were connected to my aux connection. Pulled the fuse. I was then able to pull it just fine - though it didn't have brakes. Don't worry guys, I wasn't hauling animals. I was moving furniture. When the wife and I got married that is what I used to move us from our respective houses. Talk about redneck. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

wroughtn_harv · Mar 26, 2005

In some of the adaptors you need to swap the blue and black wires. Then your brakes will work like they should. It's a common thing.

jwstewar · Mar 26, 2005

I've actually seen an adapter at TSC that was swappable between the 2 different formats. If I were to be pulling a trailer that had that type plug again that is what I would buy. As it were a one week deal I wasn't too worried about it. I was just happy I had lights. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif