Trailer Brake Operation

[Winnie]

Needing to purchase a flat bed car trailer with brakes. Will pull behind our 2016 Vegas. We purchased it from a private party that pulled a jeep with all 4 wheels down using a Blue Ox braking system connected to a 7 flat pin plug. It doesn't have a brake controller nor any evidence that it had one.

Just wondering if one of the 6 flat pins is hooked to the brake pedal that sends variable voltage to the brake controller, ie, the harder you push the pedal, the more voltage is sent to the brakes. Is this possible?

[16ACE27]

That's not the way it works.

The brake controller does provide a variable voltage to the electric trailer brakes through the 7 pin connector, but the amount of voltage delivered is controlled by an inertial sensor, not the brake pedal.

[EA37TS]

If equipped the brake controller plug is usually located under or behind the dashboard based on model chassis. Yes a controller will be required for towing a trailer with electric brakes.

[Winnie]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

That's not the way it works.

The brake controller does provide a variable voltage to the electric trailer brakes through the 7 pin connector, but the amount of voltage delivered is controlled by an inertial sensor, not the brake pedal.

I guess I'm a little confused. Do I need a separate brake controller mounted under the dash that would have this inertial sensor? I'm hoping there's one already integrated into the wiring going back to the rear 7 pin connector. Thanks

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Winnie

I guess I'm a little confused. Do I need a separate brake controller mounted under the dash that would have this inertial sensor? I'm hoping there's one already integrated into the wiring going back to the rear 7 pin connector. Thanks

Newer trucks have integrated brake controllers, MHs do not. There are wireless Bluetooth brake controllers that allow you to skip the wiring hassle.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Winnie

I guess I'm a little confused. Do I need a separate brake controller mounted under the dash that would have this inertial sensor? I'm hoping there's one already integrated into the wiring going back to the rear 7 pin connector. Thanks

Our coach is wired for a controller but none was installed.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Winnie

I guess I'm a little confused. Do I need a separate brake controller mounted under the dash that would have this inertial sensor? I'm hoping there's one already integrated into the wiring going back to the rear 7 pin connector. Thanks

Yes.

No there isn’t a brake controller factory installed.

Buy a controller and plug it into the connector under the dash. Ford provides a pigtail harness so various model brake controllers can be connected. Thor throws the pigtail harness in the manual bag for the coach.

A good trailer shop can install the brake controller in under 10 minutes.

[Edensob]

For my car hauler I bought
Tekonsha 90250 Prodigy RF Electronic Brake Control

Love the thing and the beauty is I can pull with more than one vehicle. Just plug the controller into a cigarette lighter and make sure you're paired to the trailer controller. Does a great job and simple to install.

[nochance]

I needed to install a brake controller on my Axis . I ordered the appropriate controller from Ford but they had no idea where Thor placed the end of the wire in the dash. Called Thor and they could not tell me either. They advertise Axis has a 8000 lb hitch but they cannot provide the brake controller that the law requires for that trailer weight . Then I was told that even a 5000 lb trailer will not be legal because of the gross vehicle weight limit. So I have a genuine Ford brake controller for sale cheap. May even throw in the Axis.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by nochance

I needed to install a brake controller on my Axis . I ordered the appropriate controller from Ford but they had no idea where Thor placed the end of the wire in the dash. Called Thor and they could not tell me either. They advertise Axis has a 8000 lb hitch but they cannot provide the brake controller that the law requires for that trailer weight . Then I was told that even a 5000 lb trailer will not be legal because of the gross vehicle weight limit. So I have a genuine Ford brake controller for sale cheap. May even throw in the Axis.

Sounds like more prior research would have helped with that issue. It's not like the GVWR and GCWR numbers are hard to find.

Might want to hold on to that brake controller because even a 3000 # trailer requires brakes in many states.

[TLeenhouts]

If you are going to buy a trailer, get one with SURGE brakes. No wiring needed and they work like a champ.

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by Winnie

I guess I'm a little confused. Do I need a separate brake controller mounted under the dash that would have this inertial sensor? I'm hoping there's one already integrated into the wiring going back to the rear 7 pin connector. Thanks

If your unit has a 7 pin connector back by the hitch, it is probably per wired for a brake controller. Mine is a Ford F53 chassis. I found the end of the controller, stuffed down in the hole in the floorboard where the steering column comes up. Took a couple hours of searching due to being upside down laying across a seat sideways with a bad neck. I had to buy a Ford pigtail to adapt it to my controller.

[FloridaFlyer]

Originally Posted by Winnie

Needing to purchase a flat bed car trailer with brakes. Will pull behind our 2016 Vegas. We purchased it from a private party that pulled a jeep with all 4 wheels down using a Blue Ox braking system connected to a 7 flat pin plug. It doesn't have a brake controller nor any evidence that it had one.

Just wondering if one of the 6 flat pins is hooked to the brake pedal that sends variable voltage to the brake controller, ie, the harder you push the pedal, the more voltage is sent to the brakes. Is this possible?

Vehicles typically do not have electric brakes, they are hydraulic. When towing a vehicle a ‘brake actuator’ like the Blue Ox Patriot 3 or Brake Buddy is required. These sit between the brake pedal and the floor of the driver’s seat in the toad. When the driver steps on the brake the tow brake system sends a signal to the actuator to physically depress the brake pedal in the toad.

In our previous RV, a TT (we now have a Thor Windsport 35m), we used a Bluetooth connected brake controller which required an app on a so-called ‘smart phone’. I hated the need to physically take a hand off of the steering wheel in order to apply more braking to the TT. Then there were the times when the phone would go into quiet mode and I had to login to my phone in order to access the app.

If towing a vehicle with electric brakes, I would have a wired controller next to the steering wheel. Yes, I still have to take a hand off of the steering wheel, but I don’t have to worry about the controller locking me out. I also don’t have to worry about RFI interfering with the connection or, as happened most recently, the phone and controller losing their Bluetooth link and needing to resync while traveling down the road. Yes, shame on me for not checking before I left but I try to make mistakes frequently so I’m not mistaken for divinity.