I just purchased a dual axle trailer with brakes that are powered by a small auxilary battery.

1. Can I easily wire these brakes to my vehicle so that i can use them with my existing brake controller?

2. Should I just not worry about it and use what's there?

3. Could someone tell me the basic principal behind how the brakes currently function. (without a controller)

4. Should this have been posted in "The Paddock"?

Thanks

I believe the small battery is used as a emergency device to apply the brakes if the trailer breaks away from the truck.

makes sense. i forget my RV trailer has 2 full size batteries on it at all times, so i have never needed the small battery.

You need a brake controller.

Prodigy is the one I use for towing. Its an inertial controller and senses the decel. The time based ones suck. Prodigy can be had for $100.00 - you will have to wire it into the TV.

You should have a 7 pin plug in for the trailer. One of the pins is for the brake controller.

Battery on the trailer is for the brake away switch.

M

+1

you need a brake controller.

12 volts direct to the trailer would make things very interesting

I also have the prodigy controller

I told you that I can help you with it. It's easy. I'm no wiring genious and I figured it out when I had my trailer. The battery is probably only for break-away braking. You need that. Otherwise your 7 pin will provide power to the trailer brakes for braking provided you install the aforementioned brake controller.

Thanks. I just was unsure on "how" the brakes worked on the trailer. I never thought a controller was necessary. No biggie, since i have one installed already. I just always thought that the trailer brakes were surge activated and worked without a controller.

On the trailer there should be a small black switch with a length of cable to hook to the tow vehicle. The break away switch locks the trailer brakes if the pin in the switch gets pulled and I actually had to show the CHP that mine worked a couple of years ago. My brake controller manual said to never test it with the trailer still connected electrically as it will burn out the controller box.

It may very well be. How many wires are coming off the trailer? 3/4 or 6/7?

I'll need to check again. I can't remember, and the trailer is at Danny's house. (thanks dan)

You can Google "trailer wiring" and you'll be able to find diagrams to get you hooked up.

Is that a pun paul? are you trying to be funny

I'm going to break down and finally buy a controller after 60k plus miles of pulling the open trailer. Pulling 914's on it with a 3/4 ton crew cab has worked fine. Now that I"m pulling a 2600lb TURD in the Boxster .. I could actually use some extra braking.

First and foremost: Make damn sure your tow vehicle has decent brake pads on it. The stock pads that get shipped with today's trucks SUCK to high heaven. Replace them with GOOD pads (I use Porterfield) this is true with EVERY new truck that rolls off the lot (foreign and domestic)

B

spoke to the PO of the trailer. A controller is neceessary to operate the trailer brakes. now i just need to figure out why they didn't work last night. thanks for the input guys