Trailer brakes/controller acting funny

[G-Auto]

Hoping someone can shed some light on a recent problem I have encountered. I had bought a trailer real cheap and then re-wired the entire thing and also put new brakes on. The problem I am having is I believe with my brake controller. If I pull the pin for the breakaway, all 4 lock up (dual axle). If I use the manual over-ride, all 4 lock up. The problem I am having is when I try to use the brake controller and the standard brakes. If I leave the wiring as is, I get nothing no matter how it is adjusted with the dial(on two different brake controllers). When i first took a look underneath, I saw a wire that someone had jumped from the white wire on the switch on the brake pedal to the red wire coming off of the brake controller. If I hook that back up and try it then all I get is full brake as soon as I tough the pedal.

My questions to start are....
1. Should I have to jump any wires on my truck for this?
2. If so which ones?
3. Should the white wire be reading 12 volts right away after engaging brake pedal or should it be proportional based on the amount of push on the pedal?


Thanks guys. It's a 10,000 pound trailer so I really need the brakes.

[KensAuto]

the white wire is ALWAYS ground on a brake controller, black is power, red hooks to brake lights, and blue goes to trailer (this is at the controller itself)

[nick1camper]

Did you replace the dummy fuse under the hood with a real fuse? That could be why it's not working.

[G-Auto]

Right. It was the white wire coming off the brake pedal switch (not the brake controller) that had been jumped to the red on the brake controller. Is there any reason that I should have to jump anything with the factory wiring in the truck ready from a brake controller?

[G-Auto]

Originally Posted by nick1camper

Did you replace the dummy fuse under the hood with a real fuse? That could be why it's not working.

I have not. The box was installed by one of the PO's but it couldn't hurt to check. What should I be looking for? Thanks.

[pud383]

U know there is a harness that just plugs in
That would eliminate the chance of it wired to the wrong side off the brake switch
What brake controller do u have does it have level and gain or is it self leveling

[nick1camper]

Originally Posted by G-Auto

I have not. The box was installed by one of the PO's but it couldn't hurt to check. What should I be looking for? Thanks.

Look in the under the hood fuse box. find the one for the trailer brakes. if the PO didn't know to replace it, there should still be a "dummy" fuse in that spot, and would explain why they had to "jump" wires to get power.

[G-Auto]

Originally Posted by pud383

U know there is a harness that just plugs in
That would eliminate the chance of it wired to the wrong side off the brake switch
What brake controller do u have does it have level and gain or is it self leveling

I have the wiring harness for the controller. It's a draw-tite activator III. I'll check the fuse.

Thanks guys.

[G-Auto]

Originally Posted by nick1camper

Look in the under the hood fuse box. find the one for the trailer brakes. if the PO didn't know to replace it, there should still be a "dummy" fuse in that spot, and would explain why they had to "jump" wires to get power.

Would the manual over-ride still work without the fuse though?

[nick1camper]

Originally Posted by G-Auto

Would the manual over-ride still work without the fuse though?

I'm not sure, but it never hurts to check the easiest things first, says I. LOL.