another brake question.

[Silver Eagle]

I have an 06 -5 starr trailer with tandum wheels, brakes on the front axle. The dealer says that I have so sort of electric brakes and that I need a five wire hook up. I had a four wire hook up and now I have a five wire hook up as well. The problem I have is I can't tell if the brakes even work. The brake reserve is full .And I've only pulled the trailer once this year and I couldn't feel anything. I pull a 24 foot bunk trailer and my truck has plenty of braking power.They say I need to keep the pin in the reciever to back up, some times I do and sometimes I don't, either way I have no problem backing up.I don't think there working all all.When I had my Load Rite trailer I could tell the dfference.

 

[vfrkent]

Re: another brake question.

The fifth wire is for the bypass solenoid so when your backing up the brakes don't brake, the pin would be used only if you didn't have the five wire setup, on most surge brake setups you won't feel the trailer pull back on the tow vehicle because they react to the tow vehicle slowing and only put a minimal amount of pressure on the car or truck.

Regards,
Kent

 

[Silvertip]

Re: another brake question.

I think you care confused by what the dealer said. First you have EITHER electric or surge brakes. Electric brakes do not have a fluid resevoir. Surge brakes do. Surge brakes sometimes have a reversing solenoid that prevents brake engagement when backing up. That is what the dealer was talking about. The fifth wire is connected to the back up light circuit and energizes the reversing solenoid when the tow vehicle goes into reverse. Electric brakes require a brake controller in the tow vehicle to control the brakes.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: another brake question.

You need a new dealer.
Silvertip is right as usual and your wiring harness needs to be adressed for the reverse solenoid. A standard 5 wire setup will not properly connect the trailer for a reverse solenoid as typically the fifth wire is to a brake controller rather than the reverse curcuit.