Installing a trailer brake controller without tow package

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Iceman06

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So here's the deal. I have a 2006 1500 SLT Quad cab 2wd. I recently installed a receiver on back of the truck. It only came with a 4 flat connector which I understand to mean that the truck is not equipped with the under dash connector for a trailer brake controller. I don't tow often. And when I do, it's a 5'x10' flat bed double axle trailer with about 2500 pounds on it above the axles. I recently bought a 7 pin and 4 pin combo that plugs directly into the factory 4 flat connector. I understand that this will not allow the trailer brakes to work, but it did come with additional wiring to go to the brake controller. So I went ahead and connected the ground wire to the frame, but I'm not sure about the other wires.

I'm just curious about a couple of things. Would it really be worth the time and money to invest in a brake controller and wire it all up to only use a few times. Maybe now that I have a hitch on my truck I'll tow more than I think I will?

Second question that I have is what do I need to do to wire up a controller? I found a OEM wiring kit to add a 7 pin and add the under dash plug for the controller, but I do like the idea of the combo on the bumper next to the license plate instead of just a 7 pin there and a 4 flat dangling down behind the bumper. But is that even a deal breaker when it comes to either having brakes or not?

Like I said I don't tow often with my own truck. I use a company truck most of the time to pull the trailers around. But it would be nice to be able to use my own truck when I need to. So I'm not trying to dump a whole lot of money into something I rarely use. Just curious if anyone had any advice or any good products to recommend that would solve my "problems."


Thanks in advance for any help and I apologize if none of this made any sense.
 

dhay13

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I'm surprised a 5x10 trailer has trailer brakes? But I can't answer your question on a newer style integral box working but I would doubt it would. You can buy a good Tekonsha or other brand box to mount though.
 

18CrewDually

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A trailer that small probably doesn't have brakes. My 5.5' x 10' doesn't. In most states, brakes are not required until 3,000 #s.
 

Smokeybear01

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You might want to check your states trailer brake requirements, they vary from state to state before you go any further. Then you can make an informed decision.
 

MikeT

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If your trailer doesn't have either a 5 or 7 pin female connector it does not have brakes (this is most likely the case). In that case unless you are thinking about towing a different trailer, save your money don't go through all the trouble and expense of wiring a brake controller and the 7 pin connector.

Mike
 
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Iceman06

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So we have a handful of trailers that we pull. One of them has the standard 4 flat plug and no brakes. But the others have the 7 pin and brakes. I was honestly kind of unaware that there would be state laws regarding trailer brakes? But that is definitely something I will look into now. I appreciate the response. I pulled one of the trailers today and it wasn't too terrible without the brakes.
 

dhay13

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Yeah there are definitely laws regarding trailer brakes and states may be different. In PA I believe it is any trailer over 3500 GVWR and ALL axles must have brakes whereas I think Ohio only one of the axles has to have brakes. I could be wrong but just going by our last boat being bought in Ohio. Tri-axle and only 2 axles had brakes and it was legal in Ohio but not in PA
 
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Iceman06

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So I guess my question is would I be terribly wrong to think that I can get by without having a brake controller in the truck? Like I said I rarely tow and when I do it's no more than 4000#s. A brake controller would mean a lot of wiring and more money than I care to spend honestly between the controller and the wiring and the time it would take me to install. I feel like I should be just fine without trailer brakes.
 

dhay13

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Like said, if you have a 4 prong plug on your trailer then you likely don't have trailer brakes anyway so installing a box and wiring won't do anything. 4000lbs isn't bad for no trailer brakes. All of the trailers I have seen with trailer brakes had the 7 pin plug. My boat has a 5 pin plug but the 5th is only for locking out the surge brakes when backing up, which has nothing to do with anything other than a boat trailer.
 

18CrewDually

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Yeah there are definitely laws regarding trailer brakes and states may be different. In PA I believe it is any trailer over 3500 GVWR and ALL axles must have brakes whereas I think Ohio only one of the axles has to have brakes. I could be wrong but just going by our last boat being bought in Ohio. Tri-axle and only 2 axles had brakes and it was legal in Ohio but not in PA


PA trailer brake and break-a-way system is required if trailer exceeds 3,000 #s then it has to have brakes; and/or if the trailer gvw is 40% of the tow vehicles gross weight.
It's under
Title 67
Chapter 175
67 Pa. Code § 175.123. Braking systems.

Like I said most states follow that.
 
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Iceman06

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I have some trailers with the 4 flat that don't have brakes and some trailers with the 7 pin that do
 

Tim7139

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So I guess my question is would I be terribly wrong to think that I can get by without having a brake controller in the truck? Like I said I rarely tow and when I do it's no more than 4000#s. A brake controller would mean a lot of wiring and more money than I care to spend honestly between the controller and the wiring and the time it would take me to install. I feel like I should be just fine without trailer brakes.
In most states 3,000Lbs is the weight were brakes are required.

Curt has a bluetooth unit that would be quick to get operational and does not cost much.

While you may be comfortable expecting your vehicles braking system to safely and consistently accommodate more than 70% of the weight it's designed for, your insurance company and persons assigning liability if something happens may not believe that view could be considered reasonable or prudent.

I can say that when the brakes failed on my 3,500 trailer there was a massive change in stopping distance even on the prairie. Typical driving was possible with engine braking, but if I needed to panic brake I was not stopping for a while even if the trailer decided to stay straight behind the truck.
 

Irishthreeper

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If it’s heavy enough to have brakes then I’d recommend getting some kind of controller so they operate. Otherwise you’re essentially asking your front truck brakes to stop most of the truck and therefore the trailer too. From a legal standpoint and the safety of others it’s the right thing to do, IMHO.
 

StNick

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Just to add a comment about installing trailer brakes or not - In California the limit for requiring brakes is 1500 pounds. Also, as someone may have said, hitting the trailer brakes alone is the best way to early on stop a trailer sway. Brakes may be a wise investment.
 
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