Need help with trailer brake problem
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 117
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From: midwest
Need help with trailer brake problem
Ok I bought a new travel trailer and it has electric brakes. The dealer installed the controller on my 95 F150. I have the connector under my dash that comes with the tow package. I drove home, stop to get gas (no problems) but once i got into town about the third stop light I noticed it seemed like the trailer brakes were stuttering. They did not lock up but it jerked the whole truck. The light on my tekonsha, voyager was like a stobe show. It didnt blink off and on, but all the colors real fast. It concerned me so closer to home I started using the manual slide and everything was fine. It was only when I used my pedal. I hooked up the other day to check things out and made sure the plug was tight and all and again it was doing the stuttering. I looked at the wirring and everything seems to be hooked up right.
The white ground wire from my controller is hooked to a wire that is grounded under my dash and to the white wire in my factory pigtail harness, not sure why they did both. The directions say that the ground has to go to the negative battery post. Is that true or will the factory hook ground work? Any help?
The white ground wire from my controller is hooked to a wire that is grounded under my dash and to the white wire in my factory pigtail harness, not sure why they did both. The directions say that the ground has to go to the negative battery post. Is that true or will the factory hook ground work? Any help?
CO River Rat
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Lake Havasu City AZ
Check out http://www.tekonsha.com/faqvoyager.html - it shows tech support info for the Voyager.
Steve
Steve
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Concord, NC
I have the same pulsing problem with a friend's tekonsha. If you figure it out, let me know; I can't get the power up high enough without it pulsing like crazy. The FAQ's don't list anything about this problem, so I guess we'd have to ask directly.
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Senior User
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From: midwest
I think through tech support and the manual I may haved solved the problem. I redid all the wirring cab and the bumber. The manual said to use butt connectors which I am not a big fan of, and the company that installed mine used these other connectors. I was amazed the recommended connections were butt connectors. Looking in the cab I noticed they had the ground connected to several places, the ground in my tow package and a dash ground. So I redid the whole thing all the wires, went out and reset the trailer brakes according to the manual and no difference. I came home and decided to dig into the bumper wirring, it seemed to me that the brakes were kicking on and off because the manual slide usage caused no problems. I redid that and had no time to test it before leaving for about a 80 mile camping trip. Everything appeared to work fine, no shuttering or strobe light affect on the LED. I think I may have fixed the wire in the bumper area. I will be setting up the brakes again according to manual this week to be sure. I think if this is fixed I will solder the connections when finished, seems better than butt conncectors, unless someone has a good reason not to. Thanks and hope this helps others.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
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From: Marengo, Iowa
The btt connectors are better than those fold over clips, but need to be sealed. I'm no fan of the quick crimp connectors either, but willuse them on occasion, but use heat shrink over them to keep the corrosion from forming.Either that or spend a little more for the heat shrink covered crimp connectors.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,558
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From: Concord, NC
Hmm, that probably isn't my friend's problem. I used the Ford plug in harness under the dash, and it was wired for the 7 pin in the back from the factory. I wonder if it could be a ground problem under the dash. The actual controller might be slightly out of plane from the direction of travel, but I've driven other people's trucks that have had the controller aligned worse, so I'm not convinced that is the problem. I've seen things about a pulse preventor, but I don't know if this is the type of thing it is supposed to prevent or not. Anyone have any thoughts?
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CO River Rat
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Lake Havasu City AZ
Some controllers are real picky about where they're grounded, and need to be hooked directly to the battery's negative post. A pulse preventer only applies if you're towing with the 4-way flashers on, to keep the pedal from pulsing; most newer electronic controllers don't need one.
Steve
Steve
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Concord, NC
That's what I thought the pulse preventor was for, but it's been a long time and I couldn't remember for sure. Thanks. Any idea other than the ground as to why the controller would pulse the brakes under normal operation but not when the manual bar is moved?