Notices
All Things Towing Conventional, 5th Wheel, Toy Hauler, Flatbed, Gooseneck, Electrical/Brakes/etc.

brake wire question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 20, 2007 | 01:43 AM
  #1  
V10man's Avatar
V10man
Thread Starter
|
Logistics Pro
25 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,955
Likes: 50
From: Mesa
brake wire question

I'm trying to wire the brakes on my neighbor's flat bed trailer. The wires from the drums are both black. The wires from the plug are white and black. The white is ground, the black is positive from the brake controller. I was going to wire one black from each drum to the white wire and the other black to the black from the controller. Is this right? The way it looks now, the black supply wire goes to one black brake drum then the other black goes over to the other side then back to white. Like in series I suppose. It does not show connected on the controller this way. Ant tips would be great. thx
 
Reply
Old Nov 20, 2007 | 06:47 AM
  #2  
Ironhorse7's Avatar
Ironhorse7
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Elizabethtown, KY
After reading the post I was thinking that the brakes should be wired in parallel rather than series. I seem to remember some old science class experiment that shows two light bulbs in series are dimmer than two in parallel. Then I did a quick search and found this:

http://www.championtrailers.com/Elec...l%20wiring.pdf

This shows the brakes wired in parallel.

This shows that one of the black wires from the drums (it really doesn't matter which one) should go to go to the BLUE (or hot) wire from the controller and the other to the white (or ground) wire back through the connector. Don't rely on the hitch to provide a ground path!!

I hope this helps.
 
Reply
Old Nov 21, 2007 | 03:44 AM
  #3  
V10man's Avatar
V10man
Thread Starter
|
Logistics Pro
25 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,955
Likes: 50
From: Mesa
Thanks for the link. I'm gonna try it out tonight.
 
Reply
Old Nov 21, 2007 | 06:07 AM
  #4  
jowilker's Avatar
jowilker
Fleet Owner
25 Year Member
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Club FTE Silver Member

V10man, Excluding electric brakes, there are three wires running the lights. Turn signal and brakes share the same wire and bulb filament for the right and left sides. Tail and running lights would or could all use the same.

You have one tail wire, one for left side, and one for right side coming from the rear of the truck and commonly use the 4 wire flat plug. This is for in case what you see is different from the link.


John
 
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2007 | 10:52 AM
  #5  
V10man's Avatar
V10man
Thread Starter
|
Logistics Pro
25 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,955
Likes: 50
From: Mesa
OK, rewired the brakes at the hubs and all is well. Got the "green" trailer icon on the Ford controller.
 
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:34 AM.

story-0
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

Slideshow: Top 10 Fords at 2026 Ford Nationals

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 11:10:08


VIEW MORE
story-1
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

Based on years of owning multiple modern Ford products.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-09 10:53:36


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

SPONSORED: From muddy boots to rain-soaked cargo, these upgrades address some of the most common frustrations Ford truck owners face every day.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-06-08 18:50:34


VIEW MORE
story-3
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

Here's everything you need to know about every Ford engine available for the 2026 model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-05 12:58:01


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Ford trucks that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 09:51:16


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: the best gifts for dads & grads

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:58


VIEW MORE
story-6
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 11:38:36


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE