Brake Control Question
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Brake Control Question
96 F250 Powerstroke.. quick question on how to decipher if your truck originally had a factory installed tow package- when I picked it up I had a 4 pin round and a 7 way adapter with a real crusty receiver, there is no controller in cab.. I have changed out receiver, removed 4 pin round and installed a 4 flat... now I need to put in a brake controller.. anyways.. the the 7 way is labeled 'ford' and plugs into existing tail lighting,, in the cab I have some wire hidden behind the kick board on the passenger side -pair white and black in a wire loom that obviously went to old controller before it was removed.. trying to figure out if I should buy a controller that needs to be wired in (and redo everything) or if I can use one with the plug in to the factory connection... so after all that where would that factory plug in for the controller be hidden if the truck originally came that way?
anybody?
and thanks
anybody?
and thanks
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: San Ramon Ca.
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My wires broke out under the dash under the cubby. They are dark blue, white, light green and red. Red is power, white ground, green is the brake pedal switch, and dark blue is the trailer brakes.
You should find two harnesses on the back of the truck. One with brown/wht (marker lights), yellow (one side brake) and dark green (the other side brake).
A second harness is seperate from the first with dark blue, orange and red/yellow wires. The dark blue is your trailer brake, the orange is the 12V+ feed to the trailer, and the red/yellow is reverse lights on the trailer.
Look at your power distribution box under the hood and see if you have two relays hanging off the back. If so, your 12V+ and reverse lights will work, if not you got screwed by Ford like me. You need the relays to get these circuits to work.
HTH
Aaron
You should find two harnesses on the back of the truck. One with brown/wht (marker lights), yellow (one side brake) and dark green (the other side brake).
A second harness is seperate from the first with dark blue, orange and red/yellow wires. The dark blue is your trailer brake, the orange is the 12V+ feed to the trailer, and the red/yellow is reverse lights on the trailer.
Look at your power distribution box under the hood and see if you have two relays hanging off the back. If so, your 12V+ and reverse lights will work, if not you got screwed by Ford like me. You need the relays to get these circuits to work.
HTH
Aaron
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Junior User
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My wires broke out under the dash under the cubby. They are dark blue, white, light green and red. Red is power, white ground, green is the brake pedal switch, and dark blue is the trailer brakes.
You should find two harnesses on the back of the truck. One with brown/wht (marker lights), yellow (one side brake) and dark green (the other side brake).
A second harness is seperate from the first with dark blue, orange and red/yellow wires. The dark blue is your trailer brake, the orange is the 12V+ feed to the trailer, and the red/yellow is reverse lights on the trailer.
Look at your power distribution box under the hood and see if you have two relays hanging off the back. If so, your 12V+ and reverse lights will work, if not you got screwed by Ford like me. You need the relays to get these circuits to work.
HTH
Aaron
You should find two harnesses on the back of the truck. One with brown/wht (marker lights), yellow (one side brake) and dark green (the other side brake).
A second harness is seperate from the first with dark blue, orange and red/yellow wires. The dark blue is your trailer brake, the orange is the 12V+ feed to the trailer, and the red/yellow is reverse lights on the trailer.
Look at your power distribution box under the hood and see if you have two relays hanging off the back. If so, your 12V+ and reverse lights will work, if not you got screwed by Ford like me. You need the relays to get these circuits to work.
HTH
Aaron
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Junior User
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anywho.. wired in the brake controller.. simple enough.. but didnt think of it.. wired power (for controller) and auxillary power to trailer both directly off battery.... how much draw will the brake contoller have directly connected to batt? must be minimal.. should i bother switching the brake controller power to a 'iginition on' lead?
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Brake controller is wired directly to the batt from the factory.
You did not find a three wire harness on your truck? The connector is a four wire, but only three are used. There should be two heavy wires and one smaller gauge wire... Even the non tow package trucks have the harness, just not the relays.
Or so I thought...
Worst case scenario is that you have to install a 12 gauge wire from the controller to the rear of the truck.
HTH
Aaron
You did not find a three wire harness on your truck? The connector is a four wire, but only three are used. There should be two heavy wires and one smaller gauge wire... Even the non tow package trucks have the harness, just not the relays.
Or so I thought...
Worst case scenario is that you have to install a 12 gauge wire from the controller to the rear of the truck.
HTH
Aaron
