Electric brake problem solved!

[Dave in NY]

I had posted a few days ago about not being able to get the brakes to work on a trailer I have. Turned out the cause was the socket on my truck.The pins inside didn't look too bad,but it wouldn't let the brakes work.All the lights were fine.Strangely enough when I hooked up to a different trailer everything worked.Wired in a new socket with nice bright shiny pins and the problem is fixed! What had me befuddled was everything was OK with the other trailer.GO figure huh.Nothing like chasing a problem and going in the wrong direction! Lots of good ideas from you guys who responded.Thanks!

 

[Ryan - WI]

Dave,
I have had an issue with my connectors in the past where they will bend just enough to not make good contact. It is frustrating as hell because everything works well when you probe it. I am guessing that the other trailer had just enough different of a plug that it still made good contact with the truck side.

 

[jd 530]

Sometimes it helps if you take a small screwdriver and spread the pins on the truck and stick some emory cloth into the trailer end. I have replaced many because of poor contactsThanks 530

 

[Anonymous-0]

Now before the connector pins corrode again, go get some silicone dielectric grease and apply to all the contact surfaces. Its not so strong it will not let the metals contact but it will keep moisture away for years. I've been using Ford WA-10 D7AZ-19A331-A for that purpose and its worked for years.

Gerald J.

 

[PatMz]

I spent two weeks testing, rewiring, testing, and more testing with my '04 F250 before I found that the trailer brake wire in the factory harness had corroded right behind the receptacle. Mag-Chloride got in through a pin puncture wound and turned almost all the copper to copper chlorate!

There were 3 or 4 strands intact in the trailer brake wire just behind the truck receptacle that would show continuity, but when the controller sent [b:654c4848f0]REAL[/b:654c4848f0] juice those little strands couldn't carry it.

 

[jose bagge]

It's an amazing deal- invariably when you open the connector on the truck the terminal that's green and mossy is the one that powers the brakes.