trailer brakes failed, any brake experts on here?

The inside of the axle rusts and is rough which wears out the wire jacket.

Lynnmor wrote:
Agree with the wire shorting inside the axle theory. Since the short went away temporarily it is because you moved the wires. Your wire nuts and connections is not the problem, all that will happen if the connection is poor is that one or more brakes won't work.

hmmmm,,,, disturbing thought. seems logical. i just wonder what it is rubbing on inside the axle,, i just picture it as a smooth pipe wall inside.

Agree with the wire shorting inside the axle theory. Since the short went away temporarily it is because you moved the wires. Your wire nuts and connections is not the problem, all that will happen if the connection is poor is that one or more brakes won't work.

Rockwind1, many times the wire running into the axle will chafe and short out. My old Dutchmen had the brake wires tied to the outside of the axles. The old wires were cut off and sticking out of the axle holes.
Maybe one of yours is shorted out in the axle and moving the wires was enough to break the connection. Might be worth re-wring via outside the axles.

rockwind1 wrote:

wopachop wrote:
If you end up replacing the connector on the truck let me know what brand. OEM might be overly expensive i havnt checked. We have the same truck.

I have taken a piece of wire and wrapped it around the connector, twisting it tight. I was getting a loose connection there. Could help in your troubleshooting.

Ive seen some people suggest pulling the emergency brake. Then use a clamp meter to verify proper amps to each wheel. I think its something like 3amps to each wheel. To me that asks a lot of that old loose connector.

thanks! i'm a decent backyard mechanic, but electrical stuff always drives me crazy.

updated update

adjusted abrakes a couple years ago and probably onl 2k miles ago. haven't used trailer much in last few years

went under trailer,, checked all connections, they all looked good, pulled wires out of rubber grommet that the wire go thru to reach other side of axle,, both sides,, and wires all looked good.

i found some wire nuts (i had put them on) that looked good but i decided to try to twist them tighter,, they seemed to twist a bit but i have twisted on many wire nuts over the years, residential and automotive and they seemed somewhat tight but i made them tighter. these are brakes i replaced a coupple years ago. i used wire nuts that have the gooey stuff inside,, so no water and dirt gets in them,,, i then used shrink tubing to shrink wrap the wire nut to the wires going into them for a somewhat weather proof connection.

the other wire nuts seemed fine

so now the "sh" is gone,, and the brakes work great again. was it the wire nuts? was it something else i jiggled? cause i jiggled and pulled on all connections,, there a lot of connections,, on the frame side where the main wires are that go down to the brakes on drivers side,, first there are blue butt connects crimped with a professional looking crimper, it looks like. then it goes into these round connecters that i think have gooey stuff inside them,, then another round connect where it goes into the axel to run to passenger side,, then another round connector over there, 2 of them actually of course.

so my question is,,, why does on bad connect on the trailer brakes,, going to only one brake on one side,, if it has a bad connection,, why does every other brake not work? seems like it would be better to have at least 2 of the 3 axles braking,, i have a triple axle trailer btw.

wopachop wrote:
If you end up replacing the connector on the truck let me know what brand. OEM might be overly expensive i havnt checked. We have the same truck.

I have taken a piece of wire and wrapped it around the connector, twisting it tight. I was getting a loose connection there. Could help in your troubleshooting.

Ive seen some people suggest pulling the emergency brake. Then use a clamp meter to verify proper amps to each wheel. I think its something like 3amps to each wheel. To me that asks a lot of that old loose connector.

thanks! i'm a decent backyard mechanic, but electrical stuff always drives me crazy.

If you end up replacing the connector on the truck let me know what brand. OEM might be overly expensive i havnt checked. We have the same truck.

I have taken a piece of wire and wrapped it around the connector, twisting it tight. I was getting a loose connection there. Could help in your troubleshooting.

Ive seen some people suggest pulling the emergency brake. Then use a clamp meter to verify proper amps to each wheel. I think its something like 3amps to each wheel. To me that asks a lot of that old loose connector.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Sounds like brake controller and/or brake power wire to truck 7 pin is failing/shorting
Throws codes w/o trailer connected

Need to disconnect brake controller and check continuity on the Brake Power Wire from controller plug to the 7 pin on truck
No continuity then that wire is shorted some where on truck



Tekonsha Proportional Brake Controllers

i just made an "update" post, right above this one. any thoughts?

Lynnmor wrote:
If this "even when unconnect" means without the trailer, the problem is with the truck wiring.

well,,, update. worked on it this morning and now.

it is now saying "SH" only when connected to trailer. but when i push on manual over ride,, the numbers go up as far as braking power,, but the trailer brakes don't work at all. starting to think trailer side.


checked the connections in junction box where pigtail goes.. all seems good in there.

cleaned truck contacts with brass bore brush,,didn't work as good as i had hoped so put a fine small stone in my dremel which worked great. contacts are super clean and shiny. cleaned spring clamps stlye connection points in pigtail with small flat file and then used small screwdriver to make sure they were closing down on flat male tabs in truck side. they seem weak but pretty sure they are making contact

If this "even when unconnect" means without the trailer, the problem is with the truck wiring.