I recently bought a new trailer to tow behind my 2006 Country Coach Allure. I noticed that as soon as I apply the brakes on the couch the trailer brakes lock up. My neighbor who is a car mechanic looked at the setup and said that he thinks Country Coach wired the brake lights and trailer brakes together. He said he thought there was a plug in type device that would eliminate the brakes from being fully applied. It basically is applying full breaks as it would if I was using a separate break system that was turned up way to high. There is no separate trailer break system in the Country Couch like there is in my truck.Does anyone out there know of a device I can buy and plug in to prevent this?

Do you have a brake controller? If not then you have to install one and fix what ever wiring mistake the coach (a couch is something you sit on) builder made to the wiring. Or just run new wiring for the controller.You cannot use electric trailer brakes without a controller.

Yes you need an electric trailer brake controller. If you don't have one then unpredictable results can occur. You don't mention what type of chassis you have however there are harnesses for most chassis available that allow you to directly plug in to the coach wire harness.

Even WITH a brake controller...as when I was towing a travel trailer...the electric brakes on the trailer are tied into the brake lights. Every time I hit the brakes, the brake lights would go on....as would the trailer brakes.Normally, i would guess if one presses the brake pedal his foot is off the gas.I found that out when pulling up a mountain...I went under 40 mph and accordingly put on the 4-ways. ALSO in the brake system. Took me about 20 neck-jarring moments to figure it out. So...off went the 4-ways.All you can do with a brake controller is CONTROL the amount of braking the trailer does.This is what is causing your problem...I think the brake light/trailer brake combo is the standard wiring for all/any brand.

An inertial brake controller properly set up will activate the trailer brakes only when it senses the tow vehicle slowing down with the brakes activated. Both conditions must be true before the logic will send a signal to the trailer brakes. 4-ways should never activate the brakes on their own. If this happens your wiring is incorrect.

Brake controllers should control the voltage on a separate pin (pin 2) from the brake lights (pins 5 and 6). It is possible that the coach is mis-wired and when the brake lights are on there is voltage present on the brake wire. This should NOT happen under any circumstances. If the coach was set up for towing a toad then it is possible that the plug is mis-wired. To check use a test light or a 7 way plug tester. Pin 1 is ground, pin 2 is trailer brakes, pin 3 is running lights, pin 4 is +12 constant battery, pin 5 is Left turn, pin 6 is right turn, pin 7 is backup lights. I hope this helps!

Trailer Brakes Are Locking Up | Good Sam Community

keefr
Explorer
Nov 25, 2014
An inertial brake controller properly set up will activate the trailer brakes only when it senses the tow vehicle slowing down with the brakes activated. Both conditions must be true before the logic will send a signal to the trailer brakes. 4-ways should never activate the brakes on their own. If this happens your wiring is incorrect.
jerseyjim
Explorer
Nov 25, 2014
Even WITH a brake controller...as when I was towing a travel trailer...the electric brakes on the trailer are tied into the brake lights. Every time I hit the brakes, the brake lights would go on....as would the trailer brakes.
Normally, i would guess if one presses the brake pedal his foot is off the gas.

I found that out when pulling up a mountain...I went under 40 mph and accordingly put on the 4-ways. ALSO in the brake system. Took me about 20 neck-jarring moments to figure it out. So...off went the 4-ways.

All you can do with a brake controller is CONTROL the amount of braking the trailer does.

This is what is causing your problem...I think the brake light/trailer brake combo is the standard wiring for all/any brand.
msturtz
Explorer
Nov 25, 2014
Yes you need an electric trailer brake controller. If you don't have one then unpredictable results can occur. You don't mention what type of chassis you have however there are harnesses for most chassis available that allow you to directly plug in to the coach wire harness.
ScottG
Nomad
Nov 25, 2014
Do you have a brake controller? If not then you have to install one and fix what ever wiring mistake the coach (a couch is something you sit on) builder made to the wiring. Or just run new wiring for the controller.
You cannot use electric trailer brakes without a controller.

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