Hello,I am involved in a boy scout troop that is going to buy a cargo trailer to haul camping equipment. The trailer will be a single axle trailer and have GVW of less then 3,000 lbs - probably in the range of 1,700 lb fully loaded. Some of the vehicles that will be towing the trailer have break controllers and 7 pin connectors while others have simple 4 pin connectors. The question: Can a trailer that has electronic brakes be towed on a vehicle without a brake controller and just be towed as if it was a brakeless trailer?Thank you for you help, Andy

Technically yes. Legally maybe not. You have to check the trailering laws for your state. In WI anything more than 3k lbs requires brakes. But some states its as low as 1k lbs. I would not consider this definitive, but it might help: Towing Laws by State

Tekonsha has a solution for this kind of situation. I have used it and it works great, with the exception that using flashers when going slow up a hill will pulse the brakes. It does need a 7-way, but any parts store will have a 4-way to 7-way adapter, and you will need to run a temp charge with to the battery (or even cigarette lighter). The other two wires on the adapter (trailer brake and reverse lights) don't need to be connected.http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Tekonsha/90250.htmlhttp://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Hopkins/HM47200.html

PS - I suspect the vehicles without their own brake controller are probably driven by folks who don't normally tow trailers? This is probably the person you don't want pulling a trailer with no brakes.

Depends on the laws in your state. MOST states have their own idea of the maximum weight that can be towed without the use of trailer brakes.

To the original question - yes you can tow it, if you make / buy a 7-pin to 4-pin adapter for tow vehicles with 4-pin connectors. No brakes, but the lights will work.Legal? Advisable? Probably not.

Towing trailer with brakes | Good Sam Community

mbopp
Explorer
Jun 19, 2013
To the original question - yes you can tow it, if you make / buy a 7-pin to 4-pin adapter for tow vehicles with 4-pin connectors. No brakes, but the lights will work.
Legal? Advisable? Probably not.
skipnchar
Explorer
Jun 19, 2013
Depends on the laws in your state. MOST states have their own idea of the maximum weight that can be towed without the use of trailer brakes.
carringb
Explorer
Jun 19, 2013
PS - I suspect the vehicles without their own brake controller are probably driven by folks who don't normally tow trailers? This is probably the person you don't want pulling a trailer with no brakes.
carringb
Explorer
Jun 19, 2013
Tekonsha has a solution for this kind of situation. I have used it and it works great, with the exception that using flashers when going slow up a hill will pulse the brakes. It does need a 7-way, but any parts store will have a 4-way to 7-way adapter, and you will need to run a temp charge with to the battery (or even cigarette lighter). The other two wires on the adapter (trailer brake and reverse lights) don't need to be connected.

http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Tekonsha/90250.html

http://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Hopkins/HM47200.html
Campfire_Time
Explorer
Jun 19, 2013
Technically yes. Legally maybe not. You have to check the trailering laws for your state. In WI anything more than 3k lbs requires brakes. But some states its as low as 1k lbs.

I would not consider this definitive, but it might help: Towing Laws by State

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