How to know if my truck is equipped with trailer brakes.

[Binfordtexas]

I just bought a 2013 Dodge ram 1500. It has an after market back bumper with a 4 prong and 7 blade trailer plug. There is no brake controller in the cab I can find. But I was wondering if I need just a breaker controller or if I will have to wire everything back to the plug. What's the easiest way to figure this out?

[Toolman52660]

If you have someone pushing on the brakes while you check it shouldn’t brake work then?

[Grit_dog]

That’s not how that works. 
And you’re replying to a question that was answered in 2017. 

[Bionic_Man]

Yes, you need a brake controller in order for electric trailer brakes to work from your truck.

[Binfordtexas]

BFL13 wrote:
There is such a thing as a four wire off a 7-pin back at the bumper.

For the bumper 7-pin to work any trailer brakes you need a brake controller in the cab. It will have a Dodge (in this case) adapter plug that gets to the 7-pin.

So I would just need to purchase a controller and wire to the 7 pin?

[BFL13]

There is such a thing as a four wire off a 7-pin back at the bumper.

For the bumper 7-pin to work any trailer brakes you need a brake controller in the cab. It will have a Dodge (in this case) adapter plug that gets to the 7-pin.

[LadyRVer]

My 2013 Dodge Ram 2500 has a built-in brake controller. It is right below the radio with two small handles you sort of squeeze together to set the braking power.