Forum Discussion

mimmell's avatar
mimmell
Explorer
Jul 08, 2019

Issue with trailer brakes, need guidance

Good evening everyone. My wife and I are new to the travel trailer life and we had an issue on our trip this past weekend.

I drive an 2014 f-250 and we have an Aspen Creek 2850 bunkhouse. We hooked up to leave for the long weekend and the truck threw a “Wiring Fault on Trailer” error. We started driving and then we noticed that the trailer brakes were smoking. Upon inspection, I had accidentally pulled the emergency trailer release cable with the tongue jack.

We installed the plunger and the brakes released. However I am continuing to get the error on the truck and the trailer brakes are not engaging. The initial thought was that I burned up the brakes and they were not functioning. However I got home tonight and inspected the wiring on the brakes and they looked fine. I pulled the plunger on the emergency brake release and the trailer brakes engaged. Installed the plunger and they released. The brakes appear to be functional. So is the issue with the truck trailer brake controller or do I have to reset something on the trailer? Any help is appreciated! Thanks.
  • mimmell's avatar
    mimmell
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2019
    collie hauler, that is my thought as well. My concern is that the emergency brake controller was putting a current into the circuit and that it could have burned up or impacted the TBC in the truck once I had connected it. I have a TBC tester on the way to verify, should be here tomorrow.

    I will take the wheels off this week and see how much heat/damage was done.

    Thanks everyone.
  • trail-explorer's avatar
    trail-explorer
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2019
    MFL wrote:
    IMO, your trailer brakes needed adjustment from the start, and likely more so now, after burning them.


    Bearings need repacked now too, since they got hot from cooked brakes.
    Bearings might even need replaced if they got hot and have turned colors.
  • Lynnmor's avatar
    Lynnmor
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2019
    Did you pull each brake drum and inspect the burned magnets, wiring and brake shoes? Did you check the resistance of the magnets?

    Inspection
  • MFL's avatar
    MFL
    Nomad II
    Jul 08, 2019
    I think you have a wiring issue somewhere between the truck connector and the trailer brakes, that was caused from overheating the trailer brake system. Full power to the brakes by pulling the emergency cable, for any length of time, may cause this. Your 2014 Ford IBC is one of the best controllers available, and is still telling you there is a wiring problem.

    I can't help but wonder, how you could pull the trailer down the road (you don't say how far/how long) with full power to the trailer brakes. IMO, your trailer brakes needed adjustment from the start, and likely more so now, after burning them.

    I think you will need a knowledgeable person, that is familiar with testing trailer brake wiring to check it out, and will need to have the trailer brakes checked and adjusted.

    Jerry
  • JRscooby's avatar
    JRscooby
    Explorer II
    Jul 08, 2019
    mimmell wrote:
    Good evening everyone. My wife and I are new to the travel trailer life and we had an issue on our trip this past weekend.

    I drive an 2014 f-250 and we have an Aspen Creek 2850 bunkhouse. We hooked up to leave for the long weekend and the truck threw a “Wiring Fault on Trailer” error. We started driving


    I'm I the only one that sees a problem with this statement?

    and then we noticed that the trailer brakes were smoking. Upon inspection, I had accidentally pulled the emergency trailer release cable with the tongue jack.

    We installed the plunger and the brakes released. However I am continuing to get the error on the truck and the trailer brakes are not engaging. The initial thought was that I burned up the brakes and they were not functioning. However I got home tonight and inspected the wiring on the brakes and they looked fine. I pulled the plunger on the emergency brake release and the trailer brakes engaged. Installed the plunger and they released. The brakes appear to be functional. So is the issue with the truck trailer brake controller or do I have to reset something on the trailer? Any help is appreciated! Thanks.


    I have a real hard time understanding this. The truck indicates there might be a issue with a major safety device, but you start to drive. And when you start the vehicle proves there is a issue, but the trip is more important...
    As to the minor problem of the brake controller, the paper that came with my after market controller warns of damage in the exact circumstance you describe.
  • MarkTwain's avatar
    MarkTwain
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2019
    Look at the trailer brake manual for your trailer brake switch or call the manufacture of your electrical switch and ask for customer service/tech support.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Jul 08, 2019
    Very possible the issue is with the brake controller....
    When the 'pin' was out of the Emergency Brake Switch the trailer battery would energize the 'brake circuit' (trailer AND TRUCK brake wire) with full battery voltage

    Unplug truck/trailer umbilical cord
    Using a voltmeter test 'brake' power to ground on truck 7 pin receptacle while someone operates brake controller manual lever to full on
    IIRC should be pin 1 (ground) & pin 2 (brake).....7 o'clock/pin 1 & 5 o'clock/pin 2

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