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5th Wheel Trailer Brakes Not Working

hoppe56307

By hoppe56307
in Camping & RVing

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hoppe56307 Experienced

hoppe56307

Posted
Posted (edited)

So I bought a used 5th wheel (98 dutchman lite 28ft long) and I can not get the trailer brakes to work.  I have a newer 3/4 truck with a built in brake controller and it shows me a message when the trailer is connected, it has not shown me this message when I plug the trailer in.  So far I have not been able to get that message, and when I use the manual brake slide nothing happens either. 

Would appreciate any opinions on what maybe wrong, I have looked at and "jiggled" all of the connections at the wheels for the brakes and they all seem to be fine.

Edited by hoppe56307
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Invader440 Apprentice

Invader440

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On our trailer we have for work (ball type hitch) if the battery in the trailer isn't charged up the electric brakes won't work.  Having never dealt with one I can't say for sure your 5th wheel trail has one but if it does, that's where I'd start.  Also a possibility your trailer wiring doesn't match up with the truck as far as where the wires are going to the plug.

Edited by Invader440
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Big Dave2 Grand Master

Big Dave2

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Posted

So I bought a used 5th wheel (98 dutchman lite 28ft long) and I can not get the trailer brakes to work.  I have a newer 3/4 truck with a built in brake controller and it shows me a message when the trailer is connected, it has not shown me this message when I plug the trailer in.  So far I have not been able to get that message, and when I use the manual brake slide nothing happens either. 

Would appreciate any opinions on what maybe wrong, I have looked at and "jiggled" all of the connections at the wheels for the brakes and they all seem to be fine.

​have you hooked your truck up to a different trailer with brakes lately to verify that there is not a problem with the brake controller or truck wiring? If you verify that then we know for sure the problem is in the trailer wiring. First thing I would do then is make sure the plug is wired correctly. Do the running lights, brake lights and turn signals work?

trailer plug wiring.jpg

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Boar Grand Master

Boar

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Just for the sake of sheer stupidity on my part, Its very easy to wire the trailer plug wrong if replacing it. that is the best schematic ive seen yet, cause i wired the trailer plug by looking at the truck diagram when i should have reversed it, the plap door on my truck like many tells what is what but youu have to think opposite. 

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hoppe56307 Experienced

hoppe56307

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Thanks for the help.  I have hooked my truck up to a couple different trailers and they all worked.

I have gotten it fixed.  I bit the bullet and started rewiring all the connections on the trailer, and found a couple were the wires turned to powder once I got them apart.  So everything is working now, other than I think the water pump went out now.

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