Trailer brake wiring??
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Registered User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 76
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From: Lufkin, Tx
Trailer brake wiring??
Ok I went to install my trailer brake controller in my '05 dodge 2500 CTD tonight and the directions arent matching up with the wiring under the dash. I am going to be hauling my '86 chevy to a OHV park tommorow and it is gonna be raining so I would like to get them wired up first thing in the morning. Here is what info I have found out. I have a OEM harness to plug into the harness under the dash. The 4 wires that are on the factory harness under the das are
Black ------------------White
White with red stripe---Red
Green-------------------Blue
Tan with red stripe ----Black
The white, red, black, and blue are the wires that are on my OEM harness that plug into the harness under the dash and wire up to the controller. On my controller the wires are
Black=== Battery +
Red===== Stop light
White=== Ground
Blue==== Brake
There was a little piece of paper that had what each color on the factory harness under the dash are and the colors on the list are not matching up with the colors on the harness under the dash.
Black ------------------White
White with red stripe---Red
Green-------------------Blue
Tan with red stripe ----Black
The white, red, black, and blue are the wires that are on my OEM harness that plug into the harness under the dash and wire up to the controller. On my controller the wires are
Black=== Battery +
Red===== Stop light
White=== Ground
Blue==== Brake
There was a little piece of paper that had what each color on the factory harness under the dash are and the colors on the list are not matching up with the colors on the harness under the dash.
DTR's Night Watchman & Poet Laureate
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 1
From: Lyndon KS
If I were in a hurry and wanted to be sur eit was done right, I think I wouldnt bother with teh factory harnes and just wire it direct.
Run at least a 12 gauge wire directly from teh positive terminal of the battery to teh black wire and use a GOOD splice, the screw type are much better than teh cheap crimps, tho they willget you by if nothing else.
Teh ground needs to run to a GOOD chasis ground, NOT DIRECTLY TO TEH BATTERY. I run mine through teh fire wall to teh Battery to chassis ground point and fix it there.
The Red ties into teh Brake wiring harness, ussualy at the brake switch. Be certain you are splicing it into the wire taht is only hot when the brake is depressed, or the controller will not function and it'll possibly activate your ABS warning light.
Run a 12 guage from the Blue wire on your controller to teh trailer plug and you should be good to go.
I try and use the same color wires as I am connecting to on teh controller( blue to blue , red to red) to simplify troubleshooting should the need arise.
OR, you can take teh factory harness under the dash, one should be hot all teh time, that is your battery wire, one should only be hot whent the brake is depressed, that is your brake switch connection, then you'll have to trace the other two to see which is the ground and which goes to the trailer plug...
( You could apply 12V to two remaining one at a time, with a test llight on the brake terminal of the trailer plug and find it that way)....
Run at least a 12 gauge wire directly from teh positive terminal of the battery to teh black wire and use a GOOD splice, the screw type are much better than teh cheap crimps, tho they willget you by if nothing else.
Teh ground needs to run to a GOOD chasis ground, NOT DIRECTLY TO TEH BATTERY. I run mine through teh fire wall to teh Battery to chassis ground point and fix it there.
The Red ties into teh Brake wiring harness, ussualy at the brake switch. Be certain you are splicing it into the wire taht is only hot when the brake is depressed, or the controller will not function and it'll possibly activate your ABS warning light.
Run a 12 guage from the Blue wire on your controller to teh trailer plug and you should be good to go.
I try and use the same color wires as I am connecting to on teh controller( blue to blue , red to red) to simplify troubleshooting should the need arise.
OR, you can take teh factory harness under the dash, one should be hot all teh time, that is your battery wire, one should only be hot whent the brake is depressed, that is your brake switch connection, then you'll have to trace the other two to see which is the ground and which goes to the trailer plug...
( You could apply 12V to two remaining one at a time, with a test llight on the brake terminal of the trailer plug and find it that way)....
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 76
Likes: 1
From: Lufkin, Tx
If I were in a hurry and wanted to be sur eit was done right, I think I wouldnt bother with teh factory harnes and just wire it direct.
Run at least a 12 gauge wire directly from teh positive terminal of the battery to teh black wire and use a GOOD splice, the screw type are much better than teh cheap crimps, tho they willget you by if nothing else.
Teh ground needs to run to a GOOD chasis ground, NOT DIRECTLY TO TEH BATTERY. I run mine through teh fire wall to teh Battery to chassis ground point and fix it there.
The Red ties into teh Brake wiring harness, ussualy at the brake switch. Be certain you are splicing it into the wire taht is only hot when the brake is depressed, or the controller will not function and it'll possibly activate your ABS warning light.
Run a 12 guage from the Blue wire on your controller to teh trailer plug and you should be good to go.
I try and use the same color wires as I am connecting to on teh controller( blue to blue , red to red) to simplify troubleshooting should the need arise.
Hoep this Helps.....CD
on edit, I am not as stupid as my spelling would indicate..
Run at least a 12 gauge wire directly from teh positive terminal of the battery to teh black wire and use a GOOD splice, the screw type are much better than teh cheap crimps, tho they willget you by if nothing else.
Teh ground needs to run to a GOOD chasis ground, NOT DIRECTLY TO TEH BATTERY. I run mine through teh fire wall to teh Battery to chassis ground point and fix it there.
The Red ties into teh Brake wiring harness, ussualy at the brake switch. Be certain you are splicing it into the wire taht is only hot when the brake is depressed, or the controller will not function and it'll possibly activate your ABS warning light.
Run a 12 guage from the Blue wire on your controller to teh trailer plug and you should be good to go.
I try and use the same color wires as I am connecting to on teh controller( blue to blue , red to red) to simplify troubleshooting should the need arise.
Hoep this Helps.....CD
on edit, I am not as stupid as my spelling would indicate..
I was pretty much trying to keep from having to run a bunch of wires under the truck and hood just to keep everything looking factory looking and so that when I trade this truck in I can just unplug everything. I already have all the wiring to just plug it in I just need to figure out which wires are what on the factory harness under the dash. I have been searching and found on another site that list what each wire on that factory harness is and the colors they are listing are not matching up to what I have under the dash either. I am wondering if maybe the harness that is there under the dash is not factory. When I bought the truck about 7 months ago I could tell the previous owner had a 5th wheel and brake controller wired up.
DTR's Night Watchman & Poet Laureate
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 1
From: Lyndon KS
Then test each wire in teh harness to determine function:
one should be hot all the time, that is your battery wire, one should only be hot when the brake is depressed, that is your brake switch connection, then you'll have to trace the other two to see which is the ground and which goes to the trailer plug...
( You could apply 12V to two remaining one at a time, with a test light on the brake terminal of the trailer plug and find it that way)....
one should be hot all the time, that is your battery wire, one should only be hot when the brake is depressed, that is your brake switch connection, then you'll have to trace the other two to see which is the ground and which goes to the trailer plug...
( You could apply 12V to two remaining one at a time, with a test light on the brake terminal of the trailer plug and find it that way)....
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 979
Likes: 3
From: Mostly near Tampa Fl
The factory supplied harness is complete. Just follow the directions, not the colors, and you will be fine. I did mine some time ago and do not remember the actual color connections but if you follow the connection directions supplied with each component you will be fine. and not like the Chevy all fuses and connections are in place so that once connected correctly everything is ready to go. Take an extra few minutes, don't rush and all will be fine.
DTR's Volcano Monitor, Toilet Smuggler, Taser tester, Meteorite enumerator, Quill counter, Match hoarder, Panic Dance Choreographer, Bet losing shrew murderer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 965
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From: Kenai Alaska
The colors didnt match on my DrawTight either but like donhov said it works well following the directions. Kind of nice to be able to splice the wires (I soldered) on the work bench, than just plug the factory harness in.
DTR's 'Go to Guy'
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,811
Likes: 4
From: Indiana
The engineers were just having fun , I'm sure, on this one! They have all 4 the same color wires, but the only one that matches color to color is blue! WHY? OH WHY, OH WHY!?!?!?!? Engineers......... yesterday they couldn't spell it, today they is one!
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DTR's 'Go to Guy'
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,811
Likes: 4
From: Indiana
Oh yeah, just follow the directions. I questioned it the first time I put one in and checked the wires to make sure. If you want to, that would be understandable, but the instructions "should" be right.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 911
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma
many thanks for the detailed instructions!
saved my bacon tonight. 8k trailer hooked up ready for a road trip in AM. not huge weight..... brakes are nice to have working!
saved my bacon tonight. 8k trailer hooked up ready for a road trip in AM. not huge weight..... brakes are nice to have working!
Originally Posted by robert97dodge;
Ok I went to install my trailer brake controller in my '05 dodge 2500 CTD tonight and the directions arent matching up with the wiring under the dash. I am going to be hauling my '86 chevy to a OHV park tommorow and it is gonna be raining so I would like to get them wired up first thing in the morning. Here is what info I have found out. I have a OEM harness to plug into the harness under the dash. The 4 wires that are on the factory harness under the das are
Black ------------------White
White with red stripe---Red
Green-------------------Blue
Tan with red stripe ----Black
The white, red, black, and blue are the wires that are on my OEM harness that plug into the harness under the dash and wire up to the controller. On my controller the wires are
Black=== Battery +
Red===== Stop light
White=== Ground
Blue==== Brake
There was a little piece of paper that had what each color on the factory harness under the dash are and the colors on the list are not matching up with the colors on the harness under the dash.
Black ------------------White
White with red stripe---Red
Green-------------------Blue
Tan with red stripe ----Black
The white, red, black, and blue are the wires that are on my OEM harness that plug into the harness under the dash and wire up to the controller. On my controller the wires are
Black=== Battery +
Red===== Stop light
White=== Ground
Blue==== Brake
There was a little piece of paper that had what each color on the factory harness under the dash are and the colors on the list are not matching up with the colors on the harness under the dash.
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