Posted 2011-12-19 7:04 AM (#139589) Subject: horse trailer brakes locking
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Gainesville, Ga
i pulled a 2 horse WW bumper pull trailer yesterday to pick up a horse the trailer worked great for the whole trip until about 10 min. from the house the brakes locked down. i disconnected the plug and had my wife pull it forward and they released. i plugged it back in and it did not lock up but the brake controler said no brakes connected. then once i got home they locked up again and would not release unless i disconnected the plug. what would cause this? i did have to used an adapter to go the a 7 way plug.
Posted 2011-12-19 8:16 AM (#139590 - in reply to #139589) Subject: RE: horse trailer brakes locking
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
The quality and function of the adapters can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. If you expect to use this trailer and truck combination often, it would behoove you to replace the plug with a dedicated, matched set that is wired correctly.
Posted 2011-12-27 12:53 PM (#139687 - in reply to #139589) Subject: RE: horse trailer brakes locking
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316 Location: Illinois
What Gard said. I put a 7 way on my boat trailer and horse trailer (which came with the old standard 6 way), because it just made sense over using adapters or changing the plug on the truck.
Posted 2011-12-27 2:06 PM (#139688 - in reply to #139589) Subject: RE: horse trailer brakes locking
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
Since it worked well for most of the trip. Either you didn't have brakes then or something changed. I would check the trailer plug for loose or stray wires. Then check the truck connector for the same. A break in the trailer cable might cause the intermitant too.
Posted 2011-12-28 4:51 AM (#139697 - in reply to #139589) Subject: RE: horse trailer brakes locking
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
If the brakes are locking, it can be caused by an electrical or mechanical malfunction. If the problem goes away when the plug is disconnected, the problem is usually electrical.
If the problem is electrical, the locked brakes affect is caused by B+ voltage being applied to the braking system at the wrong time. This can be caused by a bad controller, the wrong wiring or adapter, or errant wiring within the plug connection or the trailer itself.
If the wiring were broken, the brakes would cease to work, or only work intermittently. The brakes would not remain locked. If the braking problem is only common to one trailer or during the usage of a particular adapter, then the truck's controller may at first, be eliminated as being the problem source.
The only other source of power to the brake magnets, can be by a short in the wiring. This can usually be found in the plug or socket, an adaptor that is behaving badly, or the trailer itself, that has had changes or maintenance made to its original wiring. This will usually occur at the front near the plug area.
horse trailer brakes locking
