mudhound0530 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 How would i know if my 1500 silverado has the trailer brake controller on it. it has the big round plug for the trailer wire hookup not the 4 wire plug...thanks guys. need to know asap as I'm leaving in the AM (its a friends trailer) now that i think about it do all you guys trailer with trailer brakes??? are they a must? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudhound0530 Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 It will ave something like this in the cab. It has little to do with the plug. The plug will be bigger and most I have and have used are the 7 pin models. You can also buy an adapter to go straight to 4 pin flat plug if you want... CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 X2 what CW said. Plus, if the trailer you are towing has electric brakes, use them or don't tow it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casey Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 GM is pretty easy. The wiring for brake controller is in place. You have to mount the controller under the dash and splice into a wire above the steering column (which goes to the rear) and a power source. In the rear you'll have to separate the big blue wire (it is on my 'Burb and my old 2000 crew cab) from the tail light loom and connect to the correct plug for the trailer (w/electric brakes) you tow. Mine ('96 'Burb) has a 7 pin and aside from the tail/turn/running lights that get installed in the truck side plug, I only used the blue wire for my trailer brake controller. You have a half ton truck. What year? How much does the trailer and load weigh? More than likely it will not exceed the limit for your truck. But it will be close. The biggest problem is your brakes are designed to stop that truck with a full bed at the most. Stopping is the key. I've done it. I towed my Scrambler on a borrowed 16' trailer with my '98 K1500 Yukon. I towed a Bobcat 20 or so miles with it too. It wasn't wired with a controller and the trailer had brakes. The Jeep and trailer weighed about 6500 lbs loaded. It was a struggle for the Vortec 350 to climb up some of the grades around here. You have to pay attention. I didn't make a habit of it and since I've had a big enough trailer I've had a 2500 with a controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudhound0530 Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 Thanks a ton guys. It doesnt have an aftermarket controller in the cab, i thought there may have been a factory deal, i guess not. Its an 01 shortbed silverado 4.8L, not worried about it pulling it. We are going straight to the badlands and will be super careful. Thanks a ton for all the info. I love this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonrider477 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 the 01 1500 chev that i had was prewired for the brake controler.under the dash there was a plug for it.i had to get an adaptor harness(10 bucks on ebay) to link the factory wiring to the brake controler.most of the domestic companies have gone this route as they don't want you hacking into the wiring under the dash and possibly mess us computer or air bag wiring.makes it much simpler imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 If your truck was factory equipped with the 7 prong round plug in the back it's likely the hard part is already done. You should only have to connect a controller to the fuse junction block under the dash. Controllers like the Prodigy come with instructions that make it pretty simple. I've put them on Chevys and Dodges and noticed that the wires in question are even the same color between makes. Have you ever noticed how easily the cops do a "P.I.T." maneuver on TV? That's how easily a trailer will 'knife your tow rig, especially if you try to brake with any steering input going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdesigns Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 If your truck was factory equipped with the 7 prong round plug in the back it's likely the hard part is already done. You should only have to connect a controller to the fuse junction block under the dash. Controllers like the Prodigy come with instructions that make it pretty simple. I've put them on Chevys and Dodges and noticed that the wires in question are even the same color between makes. Have you ever noticed how easily the cops do a "P.I.T." maneuver on TV? That's how easily a trailer will 'knife your tow rig, especially if you try to brake with any steering input going on. didnt that trailer you made out of a mj have brakes?? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 didnt that trailer you made out of a mj have brakes?? I was going to keep the brakes and hook up an XJ ebrake lever for parking purposes. When the brakes were adjusted close enough to work though they made for a lot of rolling resistance. I've always wondered why surge brakes aren't more widely used. It's such a simple system and they seem to work real good on a big boat I used to tow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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