Brake problems

hummerdinger · 07-18-2005, 06:01 PM

I have a 1974 Ambassador(new to me)--I can not get power (electricity) to my brakes, I tried putting 12 volts right to terminal receiver but got nothing, tried continuity check from terminal to rear brake wires, front to back got nothing. If I put power to wires right at the wheels they work. Sounds like a short somewhere in between, Any suggestions?

Thanks for any advice.

Inland RV Center, In · 07-18-2005, 06:32 PM

Your trailer has an open circuit to the brakes.

Underneath the front end of the trailer, you will find about a 12" X 12" patch.

Remove that patch. You will find wires spliced together. Continue your continuity checks from there.

Andy

TomW · 07-18-2005, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Your trailer has an open circuit to the brakes.

Andy nailed it.

A short circuit would pop the breaker/blow the fuse (if installed) or dim your lights (if no protection is installed).

I'm personally willing to bet its a problem with your tow vehicle's wiring. But I would start with Andy's location.

Tom

hummerdinger · 07-18-2005, 06:53 PM

Andy

Can not find any such patch anywhere under front of trailer. Seems like wires go to left(drivers side) from what I can see from behind couch. I have put power right to LR wheel and it seems like it powered all the other brakes. Does that sound right?

Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Your trailer has an open circuit to the brakes.

Underneath the front end of the trailer, you will find about a 12" X 12" patch.

Remove that patch. You will find wires spliced together. Continue your continuity checks from there.

Andy

Inland RV Center, In · 07-19-2005, 10:33 AM

Mike.

Look some more. Every Airstream has that plate, unless someone has replaced some of the underbelly.

That is where the 12 volt wires are spliced together.

Tests at that junction will tell you where the problem is.

I would not "assume" by adding a wire from the brakes to the front end. You could, possibly, be wiring in a dead short, should the brake open circuit suddenly decide to fix itself.

Andy

buckeye · 07-19-2005, 01:38 PM

I as well have some problems with my brakes.

I hook up the brakes with a 7 way connector, and everything works fine.

Once I go to use the electric brakes I blow the 40 Fuse in my f150 for the tow and lights. ( no brakes no more lights )

I think I have a short in my electric brakes.

Is there a way I can run new wires back to the brakes and bring a neutral forward? Is there instructions or a diagram for this???

Thanks

Inland RV Center, In · 07-19-2005, 02:28 PM

Buckeye.

NEVER, NEVER, EVER, install a fuse in an electric brake line, or a circuit breaker.

Granted a short can develop, however, some braking will still occur, in spite of that.

You obviously have a brake problem, that quite well could be worn out magnets.

Round magnets last 18,000 to 20,000 miles, and then must be replaced.

If not, a short will develop when all of the magnet lining is gone.

That short will only show up, when the brake controller is actuated.

Unless you know otherwise, I would suggest that you pull all the wheels and look at the magnets.

The round magnets are history, when the wear pattern starts hitting the top of anyone of the three screws.

Using them beyond that point, stretches a persons luck, "BIG TIME".

Again, there are no short cuts for safety.

Hard wire the brake line in, after you locate the source of the short.

Andy

markdoane · 07-19-2005, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Buckeye.

NEVER, NEVER, EVER, install a fuse in an electric brake line, or a circuit breaker. . . .

Andy

Wouldn't that be redundant anyway, since all brake controllers require a circuit breaker?

Inland RV Center, In · 07-19-2005, 02:41 PM

This has been hashed before.

DO NOT FUSE A BRAKE LINE.

But for the few of those that disagree, do as you wish. When a sort developes, and you have no brakes, what color will your face change to?

Not funny at all, to those that experienced that problem.

Andy

buckeye · 07-19-2005, 02:46 PM

I did not put a inline fuse in. The Fuse that went was a factory one. There is a specific one under the hood, from the factory.

Are you saying I should remove that one and jumper it out. Or is this fuse ok to have?

markdoane · 07-19-2005, 02:51 PM

Maybe it's been hashed before, but I go by the documentation of every brake controller and the factory (Ford, GM, Chrysler) schematics.

buckeye · 07-19-2005, 02:51 PM

And it seems the only time the fuse blows is when I manual use the brake control and slide it over for the trailer brakes to work.

Inland RV Center, In · 07-19-2005, 03:00 PM

Buckeye.

NO FUSE!!

Look at it this way. If the fuse blows because of a short, you will have ZERO brakes.

In the same set of circumstances, a hot brake line, will still give you some brakes.

The decision is easy.

In the case of a short in an electric brake line, a fused circuit gives zero brakes, BUT, a hot brake line will give you some brakes.

To most safety conscious people, this becomes a very easy no brainer.

Obviously the controller manufacturers will tell you otherwise, but it's "YOU" behind that steering wheel, not them. It's "YOU" that may hit someone, because of "NO" brakes, not them.

Something is better than nothing.

I think that's a tough point to argue against, regardless of circumstances.

Andy