Brake troubles and Controllers...

[KyMoonshine]

Last Fall I lost my Trailer Brakes on Blue Ridge Parkway and haven't really gotten them to work proper since....I have a 1973 29ft Ambassador..
The brakes will work sometimes...then they will stop working...I replaced the wheel bearings last year and adjusted the brakes at that time...everything looked good..
My question is...what new brake controller will work with my AS? I hear the term hydraulic over electric etc and wonder what controller to buy? I have a older really simple drawtite in it now that I suspect may be the problem.. my TV is a 2001 F350 Diesel Dually
Also if I end up replacing the brakes and buy new backing plates how do I know to purchase 10 or 12 inch? do I measure inside diameter of drum?
Thanks for any info...

[azflycaster]

Your brakes should be 12x2, but it would not hurt to measure them.
Since you have electric brakes, all of the common brands will work. The Tekonsha is probably the most popular brand and the P3 is the latest model. I have the previous model which is the Prodigy which has worked great for me for the past 7 years and over 40K miles.

[Splitrock]

I don't know the answers to most of your questions. The brakes on my 1976 trailer are straight up electric magnet on drum brakes. Any working controller I've tried so far works them just fine. The way I'd test your system is with a 7-way tester. I could eliminate your tow vehicle or identify a problem with it. Very fast and easy. Cost about $10 USD.

If the tow vehicle is fine, then I'd use a jumper light, a small 12 volt battery charger, and a small multi-meter. I'd remove the umbilical cord, and install a new trailer 7-way plug. That will make me re-wire everything. While I'm at it, I'd install a new breakaway switch and test to make sure it works brakes on both sides.

[Big C]

Funny that you mentioned that, but when I got the electric controller installed on my 01 F350 there was a fuse blown under the hood. They replaced it and works fine now. Drivers side, the panel is right up above your filter. Check you owners manual.

[KyMoonshine]

Originally Posted by Splitrock

The way I'd test your system is with a 7-way tester.

A 7-way tester doesn't have an LED for trailer brake line does it?

[Splitrock]

My tester tests for these functions.

[chromis]

I had big problems with Fuses on my Jeep. I had two fuses that kept blowing.. On for the " Brake Lights" and one for the "12v Power Plugs".

I'm definitely going to rewire and do an auto-reset and dedicated line to the battery. I don't quite trust the factory harness..

[HowieE]

If your brakes work some times and not other you have an electrical problem. It is not a fuse problem because fuses do not repair themselves. It may be a circuit breaker if there is one in the circuit. most likely on the power input to the controller. If there is a circuit breaker and that is the problem the breaker may be weak or there is a intermittent short in the trailer brake circuit.When was the last time the magnets were looked at? Magnets will short if the face of the magnet is worn down to the internal wires in the magnet.

[KyMoonshine]

I finally got some time to look at my TV today...I tested Brake controller in truck..all worked well...no problems there...checked signal at back of truck in seven way all worked good there..just rewired and replaced my 7-way in the Fall..... I unplugged cord that runs from truck to AS and tested it there..it was spotty..had to dig around with tester to get good signal.. I think I am losing connection from truck to AS.... gonna go from there and start cleaning connections...
Thanks for info