Delavan

Hi,
Looking at a 1984 camping trailer here on a buy & sell site. I have a 2016 F-150, equipped with the electronic brake controller and the tow package.
The trailer i'm looking at is a double axle and only 20ft long. so its not a 6500lbs dry trailer. I have to drive about 3 hours to get there and have a look, potentially towing it back to my place...of course I don't want any surprises.
Am I expected to find a 4 pin or a 7 pin connector? Yes I should have asked the seller....regardless, what was the standard back then? Is there any chances that my truck doesn't "recognize" the trailer?
The seller says he's got a battery that powers the brakes on the trailer...is this for old technology-type brake controller?

Please advise!

mtber

Tandem axle should normally have 7 pin. My dad use to have an old 1980ish Shamrock tandem axle about that size and it had electrical brakes with 7 pin. It even had the white backup light, something not found on newer trailers.

RickC137

The battery on the trailer should be for the breakaway switch. In theory, trailer comes off the hitch accidentally while towing, a wire attached to the tow vehicle pulls a pin as the trailer breaks free, activating a switch that applies the trailer brakes.

Google trailer breakaway switch.

Steve83

You should expect the wiring NOT to work 100% correctly. Either be prepared to repair it (even temporarily), or be prepared to bypass some things (like lights) & do without others (like brakes & battery charging).

Buy a 7-wire connector that fits your truck so you can cut off whatever's on the trailer. If you don't need it, you can return the connector for refund.

PerryB

Yep, that's pretty well put.
Bring some basic tools, black tape and a test light.

Delavan

Jeez I lost my post....anyway,

The trailer is home now. 1978, tandem axle, 21 foot. Good shape considering. The lights worked after I flipped a few bulbs. There is a big round electrical connector. The truck SEE the trailer, but the TBC doesnt. I try to squeeze the TBC switch and it says TRAILER DISCONNECTED.
There was no battery with this...I need to buy one. Should I buy a car battery or a deep cycle marine one? People around here steal batteries apparently.

The brakes are probably shut. The breakaway switch cable was attached to the truck's hitch ears. I don't know better, so maybe I made a boo boo to tow without a battery?
I need the axles, bearings and brakes to be serviced. Darn axles are reversed, the trailer look like a big foot. The owner was towing it with a lifted Ran 2500 diesel..so he raised the trailer that way. I need to reverse that.
I have 4 x car tires Hankook I pike 205 x 65R15 NEW that I can put on it, is it ok or do I need specific trailer tires to increase stability? The ones on it are very old....

Educate me!

mtber

No car tires on a trailer. Use trailer specific tires with load range matched to your trailer weight.

Delavan

Yes, I realize that now. An article on TIRE RACK following your comment. Imight have to dump some more cash into that project!

now I have to find out why the trailer brake controller's activation gives a TRAILER DISCONNECTED error message.

mtber

Have you added your trailer to the truck using the steering control buttons? Do that first, give it a name and such. See if you still have DISCONNECTED. Otherwise, the truck somehow detects the presence of brakes measuring the impedence of the brakes. If it can't detect, you must have an open circuit. Check your wiring and the brakes themselves, open them up to see.

Delavan

Yes I gave the trailer a name. The DISCONNECTED status is triggered if I press the TBC. I'm not very mechanically inclined, and I don't have my own yard, so any mechanical work is a problem. Its parked on the street right now...
Some of the wiring looks jury rigged with electrical tape, I would redo everything and seal with heat shrink, although It will be quite the learning curve.