questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

[ihaveabrownboat]

The regular pulling vehicle to take the new-old boat to the lake will be an old 02 1/2 ton Silverado. Some snowy Saturday this winter want to add electric brakes to the trailer and set the truck up run it. If someone who has been there before would take a look at the following two pics to confirm what I'll need for the truck I'd appreciate it.

The truck doesn't have the round seven pin connector in the rear that apparenlty many do. There's a distribution block behine the rear tire (as shown). The four wire plug harness is marked with a red tracer line in the photo. By its orientation I don't even know if it comes through the distribution block. Looks like it stays inside the harness wrap and makes a homerun somewhere up farther forward. There is no connection in front of the spare tire as I've seen a few pictured. With this harness in the truck what will be involved in getter the pair (or more?) to the rear that will be necessary for the brakes?



Underneath the dash is this junction block. Does it look correct to supply the connection to run a brake controller?




Thanks.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Picture # 2 - I don't think so since the directions for the direct fit plug specify that drilling is required:
Tekonsha PART NUMBER: 3025-P
http://www.tekonsha.com/content/products.aspx?lvl=3&parentid=1400&catID=1445&part=3025-P

For picture #1 - talk to the dealer and get the factory 7 pin kit.

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

For picture #1 - talk to the dealer and get the factory 7 pin kit.

The "factory" kit that's being suggested; connects where? The four wire harness is part of the main rear harness. Is a new rear harness being suggested? Or is it only a rear pigtail that plugs in to that distribution block replacing something already there?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

The "factory" kit that's being suggested; connects where? The four wire harness is part of the main rear harness. Is a new rear harness being suggested? Or is it only a rear pigtail that plugs in to that distribution block replacing something already there?

Should just attach to the distribution block in place of what is there. Havn't run accross a modern pickup that wasn't prewired.

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Should just attach to the distribution block in place of what is there. Havn't run accross a modern pickup that wasn't prewired.

Thanks. Didn't know what to expect. If it's that simple I'm a happy camper. Will hit the dealership parts counter and will hope it's as easy as a different pigtail.

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Last follow up. The responder's suggestion above that contemporary vehicles were all pre-wired got me wondering why this one would not be. Connector at the bulkhead under the dash for a controller is there as is the fused location in the main fuse panel. Then I realized that I didn't put the hitch on this truck and didn't know what else might have been done at the time. Just assumed since the normal looking four wire connector was coming out of the harness loom that it had, in fact, always been that way.

Thinking that might be a mistaken assumption just took a quick look. Six inches up the harness wrap from the four wire plug are the unused wires from the original seven wire plug and splices on the other legs. Guy that installed the hitch before the truck came home from the dealership just cut off the seven wire plug and spliced on a four wire connector since that's what was being connected to. Using a plug-in adapter was, apparently, too much trouble.

Now just need a new seven wire pigtail.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Now just need a new seven wire pigtail.

I'd just find a junkyard with a 2002 silverado locally and pull the harness. Probabally as cheap as buying one you have to solder on.

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

I'd just find a junkyard with a 2002 silverado locally and pull the harness. Probabally as cheap as buying one you have to solder on.

Found what will in this case be an even easier solution. Hopkins part # 47185 is a connector with both a four and a seven pin connector on the output side and a factory sealed pigtail on the input side. Length on the truck harness will reach the pigtail. So I can make the wire connection and gain the plugs I wanted all in one piece. Will put a Deutsch connector in between the two for service and call it done.

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Another post in this now old thread in case someone should try to learn something from it later. This will apply to 1999-2002 Silverado without the heavy duty towing package from the factory (been doing my homework).

Behind the rear tire there is a trailer wire pigtail. It's got six wires. First impression is it's got everything you'd need for lights and brakes in a seven wire hookup but doesn't include the A+ lead that would be hot all the time. That's the lead you'd need for a breakaway box. So you'd see it all back there and think (like I did), "voila, if I'm not hooking up a breakaway box I'm good, it's all here."

Not so trailer bait. There is a blue wire back there in the trailer harness. It's not a lead from the proportional controller. This lead is light blue. You need a dark blue that doesn't exist at the back of the truck. This light blue is actually another light source. Would be used for a camper light or some other switched source.

Go up to the fuse box under the hood and remove the lid and the cover. Adjacent to the box but unhooked is the accessory trailer brake connection. Blue wire that comes from the controller connector under the dash and is ready to go on to the back of the truck and a red that will be the power to the brake controller but doesn't come from the factory hooked up.

To finish the connections to the rear of the truck you'll pull a pair from the connector at the rear to the fuse panel. The blue wire at the connector at the rear will go the blue wire next to the fuse block. The other wire coming from the rear will be the A+ source for an always hot connector at the rear for a breakaway connector. It connects to a power stud on the right front corner of the fuse panel. No fuse in the panel for that source either. The socket for it takes a maxi-fuse type fuse. The last connection will be the red hot wire in the factory harness adjacent to the fuse panel but previously unused.

That one takes power to the controller. To power it you connect it to a power stud at the fuse panels right rear. It comes originally with a Weatherpack type connector that would attach to a harness that's part of the heavy duty towing package. When you're adding it after the fact like this cut that connector off, put on a ring terminal, and attach it to that power stud.

That, boys and girls, is what you'll have to do to get proportional braking controls to the rear of a 99-02 Silverado without the factory heavy duty towing harnesses and if you're using a proportional controller with a jumper harness to mate to the factory connection underneath the dash. It's just a two wire pull and hook up. Nothing at all difficult about it; after you finally find the harness to connect to.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Wow. Nice job figuring that out. Adding the brakes to the trailer will seem pretty straightforward after that.

Do you have the P3 controller? I added electric brakes to my trailer last year and I've been very happy with them, and the P3 controller is very nice.

Jim

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Thanks and, yes, I do have the P3 controller. It went in the truck last night. Got to see all its little lights and icons. Have to put the brakes themselves on the trailer yet. That's the pile of parts over in the other corner of the shop. But that's a much more straightforward bolt on. No banging of head against the wall for that one.

The little P3 controller is a cool part. Looking forward to playing with it a bit in operation and getting it dialed in for my boat and trailer. After you drop the boat in the water will it lock up the trailer wheels easily when pulling away from the ramp?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

The little P3 controller is a cool part. Looking forward to playing with it a bit in operation and getting it dialed in for my boat and trailer. After you drop the boat in the water will it lock up the trailer wheels easily when pulling away from the ramp?

Yes, but only if you are really jumping on the brakes. If you are running with an empty trailer for more than just up to a parking lot then you will want to reset the max braking to a lower value.

What I have typically done with mine is set the brakes for an empty trailer (car trailer) and then use the 3 boost levels to increase the brake pressure for a loaded trailer. This might not work as well for a boat trailer since the unloaded trailer is so light in comparison to the loaded trailer.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

I use the Tekonsha P3 controller with my electric/hydraulic brakes. To keep the tires from skidding I have to set the level down to 2 or so. I normally run at around 7

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Thanks guys. Still have to get the brakes on the trailer to dial it in. Controller is now mounted and all is tidy in the truck. Half way done.

 

[MRS]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

I Have these two one on the left for trailer brakes when boats is launched I unplug the two prong witch is power to the brakes boat back on plug back in good to go. The right one is for regular four wire trailers I just plug in and go.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

I unplug the trailer electrical whenever I'm dipping the trailer.

Jim

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

I unplug the trailer electrical whenever I'm dipping the trailer.

Jim

D'uh (Homer Simpson moment). I do too. Habits from the days of incandescent bulbs. Will be doing the same thing before the trailer goes in the water again. Brakes onboard the trailer won't change that. Wasn't thinking ahead (or at all).... :facepalm:

 

[bruceb58]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Mine are all sealed incandescent....never get unplugged.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Mine are all sealed incandescent....never get unplugged.

Mine are all unsealed incandescent - also never get unplugged

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: questions on electric brake installation 02 Chevy

Old habits die hard. I'll still unplug. Byproduct will be not having to screw with the trailer brake controller settings or forgetting to screw with controller settings and dragging the trailer up the ramp.