What is Correct Gauge of Wire for Wiring Trailer Brakes

Question

Question:

I just purchased a new 20’ tandem axle car hauler. Only the rear axle has electric brakes. The front axle is an idler. I replaced the cheap 7 prong plug that came on it with a quality sealed plug with j-box. I’m getting power to the brakes, but I’m not sure it’s enough to fully activate them. The wire size seems a bit small to me...maybe 14 or 16 ga. I know 12 ga is recommended. I’ve adjusted the pads out to a slight drag. The brakes all work well on my old car hauler and travel trailer, so I know it’s not on the truck side. I even removed both hubs and all looks good inside, and the arm engages the pads when moved manually. Everything else appears fine too. No shorts, no broken wires, and a good ground. Everything keeps pointing me to the wire size. Could that alone be the issue?

asked by: Randy S

0

Expert Reply:

Yes the issue is related to the wire gauge you have. You need to go with 10 gauge wire like part # 10-1-1 (sold by foot) to deliver the amperage and voltage needed for your brakes to activate. 14 or 16 gauge wire is no where near heavy enough for this task.

expert reply by: Jameson C

0

Answer 1

That's a very good question, we tend to be extra cautious and say to use 10 gauge wire because that would be more than enough. When you get into longer trailers that will end up using a lot of wire the heavier gauge wire becomes more necessary.…

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Answer 2

The magnet should only make contact with the inside of the brake drum when power is applied to the magnet. If it is making contact with the drum all the time, you may have residual power running on the brake wire that is just enough to cause the…

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Answer 3

It sounds like you either have bad grounds for the brake assemblies or you are using too small of gauge for the brake assemblies themselves. The brake output circuit should be 10 gauge wire like the part #10-1-1 which is sold by the foot. Make sure…

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Answer 4

Based on your troubleshooting efforts so far I suggest that you test the trailer brakes without using a vehicle and brake controller; you can test the trailer brakes directly by applying +12V power and ground to the appropriate contacts on the…

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Answer 5

All 10-inch electric brake assemblies we offer can be seen on the linked page. These are all for 10 x 2-1/4-inch drums and all use an integrated 4-bolt mounting scheme. You can find 5-bolt mounts in the 12 x 2-inch size but not the 10-inch diameter…

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Answer 6

If the brake magnet is worn to the point that the windings are visible then you know it's time to replace the magnet. However, magnets can also fail without the visible signs of wear. Check out the FAQ article I attached on testing brake magnets…

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Answer 7

The intermittent trailer disconnected message that is appearing on your 2012 Ram 1500 is generally caused by corrosion in the trailer connectors but since you have already checked that we can eliminate that possible cause. I will say that although it…

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Answer 8

Since the trailer is working just fine with your buddy's pickup, we know that the problem is isolated to your 2007 Dodge Ram 2500. What it sounds like to me is that you have a bad ground or some corrosion in the 7-Way connector on your pickup.…

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Answer 9

Hubs and drums that can be turned (machined) will have a specification on how much they can be turned cast into the metal of the drum somewhere. Otherwise it is at the brake shop's discretion. Drums do not have to be turned unless there is some…

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Answer 10

You may have a problem with the brake magnet. First, since you have had the brakes apart, if you happened to notice any of the windings coming though on the magnets, that would indicate that they need to be replaced. Beyond that, in order to test the…

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Answer 11

To adjust your brakes, you will want use a brake adjustment tool and turn the adjustment gear which is accessible through the back of the brake assembly. You will want to tighten the gear so that you cannot turn the wheel, then you will want to back…

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Answer 12

When pulling the hubs off of a trailer and repacking the bearings you will inevitably unseat your brake shoes. Using the Brake Adjustment Spoon for Drum Brakes part #W80630 will allow you to make a slight adjustment to the brakes to tighten them up a…

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What is Correct Gauge of Wire for Wiring Trailer Brakes

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