What Is Needed To Make Trailer Brakes Work When Towing With 2011 Ford F-450  

Question:

Expert Reply:

There are a few things to consider here. The first thing you need to determine is if there is a 7-way connector already installed on your 2011 Ford F-450. You said you have the electric and hydraulic brake option on your truck. If you have the 7-way connector already installed, then you need to know what kind of brakes you have on your trailer.

If you have electric or electric over hydraulic brakes on your trailer, it will have an actuator that receives the signal through the trailer 7-way connector. In your truck you will need a brake controller installed that will send the signal through the wiring to the 7-way connector.

If you do not have a brake controller but you have the 7-way connector at the rear of your truck and you have either electric or electric over hydraulic brakes on your trailer I recommend a brake controller like the Tekonsha Prodigy P2 Trailer Brake Controller, part # 90885. This is a proportional brake controller that activates your trailer brakes in proportion to your truck's braking action. You would then need the Tekonsha Plug-In Wiring Adapter, part # 3034-P. You would simply plug one end of the adapter into your brake controller and then plug the other end into the built-in harness beneath your vehicle's dash. All of the installation instructions are included when ordering this controller and adapter.

If you have hydraulic brakes only on your trailer and want to convert the system to electric or electric over hydraulic brakes, you can check out the attached helpful articles that explain what is needed when you want to convert or add brakes to your trailer. You can let me know what kind of system you currently have and I can make some recommendations. There will be a plate or sticker on the trailer that will list the towing capacity of your trailer. This makes it easier when selecting the components needed to add a brake system to a trailer.

expert reply by: Jeffrey L

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