stevertr

OK...I've been reading all your trailer posts with both interest and surprise.

When I got the trailer hitch with the car, I just assumed that if I wanted to tow something, it had some kind of a "plug" that plugged into the receptical on the back of the bumper. Having "plugged it in" my understanding was that the lights, signals, brakes, and everything else would just "work."

Now I'm reading about needing to wire this and that, buy a brake controller, and a collection of miscellaneous Volkswagon parts, put together god knows what on the back of the car, and then start opening up my fuse box and installing wires in there.?!?!?!?!

I'm a devout sportscar fan....but I've never towed anything in my life, and I have absolutely no freakin' cliu what this is all about or how to do it.

I'm assuming that a "brake controller" is something that allows the car brakes to operate the trailer brakes...but I thought that was contained within the receptable on the back of the hitch....

I don't know what this brake controller looks like....or whether it goes in the car or outside the car....

Now I'm reading about something that I need to do inside the car where the fusebox is...but I'm not sure what, or how I get wires from the fusebox back to the bumper....

I don't need a wiring diagram...but can anybody give a very brief synopsis of what this is all about??

Thanks all....

Steve

2004 Cayenne TT
2004 Yukon Denali
2002 BMW 325 CIC
2000 Ford Windstar
1994 Ferrari 348 Spider

Torags

Most boat trailers have surge brakes (no controller req'd). You need a US receptacle on the truck, so you can plug in a US plug for lights. They failed to put the US recept on my S, so the dealer did for free.

With surge brakes you get a "no lights" alert on your display. There is no communication between lights & truck with surge brakes. The brakes have brake fluid and operate when you apply the truck brakes (by inertia weight - like seat belts)

Larger trailers use electric lights that need a controller. You can read about the issues they have on this thread.

I have not had one iota of trouble with my surge brakes (I tow 6000lb load). I feel left out :-(

Renn 951

I don't get such an alert with my Trailex with surge brakes.

GM Austin

I think Torags means to say:

There is no communication between trailer brakes & truck with surge brakes.

and also:

Larger trailers use electric brakes that need a controller.

Torags

GM.. I stand corrected - thanks (I'm typing challenged)

Renn 951: I don't seem to get the alert everytime I apply brakes: just sometimes????

Renn 951

Torags: do you have LED lights or incandescent? Seems like there are more reports of problems with LED lights.

Torags

Incandescent

Toby Pennycuff

See, if you stay away from those fancy (LED) lights, no problems! Isn't that right, Lewis?

Toby

ltc

Hi Toby,
Welcome back from the 930 forum

Much like a dog who can't resist car tires once in motion, I can't resist LED lighting.

I have offered to redesign the trailer control module next time I'm over there, but there are other things I need to do first

ajauch

I have a (3500 LBS) boat trailer with surge brakes. I've never had an alert. There is a little icon on the display that flashes <1> when I use my turn signal. No icon or anything when I hit the brakes. I just assumed this was normal. Is this the "alert" that you're talking about?


STEVERTR: Towing is dead simple. On my truck, the light/power adapter wasn't installed even though the hitch was. The dealer put it on for me (less than a hundred bux). All the hoo-ha you see on the list is for big trailers that have electric brakes. You need a controller in the truck to operate those. If you're towing a boat or a smaller trailer (less than 5000 LBS), you won't have these problems.

I have pictures of the setup on my truck. Let me know if you want to see them.