I'm not familiar with that one, I have the tekonsha prodigy model. I can reach down and slide a bar to engage the brakes. I'd recommend you independently test the trailer first... in my experience, 9 times out of 10 its a trailer wiring issue.

 

I figured it out today and the issue is in the trailer, I used a volt meter and a test light and everything on the truck side is working as it should and with the test light the controller also lit up. The Controller needs resistance to light up.


Now I need to figure out how to wire the trailer up correctly.

 

Your main four wire for lights are yellow (Left) and green (Right) for turn signals and brake lights, brown for tail lights to both lights, white for ground (make sure that one is good for certain as nothing else will work if it's not good) and then blue is your brake actuator. Black is accessory. If the trailer is older, you may have broken wires or corroded connections. I grease my connectors regularly and I still have the occasional issue.

If the trailer has set for a while, the magnets in your brake assembly may be rusted.

 

The Magnets did look rusty, When i had it apart, I am thinking I will just rewire and change the brakes and start fresh. I don't want to replace the Hubs/Drums but Ill try to clean them up inside a bit. I believe I only have two wires running to each tail light and one to each marker light, Does this sound right? Tail lights do Parking/Braking and turn signal.

 

Tail light is one wire and brake and turn is the other. The markers are wired to your tail lights. The trailer body is your ground. If you decide later to go with LED lights, you'll have to run a ground wire to each light. Incandescent will glow even if dim, with a poor ground. LED's are either on or not. On your brakes, hook the trailer up and have someone step on the brakes. See if the cam in the brakes rotates. Since it's electric, you won't blow the system apart. If the cam is working and your shoes and drums are good, you should be good to go.

 

Google is your friend on the harness tips. I've owned the same trailer for a long time. Last time I went through the wiring, I added a junction box at the front. Cleans things up, and allows me a good and easy test point for my DVM.

 

How does the following plan sound,

I'll get the Brake kit and the junction box linked to below.
I'll run 10 Ga blue wire to the brakes along with white ground or get a duplex wire in a jacket but I won't run across trailer from brake to brake I'll do a home run to junction box from each side.

I'll then use a 14 gauge duplex jacketed wire and run to each tail light and then a single wire to each marker, I believe the lights are all self grounding. I gues I'll need to run a ground from junction to trailer as well. I think running home runs will eliminate a few splices.



https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0098M5L...v_ov_lig_dp_it



https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/etrailer/e99011.html

 

I agree, splices are usually the first place to corrode and cause you issues, so if you want to spend a little more for the extra wire and heavier gauge to ensure you don't have to get under that trailer again - go for it.

I'd be tempted to just clean up your brakes, unless its really crusty in there. Although $60 shipped might not be worth your time messing around.

 

I also had a problem with the cheap 3 bulb lamp across the back of my trailer, way too often the red lenses would break... I found this one and haven't had a problem since.

 

That's a bit overkill but heavy wires reduce issues. I've made battery cables out of 2 gauge wire when I can't get 0 gauge. Especially on 6 volt systems. Straight wire off a spool is also a good idea. If you use the trailer a lot, this will make towing it less of a headache. Run dedicated ground wires and you can use LED lights if you want. I like the way they light right up and are clearer. They do dim over time but still out shine incandescent.