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  1. #21
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flip94ta View Post
    I have adjusted my brakes so tight the wheel doesn’t spin one full revolution if I try to spin it by hand. Yet my brakes feel weak too, when new I had to set my gain to 8.5, I have it set at 9.5 now.

    So today I started to rewire the brakes. Etrailer says the brake wire should be 12ga or preferably 10ga. 14ga was installed on mine, it’s it’s kind of a sloppy job, it’s about 6ft too long, has an extra splice and I’m told that wiring running through the axles is only 16ga! I’m now gonna run 14ga to the left and right sides of the unit. I’ve read that is effectively an 11ga setup. I’ll report back this weekend. I’m hoping to be able to back off the preload on the brakes since they are running a little hot as is.
    I agree, I completely rewired mine, I ran 12ga marine wire from the connection in the pin box all the way back to axles and replaced the wires in the axles that go to each wheel. I feel my brakes work well on a 20k trailer with my brake controller set to 6.5.

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    2023 Momentum 398M-R
    2023 Ford F-450

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  2. #22
    Seasoned Camper bryancass's Avatar
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    I just called the dealer and asked about what they do with brakes before selling a used camper -- they of course say they check the brakes (which I believe) because it has to pass NY state inspection. She said they do have a doohickey they can connect to the 7-way on the truck to make sure it's putting out the proper voltage for brakes, and if that's OK they'll check from there and see if there's a problem on the trailer. If that inspection is free, I'll have them do that and we'll see what I can then take home and fix.
    2017 Imagine 2150RB
    2016 Silverado CC LTZ with 8-speed transmission

  3. #23
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    Measure voltage at each brake Assy with brake away switch pulled and compare it to voltage at the battery. That will tell you how much voltage drop you are getting due to wiring.

    Here’s a good article on testing trailer brake magnets. https://www.etrailer.com/faq-testing...-function.aspx
    Jerry & Linda
    Emma & Abby our Mini Golden Doodles & JR our Amazon Parrot
    2017 Reflection 337RLS, Build Date 01/2017, Titan Disk Brakes, Goodyear G614s 235/85/16 G Rated tires
    2022 F-450 King Ranch Ultimate, 4,868 lb Payload, Bedrug Bedliner, Andersen Ultimate II Aluminum 5th wheel hitch
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  4. #24
    Seasoned Camper Flip94ta's Avatar
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    Well I’ll save you the trouble of testing the voltage drop. Added the 14ga leg to the curbside today in addition to the factory 14ga leg that feeds the street side. I had intended to clean up the factory wiring on that side but ran out of time. I did snip the wires they were feeding though the axles, it’s worthless 16ga.

    When I picked up the trailer in August I set the gain to 8.5, after adjusting the brakes this spring I was at 9.5. After installing this leg today and just testing it in the drive way I’m going to be at 5.0 or less. I also took one click out of my drum adjustment. They now spin 4-5 rotations per push compared to one rotation

    The factory setup is completely inadequate. This is how it should have been built. 30 feet of 14ga feeding the 8ft of 16ga through the axles is terrible.

    2018 F-250 6.7L Leveled, 35’s.
    2019 Imagine 2500RL, 640w Solar, Lion UT1300s, 3000w Inverter
    CRE3000, Sumosprings

  5. #25
    Seasoned Camper bryancass's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flip94ta View Post
    Well I’ll save you the trouble of testing the voltage drop. Added the 14ga leg to the curbside today in addition to the factory 14ga leg that feeds the street side. I had intended to clean up the factory wiring on that side but ran out of time. I did snip the wires they were feeding though the axles, it’s worthless 16ga.

    When I picked up the trailer in August I set the gain to 8.5, after adjusting the brakes this spring I was at 9.5. After installing this leg today and just testing it in the drive way I’m going to be at 5.0 or less. I also took one click out of my drum adjustment. They now spin 4-5 rotations per push compared to one rotation

    The factory setup is completely inadequate. This is how it should have been built. 30 feet of 14ga feeding the 8ft of 16ga through the axles is terrible.
    Excellent, thanks for testing that. I will plan on replacing the 16ga wire next time I get the trailer home. Did you just use solderless crimp connectors and splice in the 14ga then?
    2017 Imagine 2150RB
    2016 Silverado CC LTZ with 8-speed transmission

  6. #26
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bryancass View Post
    Excellent, thanks for testing that. I will plan on replacing the 16ga wire next time I get the trailer home. Did you just use solderless crimp connectors and splice in the 14ga then?

    Bryan,

    I think you misunderstood what Flip94ta did to modify his Imagine.

    He totally removed or eliminated the 16 ga wire that fed the curb side brakes through the axle

    Instead he ran a new additional 14 ga wire from the trailer connector down the curb side to feed the brakes on that side.

    So now the 2 brakes on the street side are being powered by the original 14 ga wire and the 2 curb side brakes are being powered by the new 14 ga wire.

    Simple and Ingenious solution.
    Jerry & Linda
    Emma & Abby our Mini Golden Doodles & JR our Amazon Parrot
    2017 Reflection 337RLS, Build Date 01/2017, Titan Disk Brakes, Goodyear G614s 235/85/16 G Rated tires
    2022 F-450 King Ranch Ultimate, 4,868 lb Payload, Bedrug Bedliner, Andersen Ultimate II Aluminum 5th wheel hitch
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  7. #27
    Seasoned Camper bryancass's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerryr View Post
    Bryan,

    I think you misunderstood what Flip94ta did to modify his Imagine.

    He totally removed or eliminated the 16 ga wire that fed the curb side brakes through the axle

    Instead he ran a new additional 14 ga wire from the trailer connector down the curb side to feed the brakes on that side.

    So now the 2 brakes on the street side are being powered by the original 14 ga wire and the 2 curb side brakes are being powered by the new 14 ga wire.

    Simple and Ingenious solution.
    Ah, OK got it. So the brakes are powered in series, with one 14ga wire from the 7-way to the street side, then a 16ga from there over to the curb side? And he cut the 16ga and ran another 14ga in parallel from the 7-way directly to the curb side. Where did you splice in the new 14ga wire? Can you take a picture of that connection so I understand how it's wired up? Sorry, but I don't have my trailer here or I'd just go out and look.
    2017 Imagine 2150RB
    2016 Silverado CC LTZ with 8-speed transmission

  8. #28
    Seasoned Camper Flip94ta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bryancass View Post
    Ah, OK got it. So the brakes are powered in series, with one 14ga wire from the 7-way to the street side, then a 16ga from there over to the curb side? And he cut the 16ga and ran another 14ga in parallel from the 7-way directly to the curb side. Where did you splice in the new 14ga wire? Can you take a picture of that connection so I understand how it's wired up? Sorry, but I don't have my trailer here or I'd just go out and look.
    Yes to your first question, that’s the factory set up.

    Yes to your second question.

    To do this you’ll need 30ft of marine jacketed 14/2 wire. I bought mine at a boat/marine store for $1 a foot. Not the metal shielded one. It’s looks just like the One GD uses but it’s probably white. You’ll also need some 3M 314 connectors, same thing GD uses. I bought a 50 pack cause that’s what amazon had, but I’d get atleast 15 if you want to tidy up any factory stuff or make a couple mistakes like I did. These are great connectors, gel filled and no stripping. They are rated 14-22 gauge, but 10-12ga fits if you strip the insulation.

    The wiring is kinda simple, just a lot of steps. Look at the pic below, the thick blue is the brake wire from the truck, the black is the wire from the emergency disconnect. The small blue the factory 14ga that runs to the rear. You use the 314’s and some jumper wires to create the second leg.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Here are the steps as far as I remember

    Disconnect power!

    Pull plate from junction box

    Wrestle off your Halex connector that is attached to the back side/rear of junction box. Feed your new 14ga pos into the junction box through that.

    Then attach the new ground to one of the screws that go into the frame. You might want to wire brush off the paint fit a good connection there, I also did my factory ground screw as well since they just bolt to a painted frame.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Snip those three wires in the pic, run the thick blue into a 314, run two 5” jumpers in the other two holes and crimp it.

    Run the black wire into a 314, run two 5” jumpers in the other two holes and crimp it.

    Take a jumper from the blue and a jumper from the black and add that factory 14ga positive leg to it and crimp it.

    Take your other two jumpers and your new 14ga pos and crimp that.

    Run a new ground ring terminal to your new 14ga leg. I used the screw that holds the cable stay behind the junction box.

    I then stuffed that new leg in to that plastic conduit that runs into the belly. I pulled the front five screws from the coroplast and fed it to the curb side. Than ran it down to the front leaf spring hanger. At that pint I exited the coroplast. Every trailer is different, I had low point drains and spray foam blocking my path.

    Pull the wheels.

    I then used 1/8” bit and decent self tapping screws to hang a couple cable stays to the frame.

    Used two 314’s hole side down and made about a 12-14” leg down to the axle, three positives in one 314, three negs in the other. Should like like a T.

    Attached 12-14” leg to axle using drip loop.

    Ran the other leg to the rear axle. Be sure to mount the 314’s hole side down on the back of the drum as well.

    I then snipped and taped the 16ga through axle wire on both sides of camper, I think this requiring installing 314’s on the street side drums.

    I’ll try to take a couple more pics tomorrow. I’m still experimenting with the gain but it seems like it will now be in the 3.5-4.5 range, and that’s after taking one click out of the brakes to loosen them.

    2018 F-250 6.7L Leveled, 35’s.
    2019 Imagine 2500RL, 640w Solar, Lion UT1300s, 3000w Inverter
    CRE3000, Sumosprings

  9. #29
    Seasoned Camper bryancass's Avatar
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    OK, so the idea is to tap into where the brake power from the truck and the 14ga to the brakes are connected and redo the connections so that you get a second 14ga positive wire running out of it. So the negatives run all the way back to the brake actuators? They are not grounded to the frame?
    2017 Imagine 2150RB
    2016 Silverado CC LTZ with 8-speed transmission

  10. #30
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bryancass View Post
    OK, so the idea is to tap into where the brake power from the truck and the 14ga to the brakes are connected and redo the connections so that you get a second 14ga positive wire running out of it. So the negatives run all the way back to the brake actuators? They are not grounded to the frame?
    Not grounded to the frame. When I did mine I used a 12/2 marine wire. Both connected in the junction box where the 7 pin connector comes into the camper. I hooked the ground wire at the ground junction in the box and the +12v wire to the + brake wire off the 7 pin connector. I ran that wire all the way back to the brakes and tapped into it for each axle.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
    2023 Momentum 398M-R
    2023 Ford F-450

    SOLD - 2021 Reflection 311BHS
    SOLD - 2017 Momentum 399TH

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