brake controller on a 1995 GMC Suburban 6.5

[bud9899]

I know, wrong forum but this is where all the 6.5 guys hang.
I'm looking at buying a 95 GMC Burb with the 6.5 but it doesn't list the tow package in the build sheet.

Do you know what I need to look for to know if I can add a trailer brake controller? Is there a certain plug or adapter under the hood or dash that is required to install a brake controller? Anything under the rear that would show it has the wiring for brakes and I just need to install the round electrical plug for the trailer lights/brakes?

Thanks guys for any help on this.

Bud

 

[96TD]

My 96 had it when I bought it, but it wasn't factory. You can get the adapter for the taillight part that just plugs into the factory harness, but you will have to run the wires yourself for the brake. It isn't bad.
Let's see if I have can remember from when I did it on my 88. You run one wire from power, on my 96, you can tap it off of the fuse box under hood. That is where the PO tied into. You then ground the unit, and tap into the wire at your brake light switch, at the pedal. Then you run a wire from the controller to the trailer plug. The instructions that come with the controller should be pretty good.
If it already has a 7 pin RV plug, then you may have brake wiring. If you have a 4 pin flat, and a solo wire hanging around, that may be for brakes.

Do you have any trailer wires now?

 

[bud9899]

I'm not sure about the trailer wires. I'm going to look at the truck this evening. My 97 2500 6.5 truck had the controller installed along with stating tow package on the build sheet. It seemed the 97-2000 trucks had all the wiring in place and all that was needed was adding the controller under the dash and the plug at the rear. I wish I knew what to look for on the stock chassis to know if its ready for electric brakes or will I have to add an adapter in the brake lines or something. Its a 2500 series burb with a 4.10 rear end so it seems like it would be almost ready to tow.
Thanks for the help.
Bud

 

[Turbine Doc]

Tekonsha Prodigy http://www.tekonsha.com/prodig.html is what I put on mine and recommend to others, wiring for mine was tucked up behind the drivers side tail light blue & orange wires 12 ga IIRC, other end was in engine bay in harness just below the brake booster easy hookup no plug I had to add that to the wires, what kind of trailer setup you trying to provide for, also the prodigy help line is very good

 

[bud9899]

I guess I don't understand how the brake controllers work. I thought there was something built into the factory brake system that worked with the under dash controller to activate the brakes and apply teh brakes proportional to the amount of brake applied to teh pedal. So I should be able to wire in a brake controller regardless of what the truck has for stock brakes? With the 6.5 its gotta have the brake booster setup that works off the power steering pump. Hopefully the factory wire harness has the wiring installed it just isn't being used at the moment.

I'm off to look at the burb, I have a 10,000 flatbed trailer that I tow once in a while. I doubt I'll ever fill it with 10k of weight but I want to know I can stop it if I do.

A-Team turbo, if I can get another ride with the 6.5 I'd like to add just the turbo to a stock truck and see what difference it makes without any other modifications, well maybe just the 4" exhaust to help let the heat out and the turbo sing out the pipe.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

My 95 had the tow package, but that entaled a receiver style hitch and it had the 4 wires for trailer lights only under the back. I had to run the wires for the actuator myself which isn't a big deal. One wire to the back, one to a ground, another I hooked to the PDC under the hood to one of the empty fuses, and then hooked up the trigger wire to the brake switch. Fairly simple install. In 96 I believe the factory started putting more of the wiring under the dash for it.

 

[Turbine Doc]

Bud that was why I was asking about what brakes are on the trailer, most nowadays are electric brakes, there are some hydraulic units as well, the Prodigy brake control setting will via inertia and boost setting apply brakes progressively depending how big a load you carry, the control will control volts to the brake solenoids, the 4 wire connector part is for the lights, which work with the std brake pedal & turn sigs, the heavy gauge orange wire will be for accessory power/charge, and blue heavy is controlled by brake control to energize brake solenoids at the wheel, or hydraulic system if you have a trailer with hydraulic braking. Brake control mounts in cab and gets brake signal from a terminal on the in cab fuse/relay center

 

[bud9899]

Thanks Guys!

 

[Temblor]

I have a 95burb with a blue and orange wire at rear hitch that runs to eng bay. It looks like someone added aftermarket? Or did it come stock that way? maybe 10 gauge wire? So I am adding a curt controller.. is there a special pug that is supposed to plug in under the dash? I can not find one online. Could you give some details how to hook up ? thanks

 

[bowtiebutler956]

I have a 95burb with a blue and orange wire at rear hitch that runs to eng bay. It looks like someone added aftermarket? Or did it come stock that way? maybe 10 gauge wire? So I am adding a curt controller.. is there a special pug that is supposed to plug in under the dash? I can not find one online. Could you give some details how to hook up ? thanks

The blue wire should be for your trailer brakes. One end connects to the blue wire on your brake controller, while the other end would go in the trailer brake position of your trailer plug. Without seeing your truck, I'd say the orange wire is used for keeping your trailer battery charged if its equipped with the break away brake system, and should be hooked to a 12v power source under the hood. Your brake controller should tell you where the wires go for it, but if memory serves you'll have red-12v power, black-to ground, white-to output side of brake switch, blue-trailer brakes.

Matt

 

[GM Guy]

^ bowtiebutler has it spot on.

if its thick, heavy wire, and held along the frame with the factory style zip ties (looks like two strands of plastic with crossbars) and the wires are bonded to each other, that is the factory wiring.

I think I ran a circuit breaker for each wire. you have to do your own wiring for the brake controller.

I highly recommend the Tekonsha Prodigy P3, it is a very nice controller. you can get it for about half of what local guys sell it by purchasing it on ebay.

If you have multiple vehicles like me, the P3 has a plug on the back, and you can buy a second mounting kit (wiring pigtail, and mounting bracket) for less than 20 bucks, and rotate the controller between rigs. the P3 is auto leveling, so you dont even have to re-level when you switch. VERY handy.


As far as wiring at the butt end of the truck, if it doesnt have one allready, use the aftermarket t-harness you can buy anywhere (wal-mart included) and either buy one of those connector kits that you can plug the two together, or just cut off the 4 pin flat, and together with the 2 wires that run from up front, wire it all up in your 7 pin connector. I chose the Hopkins? Multi-tow 7 pin RV and 4 pin flat off to the side combo plug. it had a pigtail which plugged into the 4 pin flat, and I had to wire the rest.

make sure an use plenty of dielectric grease and good electrical tape (3M Super 88 for me)

Some folks seem to have a rough time keeping the 7 pin RV plug alive, but we arent in the salt belt, and I use WD40 alot, and I carefully insert the plug as to not bend pins, and I seem to be getting by wonderfully with the 7 pin RV. you can also use the 7 Pin Semi truck plug, or the 6 pin round.

THe nice thing about the 7 pin RV is that there is never any re-wiring, it is a nice industry standard. Colors are definitely not standard, but the pin location in reference to function seems to be standardized.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Only on the relatively newer ones is it standardized

 

[atvhauler]

I know, wrong forum but this is where all the 6.5 guys hang.
I'm looking at buying a 95 GMC Burb with the 6.5 but it doesn't list the tow package in the build sheet.

Do you know what I need to look for to know if I can add a trailer brake controller? Is there a certain plug or adapter under the hood or dash that is required to install a brake controller? Anything under the rear that would show it has the wiring for brakes and I just need to install the round electrical plug for the trailer lights/brakes?

Thanks guys for any help on this.

Bud

1995 Chevrolet C/K pickup trucks have a 7-wire trailering harness as stardard equipment.The 4 wire harness is tucked in between the spare tire & the frame cross member.
The blue & red wires are located under the brake booster & inside the frame at the rear.I am not sure if it is standard on the burbs.