Brake Controllers & Wiring

Where to start with trailer braking and wiring

These three categories share one job — getting a trailer to stop when the tow vehicle does — but each handles a different piece. One runs the brakes, one takes over when a trailer breaks loose, and one carries the signals both depend on:

• Brake Controllers — reads your tow vehicle's braking and tells the trailer's electric brakes how hard to clamp; this category also covers supplemental braking for flat-towing and the electric brake assemblies and shoes that live on the axle.
• Breakaway Systems — the pin-and-switch kits, batteries, and chargers that apply a trailer's brakes on their own if it separates from the hitch, which most states mandate above a set trailer weight.
• Trailer Connectors & Wiring — the plugs, pigtails, adapters, and harnesses that link tow vehicle to trailer, from a 4-way flat up to a 7-way RV blade.

Chasing a sway or stopping problem on a rig that's already wired? The answer may sit one branch over in hitches and couplers or sway and weight distribution instead.