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Old 06-12-2020, 02:59 PM   #1
Spooled-up
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Trailer Brake Disconnected Message 2016 Ram 3500 but it's probably not the truck...

Here's the story:

Bought a used 2013 Raptor 332TS from a dealer in MD. I'll make a long story short: Both axles were bent. Dealer replaced just the axles under warranty and kept the same brake/hub assemblies. After the repair, got a "trailer brakes disconnected" message on the way home. Brought it back to them and they supposedly fixed it. No problems until we get 9 hours down the road to WV and then it becomes intermittent. I get the message every few hours and then it increases in frequency.

When the message is on, I have no brakes when squeezing the factory brake controller. I had the truck checked at the Ram dealer and they found no faults. I can plug in to either the in-bed receptacle or the bumper with the message and it stays on. I tried a new umbilical after the first trip home with the brake problem.
I had a local shop check the trailer brakes yesterday and they found a couple suspicious grounds that they cleaned up and said all was good.

As far as I know, no one has removed the wheels and drums from the trailer to check the brakes. It seems like they are assuming all is well with the actual brake assemblies and they look for outside problems and can't duplicate the intermittent failure and call it good.

My question is, assuming the truck wiring is good, the umbilical is good, and the problem is somewhere else downline from the umbilical, what should I check? Any good tutorials on removing the drums and checking the wiring there? I have 2 7k lb Dexter axles.

I'm not afraid to get dirty and I'm tired of wasting my time and money letting someone else half-heartedly chase down my wiring issue without digging deep enough.

Thanks for the help!

-Dave
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Old 06-12-2020, 05:04 PM   #2
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If you have a DC amp clamp, you can check the brakes real quick. Find the break away, it will have 2 black wires. One will be hot and the other won’t have voltage. Attach the amp clamp to the “cold side” and pull the pin. You should get between 12 and 16 amps. If less then it’s time to figure out where it isn’t working. You can jack up each wheel and pull the pin. Which ever wheel doesn’t lock up is where to start.

To remove the drum, take the wheel off. Then take off the dust cap, remove either the cotter pin or the locking ring. 1 1/2” socket to take off the axle nut. After that it’s all about looking at the wiring.
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Old 06-12-2020, 07:22 PM   #3
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Thanks Chuckster. I’ll try that.
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Old 06-13-2020, 05:49 AM   #4
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Also another method to check the brake magnets for potential intermittent issues is to us a multi meter set to ohms scale. Remove the two leads on back side of each hub and measure the resistance if each brake magnet. You should read around 3.2 to 3.5 ohms solidly

If the resistance floats around then the coil winding or lead connection to that magnet is bad and will cause your built in brake control to flag a trailer disconnected error
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Old 06-13-2020, 05:52 AM   #5
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Also another method to check the brake magnets for potential intermittent issues is to us a multi meter set to ohms scale. Remove the two leads on back side of each hub and measure the resistance if each brake magnet. You should read around 3.2 to 3.5 ohms solidly

If the resistance floats around then the coil winding or lead connection to that magnet is bad and will cause your built in brake control to flag a trailer disconnected error
Thanks for that information.
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Old 06-13-2020, 10:03 AM   #6
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ChuckS,

Do I have to cut the leads coming out of each brake and test w the ohm meter? Is there a way to test the magnet if the hub is removed? Im not getting any consistent readings with the ohm meter just tapping into the splices at each wheel.

Thanks for your help w this guys. These kind of problems are a royal pain to diagnose.
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Old 06-13-2020, 10:33 AM   #7
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I pulled the pin and I get between 9-11 amps. When the pin is pulled, each wheel brake is activated - verified by jacking up each wheel and spinning and pulling the pin. All of this with the trailer brake disconnected message showing in the truck.
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Old 06-13-2020, 10:36 AM   #8
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ChuckS,

Do I have to cut the leads coming out of each brake and test w the ohm meter? Is there a way to test the magnet if the hub is removed? Thanks
If the hub is OFF we use a magnetic screwdriver on the magnet face. It will hold pretty good if the magnet is good. Cant say Ive ever used a meter to Ohm out a magnet.
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Old 06-13-2020, 10:51 AM   #9
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Ok, new wrinkle. While my son was messing around with the emergency disconnect, he’d pull the pin and I’d get the Trailer disconnect message and he’d put it back in and it would go back to normal. So far, that’s the only consistent thing I’ve found that sets it off. Maybe a faulty emergency disconnect?? Nothing I do wiggling the emer disconnect seems to set off the warning when the pin isn’t pulled though
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Old 06-13-2020, 10:53 AM   #10
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I pulled the pin and I get between 9-11 amps. When the pin is pulled, each wheel brake is activated - verified by jacking up each wheel and spinning and pulling the pin. All of this with the trailer brake disconnected message showing in the truck.
9-11 is low for 4 brakes. Something is wrong somewhere. You might end up just nipping all the wiring and redoing all the connections as there may be one or two that are only connected by a strand or two. Best to use waterproof connectors.
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Old 06-13-2020, 12:08 PM   #11
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Ok. I’ll do that and report back. I have some shrink solder connectors I’ve been wanting to try out. They solder and shrink tube all in one w a heat gun.
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Old 06-13-2020, 01:14 PM   #12
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Ok. Passenger side is done. Drivers has a 3 wire into one splice I’ll have to do with solder.

Passenger side ohm reading was 3.0 on the front and 2.8-2.9 on the rear axle. Does this mean my magnets are worn out?
Readings are solid.

Driver’s side was 3.1 front and back.
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Old 06-13-2020, 08:01 PM   #13
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The resistance readings you posted for first magnets checked is acceptable ... check the other side as well

Verifying the resistance of an electro magnet coil tells you whether that coil is functioning properly... if the resistance floats around or is too far out of stated spec it can cause the factory brake control To think something in the circuit has changed thus causing brake control module to flag “trailer disconnect” warning

The standard wiring on a dual axle trailer is that ALL 4 brake magnets are wired in parallel .. Any change in restance in any one of the 4 brake coil magnets will cause issues

Pic is from Dexter service manual... Red circled items ....
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Old 06-14-2020, 10:12 AM   #14
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Thanks ChuckS. After resplicing at each wheel, I haven’t had the Brakes Disconnected message yet, but it’s just sitting in the driveway.

Between the umbilical and the brakes, is there a junction box or some other piece of hardware where there could be bad connections/grounds I could check or is it pretty much a straight run to the brakes from the pin box area?

Really appreciate the help guys.

Dave
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Old 06-14-2020, 02:40 PM   #15
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Umbilical connects to trailer wiring at junction box. From there is should be a straight shot.
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Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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Old 06-18-2020, 09:09 AM   #16
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Well, I think I got it fixed. This trailer has been to two separate dealers for the brake issue. One was under warranty a 5 hour round trip to drop off and again to pick it up. The other was local. Neither one bothered to pull the hubs or they would have immediately seen what I found. Pulling the hubs literally takes a couple minutes and only a screwdriver.

I pulled the hubs and found a wire pinched under a brake backing plate bolt from when they changed the axles and another wire on the other axle that was also missing insulation in the same place.

How these guys stay in business doing such cheap work I'll never know. I lost my brakes multiple times after these guys said all was well. Unreal.

Thanks for all the help.
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Old 06-18-2020, 10:33 AM   #17
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Just had this issue on my 2015 ram. Turned out the trailer pig tail had a damaged connector on the trailer brake pin. New pig tail fixed it.
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Old 06-18-2020, 10:50 AM   #18
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Pains me to say this (being a auto tech myself for many years) but it seems that a number of tech's today take no pride in their work... it's yank it apart and slam it together... no time to check or double check their own work.. Don't want to lump all techs into the same boat.. as I am sure the majority are good but like in all professions, one bad apple spoils the bushel....
Glad you found the issue..... checking those things that were changed prior to the problem are usually a great place to start the search for sure...
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Old 06-18-2020, 11:12 AM   #19
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I have a 2010 ram that had the same problem. I would pull over and stop to check the plug and wiggle it some. The problem would always reoccur so I replaced the plug on the 5th wheel and also now use an electrical spray for plugs( for a better contact) and have never had the problem again. Hope this helps. By the way the new plug fits into the socket much tighter.
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Old 06-18-2020, 09:46 PM   #20
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My neighbor and I were talking over the fence while he worked on his "car". He told me the community college doesn't even teach Diagnostics to those who are being trained to work on vehicles. This may not be a normal situation but I know many of the repair shops only rely on the computer to tell them what is wrong. Of course, the computer may not be able to identify how to fix the problem since it isn't smart enough to identify the problem in the first place.
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