Trailer brake wire

Olliejunkie · Apr 23, 2018

Decided to run new wire to my brakes. Thought I would run 10 guage. I found some stuff that claims it's 10 guage but does not meet AWG. I slipped my strippers on it and would say it's somewhere between 14-12. Guess that's what get for being cheap.

jon f mn · Apr 23, 2018

For tandem trailers I buy a length of cheap
2 wire extension cord and run one down for
each side. You get a ground and hot in each
one and 2-14ga is more than enough. And the
extention cords are durable and easy to
secure and last longer than any other wire
I've come across. And as an added bonus you
don't get priority to the first brake that
way. Good ground, good power, and even
brake wear. Been doing it for years with
goid success.

Olliejunkie · Apr 23, 2018

I just ordered some #10. I had #12 but was not satisfied with braking. Maybe I need stronger mags. My trailer is a gooseneck with a 22 foot deck so it's about 30 feet from the plug to the first brake. I probably do not need that heavy of wire but I wanted to eliminate any problems.

Dutchman · Apr 23, 2018

Now that makes GREAT sense on a wire on each side .... also if for some reason a wire would get cut you wouldn't loose the whole system ..
.. mark

jon f mn · Apr 23, 2018

Are the magnet wires black or white? 7k
brakes will have black wires and be more
powerful than the 6k brakes with white
wires. But weak brakes is usually from the
brakes not being set tight enough.

Olliejunkie · Apr 23, 2018

(quoted from post at 17:23:59 04/23/18) Are the magnet wires black or white? 7k
brakes will have black wires and be more
powerful than the 6k brakes with white
wires. But weak brakes is usually from the
brakes not being set tight enough.

The old ones are white. The new ones are black. That's good to know about adjustment. I never tried adjusting them. I took the drums off to inspect. The shoes all have cracks in the lining so I bought new ones. They were not very worn. One had a leaky seal though.

jon f mn · Apr 23, 2018

I tighten them up til the drum won't turn,
then loosen them just til the hub spins
free. Then tow it a bit to see if the drum
heats up.

matthies · Apr 24, 2018

Wouldn't 10 or 12 be to stiff when the axle is bouncing down the highway, wouldn't think it would last very long.

jon f mn · Apr 24, 2018

That is one issue and why the extention cords works so well

Leroy · Apr 24, 2018

That is what I used on my trailer only I just bought it off the real in the store. I used the rubber covered and not the one you can tell where each wire is anyplace down the line. Actually used the wire with ground for the rear lights using the ground for light ground one for tail light, the third for the turn signal-brake light.

Trailer brake wire

Olliejunkie

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jon f mn

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Olliejunkie

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Dutchman

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jon f mn

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Olliejunkie

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jon f mn

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matthies

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jon f mn

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Leroy

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