Honest opinion, are they easy to hook up? I've been checking out different install directions, trying to decide if it's worth the $175 to buy and have the controller installed, or if I should do it myself. It seems like they would be easy to fawk up. The vehicle in question is a 97, CC, dually, Chevy, longbed, 2wd.

I will tell you exactly what you need to do when you install a brake controller in 97 Chevy truck..... In about 20 minutes I will start typing... have an answer for you in 30... But yes, you can install a brake controller in your truck in an afternoon, no problem.

Chit... got a little busy... look here (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=936112#post936112)...

I'll try to get something up in a few, but it really is easy.

What controller are they selling you installed for that price?

The only oddball things you will need are two 8mm nuts to go on the 12+ posts in the fuse box under the hood of the truck. They don't come with the truck, so you will have to find them somewhere. If I remember right, they are fine thread.


Pop the hood and pull the cover off of the fuse box on the driver's side fender. There should be two silver, threaded, posts at the back (firewall) side of the box. Just in front of those posts should be two 30 amp maxi fuses. Pull those fuses and set them aside. You don't want to risk frying anything while you hook chit up.

Under the brake boster will be a bunch of wires taped/wrapped up in split loom. Look for a bundle that seems to just keep folding over on itself. You may see a heavy guage dark blue wire, and a heavy guage orange wire wrapped up in the tape. Pull those two wires loose. Watch your knuckles because they may just "let go" while you are in the middle of a good pull. The tape is going to peel away from the wires and your hands will be a sticky mess, so you might think about a glove, or have some hand cleaner handy to wash off with before you go messin around under the dash of your truck.

The orange wire will have a square ring already attached to it. That wire can just slip over one of the posts on the fuse block. Use one of the 8mm nuts to tighten it down. You will have to drill a hole through the firewall, or find a rubber grommet, to push the blue wire through. I usually just drill a 3/8" hole through the firewall, just to the driver's side of the brake booster. You will see a small circle with a tiny divet between the backside of the under dash fuse box, and the brake booster. Go right through that little divet and you won't hit anything. You might think you have when you hit the back side of the carpet, but unless there is any kind of aftermarket box behind there, you will be fine.

The orange wire you hooked to the post on the fuse box is the battery charge wire. That is a 12v+ source to charge travel trailer batteries, batteries you might use for a trailer mounted winch, interior lights on an enclosed car hauler or utility trailer, etc... That wire will always be hot once you plug those maxi fuses back in. The blue wire you fed through the firewall is the brake wire. That is the wire you will hook to the output wire on the brake controller.

Now you need to use a peice of 12 guage wire to run power from the empty post on the fuse box, through the hole you made in the firewall, and hook it up to the brake controller that you are going to mount under the dash somewhere. I usually mount my controllers down low, and to the right. Just about in the middle of your right shin as you are driving. I drill up into the bottom of the dash, so that if the truck is ever sold or traded, and the controller is removed for use in the next truck, the holes won't stick out like a sore thumb.

Now you have your brake wire and your power wire under the dash. Now you have to find the brake light switch wire that will trigger the controller. *I'm gettin this next bit of info right out of the Tekonsha install manual.*
Your 97 Chevy is special. It is the only year Chevy truck that uses this wire, so anyone else using these instructions will be lost when they look under the dash. As a matter of fact, I have come across 97 Chevy trucks that weren't even like this, so if any of this seems like it's not right, stop and PM me and I will help you find it the best I can. First things first, don't mess with any wires that are held together with yellow clips or yellow tape. Those wires are for the airbag, and messin with those could set it off. You can move them around, but don't disconnect any of them, and don't probe any of them looking for the brake light wire.
*the wire you want*
The convenience center at the firewall just under the emergency brake pedal... Remove 6-8" of tape covering the main loom of 40+ wires. You will find a smaller bundle of wires.
You will find:

5 WHITE wires
4 lights guage wires (16 guage)
1 heavy guage wire (14 guage)
Multiple wires wrapped in yellow tape... the ones you don't want to mess with.


Probe the 4 light guage wires with a test light. The wire that is cold until the brake pedal is pushed, and does not flash with the hazard lights is the correct wire. Splice into that wire with a wire tap, then wrap up the rest of the wires.

Take your last wire to the negative side of the battery, or to a good chassis ground, and you are done wiring the controller.




At the back of the truck, on the driver's side frame rail, you will find the other ends of the blue and orange wire taped up against the wire loom. Wire those wires to the appropriate terminals on the plug in the back, and you are damned close to being done.

Straighten up your wires and make everything looks really clean. When you are done you probably won't see where any wires were added or hooked up unless you really look for them. When you are happy with the way things look, pop the fuses back in the the slots that they came out of in the under hood fuse box.


If you need more help, just yell.

I didn't read the above post it ran to long for my tastes but....

The job is a piece of cake - I used to work at a trailer place and install brake controllers all the time. The newer the truck the easier the job usuaulyl went. A lot of the new trucks that came with a 'tow package" (what a joke... but thats another discusion...) have pre wired brake controller connections under the dash - hook up a few wires and you done!

As for messing one up - pretty tough - if you set it up wrong - it will 1) look your trailer brakes and you won't go anywhere 2) Not work at all. 3) Ummm.... I don't know work fine?

Good luck regardless - don't be afraid of electrictiy - you use it to weld don't you!

Originally posted by FYRMAN
If you need more help, just yell. I printed this out and I'll check it out when I get home. I'll holler if I have more questions.
Thanks

Originally posted by FYRMAN

What controller are they selling you installed for that price? 1 place is a DrawTite 5100 time delay for $175, or $190 for a Tekonsha Sentinal. Another place is the Tekonsha Voyager installed with plugs and all for $175.

I do the Tekonsha Voyager for $156. Have you decided what controller you are going to use?

Originally posted by FYRMAN
I do the Tekonsha Voyager for $156. Have you decided what controller you are going to use? I'm going with the Voyager! One of the sites I looked at said something about a hookup into the check engine socket at the bottom of the dash, left side of the steering wheel. Have you heard anything about that? On Sunday, I'm going to dig through the truck and figure this chit out. I'll PM or post here if I can't figure it out when looking at the rig. Thanks again :D :D .

NO! Don't plug-in anything into the socket. The only thing to be plugged into that socket is a EFI scan tool. You won't get any of the wires you need out of that plug anyway.

In 1999, Chevy started installing a plug like you are talking about for the brake controller, but that was only in certain trim levels of the Silverado. They became even more common in 2000, and virtually every Chevy has them after 2001.

Ford has been using the plug for years now... Since 1992. Dodge has always been hit and miss. Dodge is so messed up, they may have a plug for the brake controller under the dash, but there may not have been a wire runnin back to the bumper of the truck...

Tundras don't have any pre-wired under the dash. I paid like $221 to get one installed. They sold me the Draw tight 5100, however I would prefer a controller with dials compared to the the little plastic sliders. The slider is hard to modulate, I end up moving it too far in each direction when I wanted to make minute adjustments.

SeanP

Originally posted by SeanP
Tundras don't have any pre-wired under the dash. I paid like $221 to get one installed. They sold me the Draw tight 5100, however I would prefer a controller with dials compared to the the little plastic sliders. The slider is hard to modulate, I end up moving it too far in each direction when I wanted to make minute adjustments.

SeanP
Instead of trying to move the slider try tapping on the side of it. It makes small adjustments easier.

The newer Tekonsha (sp?) brake controllers along with the newer trucks go pretty easy. Just ask to see the operators manuel that comes with the controller. For most vehicles it will be spelled out pretty thoughly--wires etc and where to find them and sometimes references to airbag wires that you don't want to mess with! There are a few (Jeep Grand Cherokee's I believe) in the instructions that say see dealer for details!

Jason :)

Hey FYRMAN how much different would those instructions be for a 94 blazer sport (fullsize)? thanks.

Dallas

Originally posted by StinkBug
Hey FYRMAN how much different would those instructions be for a 94 blazer sport (fullsize)? thanks.

Dallas



1994 Chevrolet S, T, and Suburban series trucks: The white wire on the cold side of the stoplight switch.

C, K, and G series trucks: The yellow wire on the cold side of the stoplight switch.

Originally posted by RE:Todd
I'm going with the Voyager!

Forget the voyager, the tekonsha Prodigy is a piece of art. No screwing with the setup and you can get them for around $175 at www.agri-supply.com

FYRMAN, a couple of questions.

The orange wire going to the back, hook in to the 12V or auxiliary connector on a 7 prong??

Should there be an extra green wire from the factory 4 at the tailgate? Is it another ground like the white??

Everything else seemed to work well. I've got the controller installed (Easy with your directions, thanks a bunch), working on the connectore at the bumper. I'm doing the trailer side tomorrow.

Originally posted by RE:Todd
The orange wire going to the back, hook in to the 12V or auxiliary connector on a 7 prong??

Orange wire will go to the number 4 terminal on a 7 way plug. On a 6 way plug you can put it to the center terminal, or to the "S" terminal.

Should there be an extra green wire from the factory 4 at the tailgate? Is it another ground like the white??

Chevy should have 5 wires around the back of the truck. White is ground, yellow is left turn and brake light, dark green is your right turn and brake light, light green is your back up light, and brown is the running lights. For a ground, I normally run at least a 12 guage wire right to the frame of the truck with a 1/4" self tapping screw. Call it overkill, but I've seen controllers not work because of a ground wire that was too small.

Everything else seemed to work well. I've got the controller installed (Easy with your directions, thanks a bunch), working on the connectore at the bumper. I'm doing the trailer side tomorrow.


If you need help with the trailer, I'll be home between 1 and 2 for lunch. PM me if you need to.

Light green is the backup, okay, should I wire it to the center pole of the 7 prong, or leave it dead ended?? My car hauler doesn't have backup lights.

I put the orange to the #4 connector. (My directions say 12V, don't remember the terminal number but 4 sounds right.)

Thanks again, the directions for the controller were dead on :D :D :D .

You can put that light green wire to the center. That is what that terminal is for. Alot of people have different ideas on what that terminal is for, so if you put that light green wire there, be careful when you try to back up. :D

When you step up to that toy hauler RV, it will have back-up lights. Go ahead and put that wire there.

Originally posted by FYRMAN
You can put that light green wire to the center. That is what that terminal is for. Alot of people have different ideas on what that terminal is for, so if you put that light green wire there, be careful when you try to back up. :D

When you step up to that toy hauler RV, it will have back-up lights. Go ahead and put that wire there. Okay, but I just got done dead ending it in the plug. Blew the turnsignal fuse this morning when I went to backup :(. I'll do the trailer plug when I get home tonight :) :D .

1 last question, there is a white wire and a blue wire going to the brake axle. I assume the blue is brake controller output and the white returns to ground??

Trace them both out and see if one of them goes to ground somewhere. Trailer manufactures use different colors for different things.


If I had to guess, I would say that you are right... white for ground and blue for brake.

Originally posted by FYRMAN
Trace them both out and see if one of them goes to ground somewhere. Trailer manufactures use different colors for different things.


If I had to guess, I would say that you are right... white for ground and blue for brake. They both come out of the hub assembly. My trailer is wired from the factory with a standard flat four and a separate 2 wire connector. The separate 2 wire connector is the two wires for the brake assembly. My thought on this is that the blue should receive brake controller output to the brake assembly, with the white running it to ground after the brake. All of the other wires are accounted for in the plug.

Cool beans... I thought you were talking about just a couple loose wires for the brakes. If neither of those two wires go to ground anywhere, you can use which ever you want. As long as you get power in and power out, it doesn't matter. I would use the Blue for brake, and the white for ground, just to help the poor dumb slob (guys like me) that gets to work on it down the road. Double up and stub a short wire off of that white wire for a chassis ground, just to be double sure it gets a good ground.

Scott, thanks for all of the help. Tried it tonight, everything worked fine except for the brakes :(. Crawled under the trailer, the wires had been crushed. Spliced in some new wire, works fine, last long time :D. Thanks again :D :D .

No problem Todd... That's what places like this are for!

WOW!!! Killer!! I'd like to thank Scott too, I am hooking up trailer brakes on my 97 GMC Sierra, and it was a piece of cake with his instruction!!! :D:D:D WHOOO HOOO I can pick up the travel trailer this weekend.

Really wasn't that hard, was it?:D I find the biggest pain in the ass being that I have to stand on my head to work under the dash. I think my back is starting to suffer from it...

Originally posted by FYRMAN
Really wasn't that hard, was it?:D I find the biggest pain in the ass being that I have to stand on my head to work under the dash. I think my back is starting to suffer from it...

Actually I had a worse time hooking up my PIAA lights, now that was a pain in the ass!! :laughing:

I found yesterday it was worth the 15 minutes to take the drivers seat completely out and re-install it. I was able to lay flat on my back on the floor and was done very quickly.

I actually the freaking thing was really easy to do. They place I got my travel trailer from wanted $140 to purchase and install the brake controller, and $150 to do the wiring for the 7 prong RV in the rear. Not to mention the $440 for the weight distribution hitch. I went to Summit yesterday and bought the hitch, the controller and the B&M transmission controller for $340. The plug, the ball and misc connectors/shrink wrap/wire loom (Yeah I over do things...) was about $20. So for $380 I have done what they wanted to charge me $730 for. Amazing, I am in the wrong business.

Originally posted by FYRMAN
Really wasn't that hard, was it?:D I find the biggest pain in the ass being that I have to stand on my head to work under the dash. I think my back is starting to suffer from it...

FYRMAN have youe seen the setup they make for doing work like this. It's a padded board like a creeper that has adjustable legs at one end and you stick it in the floorboard area with the end that has the legs out the door. Then you can lay on it with your head under the dash.
:D

I could probably build something like that in a few minutes if we ever get some down time... Problem with me is that I will just flop over on my back on the floorboard and not waste time setting something like that up. I don't make much money doing a brake controller anyhow... The faster I can get it done, and move on to some good money projects, the better.

Originally posted by FYRMAN
I could probably build something like that in a few minutes if we ever get some down time... Problem with me is that I will just flop over on my back on the floorboard and not waste time setting something like that up. I don't make much money doing a brake controller anyhow... The faster I can get it done, and move on to some good money projects, the better.

Well to make it faster build one kinda like a short gurney like the parameds use only have one end stick out where it'd stick into the drivers compartment. If it was already setup and you just rolled it ove and slid it in and locked it in place your back would thank you over time. You could also have a tray to hold your parts/ tools too. As you get older you need some of this stuff the young studs just laugh at, till they get old too and see its not so funny any more.:D

Fyrman:
I have a 1996 chevy suburban, and i'll be buying a brake controller in the next couple of weeks. along with a 7 prong pre wired connector..
I was going to take this to a place and have it done. But i know i can do this myself..
Any help on instructions for both will be appreciated.
thanks
nilla

I think the 96 is a special year truck also...

Look down at the electrical center by your left foot. There should be a couple of slots with some male spade connectors. They should be 1/8" wide. One of the slots will be labeled "NAT". Should be two spades in there. If they are there, test the one on the right. It should light up when you press the brake pedal.

Been awhile since I had to install one on a 96, so I'm not positive. I'll try and remember to look in my book at work tomorrow. I can't seem to find my book here.

Oh, yeah... look between the driver's side frame rail and the rear fender of the Burb... You may get lucky and find the turn signal wires all wrapped up in black tape and stuck to another bundle of wires. Your brake and hot wires should also be on the frame like on the trucks.

thanks for the info

i might have to bring this thread back up when i get
the controller and connector if i need help

No problem.

Another 96 sub. experience. The NAT posts did not work for me. So on to the brake switch. There are 6 freakin wires to test and it's a bitch to get at, if you got big hands just forget about trying and call the skinny neigbor kid. The WHITE wire worked for me.

Thanks Fryman your posts helped a bunch.

:cool:

2000 Z71 Tahoe (old body style)

Found the little bugger :)

The white wire had some slack if you pull it very gently.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=159248&stc=1
You can see the orange and blue under the brake booster.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=159247&stc=1