Home › Forums › Bass Cat Boats › Trailer Breaks Help! – Yes I searched other threads just think this could be different
glpoisson.
My trailer brakes for my 2015 PUMA FTD locked up on me today when trying to back it under the garage. Brakes were working just fine last week. i had a friend come get it with his truck to install graphs. Then when I go pick up the boat this happens when I get home. I was able to bypass the breaks with the tool provided however I am stumped as to why this happened. I did have the cable that comes out the tounge catch my hitch one time and was pulled out slightly. That was many trips ago so I cannot see where that would be the problem. Any one have this experience and how to fix it! My truck is a 2017 GMC Sierra so their should be no issue there either.TIA!
Well basically whenever you put your truck into reverse, 12vdc is applied to the blue wire on your trailer and it attaches to a “solenoid” that pulls in to block the path of brake fluid to your brakes. I cant think of any thing that your friend might have done to cause this problem because he only worked on the boat.You could have a solenoid that is bad and not pulling in. You could have a problem with your truck to trailer connectors or you might not have 12vdc coming from your truck for some reason. All of this is just basic stuff that you may not be aware of but if you have a voltmeter you can check for voltage on the wiring. You can also put a metal rod or screwdriver on the brake coupler and actually “listen” and hear the solenoid pulling in when a helper puts the truck into reverse for you. (with emergency brake applied)This should give you some things that you can look into and try to figure out your problem. By the way with a name like cajuncpa Im wondering if you might be close by. Im in Louisiana.Everyone should believe in something. I believe Ill just go fishing!
My suggestion is to start debugging this as follows:1. make sure the trailer lights are plugged in correctly, then get a helper to put the truck in reverse. (a) do your backup lights come on? If not you have to fix that which will probably fix the brake problem. (b) if they do, can you hear the solenoid on the back of the UFP actuator “click” when it is put into reverse, and then again when taken out? If not, continue;2. Create a solid connection to your negative battery post on the truck using a jumper cable, or an extension cord with a small jumper wire to the battery. Take the other end and touch to the body of the solenoid. Repeat test 1 above. Do you hear a click now? If so, you have a ground problem. The UFP actuator is pretty poorly designed in that regard. Some reverse solenoids have two wires, blue and white. White lets you make a solid ground connection. But many dont have em. I just bought a new actuator from BCB and it only had the blue wire. For a ground, the solenoid is connected to the master cylinder. The MC is connected to the actuator sliding member. The sliding member is connected to steel rollers through the steel pins you have to remove to disassemble. The rollers are connected to the outer part of the trailer tongue through those rollers. A REALLY crappy ground connection. If adding a good ground from negative battery post to the solenoid body makes it click, you need a better ground. Some versions of the solenoid have a tapped hole you can use to connect a good ground. Otherwise you have to fabricate a good ground yourself.3. If you hear clicking but you STILL cant back up, either you have frozen calipers, or frozen master cylinder, or the break-away cable has been pulled locking the brakes on, or the solenoid itself is bad (it usually does NOT click when it fails, but it is possible.This is really not that hard to diagnose. And most of the time it is either a blown fuse so that truck backup lamps dont come on, or else a poor ground as explained above. The system is quite simple in this regard. +12v and ground will energize the solenoid, which lets fluid bypass going back to the brake calipers and lets it recirculate back to the master cylinder. No +12v, or no ground, and that doesnt happen…2008 Pantera Classic2014 Mercury Pro XS 200
@JEH in LA – I am also in Louisiana. Live in central LA but do most of my fishing in Toledo. Thanks for the advice! @oldtimer57,Also thanks for the advice. Like I said before, I did accidentally pull the break away cable some one day, but have used the tra
http://www.ufpnet.com/Portals/0/PDFs/A- … enance.pdfTheres the link to the PDF on how the tongue works… It should have the info for the breakaway cable in one of the diagrams.13 PIV w/ 200 MercIG: WarriorRiverCustomRods
It is the solenoid or something in power to it if the lockout tab lets you back it up.
It is very likely a burnt fuse for your backup lights on the truck. Fairly common issue. Just happened to a friend of mine last week at Toledo bend. Chris CoupelPaulina,La.Chris CoupelPaulina, La.
I agree check your fuses on your truck first. It happened to me before multiple times and each time that was the problem. Keep plenty of spares in your glove box! Good luck!
When I got a new truck it would repeatedly blow the backup light fuse. I had dual backup lights of the older tractor style lights. Changed to the new LEDs and problem was solved. The wiring in newer trucks seem sized too light given I have a tow package Bob
I have just experienced a similar problem on my 2015 Cougar Advantage. If the brakes lock, would the rear tires still roll in reverse and the front ones lock? If locking the brakes immobilizes both sets of wheels, what may cause the front trailer wheels to lock while the rear ones roll normally in reverse? Hoping the fix is as simple as a new fuse for the truck.Thank you in advance for any assistance,Grant
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