Community Forums

Paulin · 03-29-2009, 07:55 PM

Perhaps you can help. My son has a 2007 Surf Side DE34E motor home and is wondering if it is pre-wired for a trailer brake controller. I checked the forum search feature but found nothing specific to the Surf Side line.

Thanks in advance.
Paul

Richard S. · 03-31-2009, 07:05 AM

Yes, the harness will be coiled up in a plastic bag under the dash left hand side above the parking brake.

WSRG · 04-02-2009, 01:18 PM

If the wiring harness is not there, the blue wire from the brake light switch [in front of the brake pedal] is the wire that controls the electric brake control.

redboots · 04-16-2009, 09:55 AM

Paulin, I have an '07 Surfside. I just installed an electric brake controller in it and everything worked fine except any current right at the 7 pin connector for the brake feed. Trailer lights, turn signals and brake lights worked fine, just no trailer brakes. Thought it was my trailer so I hooked my pickup to it, brakes worked fine. After about 3 hours of trouble shooting I found that the factory technicians had connected all the wires coming from the 7 pin connector to the factory supplied harness coming from the dash, except the BLUE trailer brake feed wire. No connection there and of course it was buried in a huge mass of wire with about a mile of electrical tape around it. Darn those factory guys, all it would have taken is one more crimp connector to complete the circuit.

Paulin · 04-22-2009, 07:41 PM

"I have an '07 Surfside. I just installed an electric brake controller in it and everything worked fine except any current right at the 7 pin connector for the brake feed. Trailer lights, turn signals and brake lights worked fine, just no trailer brakes. Thought it was my trailer so I hooked my pickup to it, brakes worked fine. After about 3 hours of trouble shooting I found that the factory technicians had connected all the wires coming from the 7 pin connector to the factory supplied harness coming from the dash, except the BLUE trailer brake feed wire. No connection there and of course it was buried in a huge mass of wire with about a mile of electrical tape around it. Darn those factory guys, all it would have taken is one more crimp connector to complete the circuit."
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I accompanied my son to CW in Vacaville, CA to have his brake controller installed and apparently encountered this same issue as Redboots did. They claim the blue wire to the trailer connector is open (no continuity) some where between the connector and the controller. I wonder if they actually found the correct blue wire.

Does anyone have more info on this wire? Is it dark blue or light blue? Is it identified by a stripe? 12 or 14 AWG? How difficult is it to install a new dedicated blue wire? Any further information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again,
Paul

WSRG · 04-22-2009, 10:27 PM

I had to tap into the light blue wire at the brake light switch. There are 3 wires coming from the switch [located at the brake pedal under the dash]. The light blue is only wire that you should use. I ran a 12 gauge wire through a grommet right in front of where the steering shaft goes through the floor. A simple job, but a little time consuming [running the wire back to the hitch].

Bill

redboots · 04-25-2009, 04:37 AM

Paul, Since it seems that your RV is prewired for the brake controller under the dash, the blue trailer brake wire is there in the harness. It is a dark blue #10 wire (much heavier than the others in the harness) and it extends all the way to the back of the left frame rail. Start at the 7 pin connector and work your way forward to where it is connected to the factory harness for tail lights and turn signals. If you unwrap a littel further forward you will see the blue wire in the harness. Like mine, the factory probably just didn't make the connection not knowing whether a purchaser would tow a trailer with brakes or not. If your trailer has a backup light, check for that open circuit as well while you're there. Mine wasn't connected either. In my view, if National was going to use a 7 pin standard connector, then they should wire for it completely. But like every thing else on these RV's, Half-A** seems to be good enough. Jim

Hikerdogs · 04-25-2009, 08:35 AM

Almost everyone I know who has bought a coach on a Ford chassis has encountered the same problem. For some reason the coach builders choose not to connect the #10 Blue trailer brake wire to the socket.

When I asked Winnebago why it was the only wire they didn't terminate they said the dealer will connect the wire to the socket if they know the customer needs electric brakes for a trailer or dolly. On our coach it took longer to find the wire than it did to install the brake controller.

There is another thread in this forum entitled "Trailer Brake Controller" addressing the same issue. I wouldn't use anything smaller than a #10 wire for the brakes.As I recall the brakes on my 4 wheel trailer draw over 20 amps. I don't know how long a #12 or #14 wire would last with that kind of current flowing through it.

redboots · 04-25-2009, 08:57 AM

Agreed, on the 10 guage wire! It's aggravating that the manufacturer is right there connecting wires to the 7 pin connector and they don't make the connection. It took me almost 4 hours to cut wire ties, un-wrap electrical tape, find the wire, and then put everything back together again. Surprised you couldn't hear me all the way from southern Utah!