Electric brakes?

[VTviking]

Now that the long VT winter is almost over, I have lots of questions about my recently purchased 1994 Sunline Saturn 18.5. Like: does the trailer have electric brakes? How can I determine this? My TV is a 2010 Toyota Tundra with a towing package. Thanks for any info!

[JohnB]

Hi, welcome and congrats on your new Sunny!

Sunline installed brakes from the factory on all models even the tiny ones, like a Sunspot. Your 1994 camper would of had electric brakes from Sunline.

That said, we have had members join after buying a used camper and the brakes where removed or unhooked on smaller campers.

If you look under the camper, behind each wheel, you should see 2 wires coming out of what we call the brake plate. The brake plate is a little larger then the round brake drum. If you do not see any wires or that the wires are cut, that is not a good sign.

If you find wires, they normally go into the axle tube and come out the other end where they join the left and right side of the same axle together. Then the wires, one goes to frame ground, the other up front to tie into the truck cable.

See if you have the wires, that is the first step. Next is are are they hooked up to anything and does your camper have a 7 wire round plug on it that plugs into the truck?

Your truck will need a trailer electric brake controller. Not sure if yours has an integrated one or an aftermarket one or none., but you will need one.

Pictures also help. Take some pics of the wire hook up area and post to help show what you are looking at.

Hope this helps

John

[JohnB]

If you need help posting pics, here are the basics.

There are 3 ways to add pics.

1. Upload pics to a specific post attaching them at the end of the post.

2. Linking them in from a public viewable web photo hosting service you have.

See here for 1 and 2 https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...html#post86041

3. You can upload pics to the forum in your own personal photo album. Then link them to anywhere in the text of a post. See here on how to create an album. https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...html#post87945

If you still get stuck, let us know. Pic's go a long way in helping show things you are working on, and we really like seeing Sunline pics!

Hope this helps

John

[VTviking]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Hi, welcome and congrats on your new Sunny!

Sunline installed brakes from the factory on all models even the tiny ones, like a Sunspot. Your 1994 camper would of had electric brakes from Sunline.

That said, we have had members join after buying a used camper and the brakes where removed or unhooked on smaller campers.

If you look under the camper, behind each wheel, you should see 2 wires coming out of what we call the brake plate. The brake plate is a little larger then the round brake drum. If you do not see any wires or that the wires are cut, that is not a good sign.

If you find wires, they normally go into the axle tube and come out the other end where they join the left and right side of the same axle together. Then the wires, one goes to frame ground, the other up front to tie into the truck cable.

See if you have the wires, that is the first step. Next is are are they hooked up to anything and does your camper have a 7 wire round plug on it that plugs into the truck?

Your truck will need a trailer electric brake controller. Not sure if yours has an integrated one or an aftermarket one or none., but you will need one.

Pictures also help. Take some pics of the wire hook up area and post to help show what you are looking at.

Hope this helps

John

Thanks! I'll check for the wires tomorrow. The truck has the full towing package fortunately so I understand we need to buy a controller and easily connect it. Sure hope there are brakes to connect to!