Can I hook up trailer brakes?

[Bryan]

I've had 2 SUVs in which it was easy as plug and play to use trailer brake boxes. How would I go about hooking one up to the bus to activate trailer brakes when bus brakes are applied? Thanks for your help!

[DriverGT5]

I just went through a similar discussion last week. How are your brake lights on the bus activated right now?

From what I can tell with my setup I have a Bendix box that receives a pressure signal from the air brakes to activate the tail lights. Regardless how your setup is, there should be many power and ground supplies either up front or in the back. I elected to go with an inertia style brake controller system on mine for ease and cost.

To install you'll need to find a power and ground supply, a brake signal (tail light output) and then mount the unit up front where you can reach it. The fourth wire (blue usually) goes to the trailer connector and supplies a brake signal. If you have electronic brakes it will activate the magnets. Several people here are running that wire to an electric/hydraulic master that supplies fluid to hydraulic trailer brakes.

Alternatively you could go old school and run a hydraulic hitch. The more pressure the trailer applies to the hitch the more fluid pressure goes into the hydraulic brakes. No controller needed.

With air brakes you even could run a line to air cylinders on the trailer.

Regardless you probably won't find a plug and play connector like most trucks/suvs have. You'll have to run the wires yourself and crimp/solder them to the controller harness.

[DriverGT5]

Do you already have a trailer wire harness installed for turn signals and brake lights? If so, how many pins is it?

[chessie4905]

   I assume your coach is 12volt. You have a brake light source under the driver's seat compartment. Bendix 2 1/2 round puck with two terminals that threads into the brake application line. Make sure you use the correct terminal.

[Rick 74 MC-8]

I just hook mine up last week I took a brake signal from my taillight converter since its 12 volts and my bus is 24. for the 12 Volt into thebrake controller and ran a lead back to operate the trailer I'm not sure the brand name of the my controller water that a big box store said it had progressive braking. it does very nice system would buy it again it was about a hundred bucks

Rick

[Dave5Cs]

Ready brake we have is a surge brake. bus stops so does it proportionally. 1 Cable around the brake peddle in the cab of my truck to the ready-brake that goes between the hitch and the tow bar. 1 wire to truck tail light circuit and turn sigs. 1 breakaway cable box and then to hitch, done.