Re: [A/S] Re: Hooking power to F250

["Harvey Barlow" <harveybarlow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tom,

I'm assuming the problem lies with an older, well-used male plug on the
trailer end?  Even loose, the plug should make contact although maybe not
securely.  If the male trailer plug is seated in the female truck connector
the lid on the truck female connector should close and lock behind the male
plug holding it in place.  Are you sure you don't have the brake controller
completely misadjusted causing you to assume you have a bad connection?  Do
your trailer running lamps illuminate when the truck lights are on?

You might be able to squirt a little electronic equipment spray cleaner into
the plug pins on the trailer plug and carefully bend each pin a little to
make better contact if you determine that it is in fact loose.

If not, with a new F250SD truck you will have adequate braking to safely
pull the trailer to a repair facility without trailer brakes to have the
trailer plug replaced.  Just drive slowly and cautiously, leave plenty of
room between you and the cars in front, and anticipate stops and turns.  Try
a test stop or two before you leave your residential neighborhood in order
to familiarize yourself with the reduced braking capacity you have with
truck brakes only.

Towing without trailer brakes will certainly break a law and if you run over
someone you may be found liable because of towing without proper equipment
but all of us who have towed trailers for years have towed without trailer
brakes on occasion either out of necessity or because the brake controller
was misadjusted, a breaker tripped, trailer brakes were misadjusted, or
whatever.  Not a recommended practice but a careful driver can make it to a
trailer repair shop without casualty.

Harvey