Is a Brake Controller Required for Towing a Camper Trailer

Published 06/19/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Tekonsha Prodigy P3 Trailer Brake Controller - 1 to 4 Axles - Proportional

(6643)

$155.79

3-Piece Electrician Tool Set

(11)

$30.35

Question:

Where the ground is white my wire is blue on a 4-pin is that also a ground? 97 Dodge pickup

asked by: Kris

Expert Reply:

Not necessarily. It all depends on how big of a camper you are wanting to tow and sometimes what you are towing it with. The typical rule of thumb that vehicle manufacturers go by is if you are towing it with a smaller vehicle a brake controller is required for anything over 1,000 lbs but for bigger trucks that is sometimes moved to 2,000 lbs. Local and State laws sometimes affect this as well.

In any case, if your camper trailer is over that 1,000 lb threshold it is a good idea to use a brake controller, like the Prodigy P3 # 90195, for extra security and control of your trailer. If you let me know what the year/make/model is of your vehicle I can make a recommendation for you.

expert reply by: Jon G

Kris

6/19/2019

Where the ground is white my wire is blue on a 4-pin is that also a ground? 97 Dodge pickup

Jon G.

6/19/2019

It very well could be the ground. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell which wire is for what function on a vehicle or trailer because not everyone uses the same color wiring. If you an verify that the blue wire is indeed for the ground wire by testing for continuity with a multimeter # PTW1714 then you can definitely connect the white wire to the blue wire.