Installing Trailer Brake Controller on 2004 Workhorse Chassis

Updated 08/20/2019 | Published 08/19/2019

Products Featured in This Question

12 Gauge Wire - Black Primary - Per Foot

(30)

$2.02

Wiring Kit for 2, 4, 6, and 8 Brake Electric Trailer Brake Controllers

(164)

$57.19

Question:

We have 2004 holiday rambler admiral SE on workhorse chassis - where does brake controller plug in and which one do I need to buy?? Thank you

asked by: Tommy

Helpful Expert Reply:

The Workhorse W-Series chassis that your 2004 Holiday Rambler Admiral SE is built on is not equipped with a factory brake controller port. To install a brake controller it will need to be hardwired.

It's possible that there may be a bare wire harness located behind the dash that's designed to splice into a brake controller's wiring. If this is the case it will likely be bundled up together and labeled with a white tag to indicate the different wire functions.

If there isn't a factory bundle of wires then the brake controller needs to be hardwired using the Wiring Kit # 5506, assuming you already have a 7-Way connector. Most likely you will need some additional 12 gauge wire # 12-1-1 (sold by the foot) due to the length of the RV.

On the Tekonsha Primus IQ Brake Controller # TK90160 you were looking at the red wire will go to the cold side of the brake light switch (which is the wire that only receives power with the brake pedal depressed), the blue wire is for brake output back to the 7-Way, the black wire is for 12V power (which goes to the positive terminal of the battery via the circuit breaker included with the mentioned kit), and the white wire is for ground.

expert reply by: Chris R