Installing a Brake Controller on a 1998 Chevrolet Z71 with Factory Tow Package  

Question:

Helpful Expert Reply:

GM did not include a plug-in style brake controller connection until the Silverado came out in 1999, so I doubt your 1998 Z71 has a brake controller port. Prior to 1999 brake controllers had to be hardwired to GM trucks and SUVs.

Since you already have the tow package, you would just need the brake controller, the universal wiring adapter and our brake controller wiring kit # 5506. If you are interested in the Hopkins Agility brake controller, # HM47294, then you would want the Hopkins universal adapter, # HM47685.

To install the brake controller, you will need to connect 4 wires, black, white, blue and red. The black wire is the 12 volt power wire for the brake controller. This should be routed directly to the positive terminal of your vehicle battery. The white wire is ground. The blue wire is the electric brake output wire. This wire should be ran back to your trailer connector and connected to the number 5 pin on the trailer connector (see diagram).

The last wire to connect is the red wire. This wire will be spliced into the cold side of the brake switch, which means it will get hot when the brake pedal is pressed. At the top of the brake pedal arm is the brake switch. You will see a few wires coming out of the stop light switch. Use a circuit tester, like part # PTW2993, to test for the wire that only gets hot when the brake pedal is pressed. GM typically used a white wire for this, so I recommend testing that wire first.

I have attached a brake controller installation video on a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban that should help when installing a brake controller. You will want to start at the 3 minute and 17 second mark to see how to wire the brake controller. I have also attached a help article on wiring a brake controller from scratch that should give you a good idea of how a brake controller is wired into the tow package on vehicles that do not have a dedicated brake controller harness.

expert reply by: John H

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