Do I need a brake controller inside my truck?

[ViSoR]

I just bought an '08 230 with a '13 Ez Loader trailer.

This is the plug on the trailer:


And this is the plug on my truck:


The plug seems compatible and it is written that the middle part of the plug is for reverse lights.

My truck is a '08 Dodge Dakota V8 4x4.
I don't have a brake controller inside the cabin and I have a friend who is telling me I will need one. Can someone tell me if I do and explain to me why?

Thanks!

[Beach-TJ]

The answer to that question lies in if your trailer has surge brakes or electric brakes. That electrical connector is compatible with electric brakes, but doesn't mean you have them. You only need a brake controller if you have electric brakes on your trailer. Most boat trailers use surge brakes, but there are some out there with electric brakes. If your trailer has surge brakes it will have hitch on it that looks something like one of these http://www.pacifictrailers.com/hydra...kerite-dexter/ This is the surge brake actuator.

As to why, electric brakes need some kind of controller in your vehicle to activate them. This controller usually uses accelerometers to judge your deceleration rate and then applies a appropriate voltage to the trailer brakes to active them. Surge brakes simply work by the force of the trailer pushing on the tow vehicle, that force pushes a brake plunger, much like pressing your brake peddle, to active the trailer brakes. That is the surge brake actuator.

[ViSoR]

Wow thanks for the detailed quick response!
The trailer definately has surge brakes because the dealer had to block the actuator with a metal piece to be able to move it around the yard while not connected. If not if would lock up while backing up. Just like my old trailer.

Thanks again for the clarification!

[crobi2]

inside the cabin brake controllers are usually needed only for electric brakes or electric over hydraulic brakes.

If you have disk surge brakes, you need the reverse light part of the plug to energize a solenoid that blocks hydraulic pressure away from the brakes when you need to back up.

Surge brakes use only the motion of the coupler at the trailer hitch to apply hydraulic force to the brakes.

drum type trailer brakes are usually inherently free backing.

hope this helps

[ViSoR]

Thanks guys!

That's why I love this site

[uncalumx2]

Wow thanks for the detailed quick response!
The trailer definately has surge brakes because the dealer had to block the actuator with a metal piece to be able to move it around the yard while not connected. If not if would lock up while backing up. Just like my old trailer.

Thanks again for the clarification!

IF you can get the correct relay for the truck, it should deactivate the brakes when you go into reverse. Our 2004 210 and 2013 g23 both on Ram Lin trailers had surge brakes that release when you place the truck into reverse...... unless the tow vehicle doesn't have the correct relay.

[crobi2]

Lord have mercy, when I started my response, you had no answers yet, but I guess I got distracted too long by something before I finished it.

Sorry to be redundant!

[Rick]

Looking at your first picture you have a UFP hydraulic actuator http://www.trailerpartsdepot.com/ite...tatus=0&Tp=&Bc= All you need is the blue wire of the 5 wire plug to activate the bypass when in reverse. You do not need an electric actuator in the truck.