Chevrolet Silverado is one of the most reputable brands in the pickup truck and trailer manufacturing industry. Some old Chevrolet Silverado models have a factory-fitted plug-and-play system to fit the aftermarket brake control. You may find it easy to deal with the aftermarket brake controller and install the wires. In some Silverado models, there is a need for hardwiring. However, Silverado owners need some instructions to attach the wire for the trailer brakes. We have provided you with a guide on how to install the brake controller system with proper wiring.
How to Install a Trailer Brake Controller on a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado
Step 1: Installation of your brake controller
You can read manufacturers’ instructions while installing the brake controller in your trailer. It would help if you used a C-shaped bracket into which you have to clip your brake controller. The bracket remains attached to your vehicle, and you may access it easily. This step is not complicated, and you may easily detect the brake controller without a hassle.
Step 2: Location the harness
You can reach the fitted dash to find the available plug-and-play harness. You will find it attached to your steering column. In most cases, the steering wheel is present adjacent to the dials.
Now, you need to move this harness from your brake controller and let it reach the trailer’s harness location. You may do it by pressing together the multiple blocks. Ensure that the sprung teeth present at the side portion of your component clip have been appropriately molded. Then, you can check the proper pre-installation of the fuse in the fuse-box of your vehicle.
Step 3: Wiring the parts
It is a step for hardwiring the brake-controlling system’s corresponding parts to the black, white, and blue dead tails. This step is essential, especially when there is no harness installed in the vehicle. In most cases, they are loosely tied with tape below the dials. You can then start routing the white, blue, and black wires from your brake controller to the trailer’s dead tails.
It would be best if you chose some wire strippers to remove a part of insulation from the tips of wires. By twisting together the color-matched, you can make proper connections. You have to use a soldering kit and a shrink-wrap kit to insulate them.
While checking the brake controller, you can route the red wire to the microswitch in your brake pedal. You can find it above the pedal pivots. Take a piece of wire to join the microswitch’s side to connect the red wire. However, proper sizing of the fuse is essential based on the installation instructions. The fuse is present in the fuse board of Chevy Silverado 2006.
Facts that you must know about writing a brake controller
- There must be a 12V negative ground system for the installation of the brake controller.
- Improper wiring may cause damage to the brake-controlling system.
- Reversing the white and black wires will result in a risk.
- Ensure that you have correctly connected the available wires for the proper functioning of the brake system.
- You can minimize the AM interference by routing wires from your radio antenna.
Some precautionary steps
- The water buildup inside your 2006 Chevy Silverado trailer connector installed in the tow vehicle affects the connector’s life.
- Make sure that you have chosen the right gauge wire at the time of installing your brake controller. When the gauge wire is tiny, the braking system will not be efficient. The minimum dimensions for wire gauges are 14 GA (for 1-2 axle) and 12 GA (for3-4 axle).
- Improper grounding will result in intermittent braking. Your trailer brakes will not have the right amount of voltage. The white wire needs to be fitted to a ground location. We think that it is better to choose the negative battery terminal as the best ground location.
- Use an automatic reset circuit breaker for connecting the black (+) cable to the positive battery terminal. The black cable refers to the power supply line to your brake controller.
- The red cable is the stoplight wire fitted to one of the sides of your brake pedal’s stoplight switch. However, it would be best if you did not interfere with the switch’s position.
- The blue cable is the brake output cable attached to the brake wire of your connector.
Common faults in trailer wiring
Most of the automobile owners fail to do proper wiring to their trailer’s brake system due to the faults. You have to keep away from these faults to deal with the brake wiring for your Silverado trailer.
Corrosion problems
While dealing with the brake wiring process, you can find rusting issues with your connector pins. For instance, there may be green copper corrosion on these connector pins. In some cases, you can find them bent and are beyond repair. You may need to replace the plugs with a screwdriver, as they are cheap.
Improper connections
Quality and connections- these are two important factors in your vehicle’s electronic parts. Thus, you have to find out faults in your trailer brake controllers. Moreover, safety is the most notable thing while dealing with the brake wiring process.
Damaged wiring
Your family pet may be responsible for chewing the braking wire. Thus, the wire harness will have serious damage, and you have a chance of facing risks. Moreover, you have to ensure that cables related to your trailer have a high-quality conduit. There must not be any hanging wire.
Unbalanced trailer brakes
When the wire length between the magnet connections has increased the resistance level, you will find inconsistent braking. That is why the performance standard at every wheel can be different.
The brake controller includes a single output wire. When you have wired your trailer improperly, you may find one wheel getting hotter. As the hotter wheels deal with the braking system, it can cause wear and tear to your brakes.
Conclusion
We have provided you with a guide for brake wiring of the 2006 Chevy Silverado. You know that a minor mistake can affect the overall braking system. Thus, you have to do it carefully. It is better to hire an automobile mechanic to accomplish the brake wiring process.
