www.iFourWinns.com

I just emailed my sales rep from last year and this was his response. i am relieved because it would have been annoying to spend any money on wiring. thank you all for your help. Spring needs to come!!

"Hello Ryan,
I just checked a H180 out in the showroom…and you are correct. The trailer does have a five wire harness but that fifth wire does nothing. So a four wire system on your tow vehicle will work fine."

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2007 H210
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe LT

If you try to back up an incline you'll find out that the 5th wire DOES do something,it'll lock up the trailer brakes.Unless you put the safety pin in the lock out hole. That salesman is an idiot telling you that.Just buy a 5 pin adapter & wire the one wire that comes W/it to your back up lite, I did & works great.

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2008 H190 Blue W/Red accents 4.3L Merc
2015 Tacoma Access Cab Super White 4x4 TRD Sport
2014 HD FXDC Black Stage 1 Mods V&H Bolt Ons,Naked VO2 AC & FP3.
2011 Polaris 500HO RED]
Life Long Boston Bruin Fan 2011 Stanley Cup Champs!!
#736

yes when backing up an incline you must put the pin in the lock out on my trailer so that the brakes don't engage. I took a look at the wiring on my trailer as well and that 5th wire isnt connected to anything.

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2007 H210
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe LT

Wait... so you have factory disc brakes but you don't have a backup solenoid? I'm confused.

The solenoid is often in a location that's difficult to see. And, they've been known to fail early in their life; my original one did.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I dont know alot of the technicals on this but i know that i have surge brakes. When i took delivery i was told to place to pin in the lock out everytime i was to backup the trailer up a hill. Backing up on a flat surface or down a hill does not require moving the pin. If i back the trailer up a hill without locking it out the brakes could engage.

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2007 H210
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe LT

I'm very surprised if you don't have a backup solenoid, and if you can't see where the blue wire actually ends on your trailer, I'd look closer and see if you have the solenoid. It'd be a shame to hassle with manually locking it out all the time if you don't have to.

In case you aren't familiar, the way the solenoid works (if you have one) is that when your tow vehicle is in reverse, voltage is supplied through the "5th wire" which is blue on your trailer. That is connected to a small solenoid (electrically operated valve) which then opens and thereby releases the pressure in your trailer's brake lines, effectively disabling them. When you then shift out of reverse, voltage is removed from that blue wire, the solenoid returns to the closed position, and the brakes operate normally.

Maybe your trailer came with everything except the solenoid, but I think it's more likely that you have it and your dealer didn't know what he was talking about.

If you don't have the solenoid you can add it or have a trailer shop add it, BUT be aware that there are two different types of solenoids and the type used must be compatible with the master cylinder inside your actuator. The type of solenoid currently used by FW is called a bypass solenoid, so called because when activates it doesn't just block the brake fluid from the lines going to the brakes, but actually routes the brake fluid back into the master cylinder, equalizing the pressure in the whole system.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

It sound like your trialer DOES NOT have the reversing solenoid. If thats the case, I see 2 options.

1 Use the locking pin to lock out the brakes while backing or
2 Add the solenoid. Ill try to post a link, not sure if it works

If you add the solenoid, the 5th wire that is not hooked to anything would go to this. You would also have to have the truck plug changed as well.

A trailer shop should be able to add a revere solenoid pretty reasonably

http://www.championtrailers.com/REVERSING_SOLENOID_VALVES.HTM

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Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

In Jeff's link, the type of solenoid currently used by FW is part #1504, not #1507, if you have the master cylinder with the return port in it (which I think all current FW trailers have, but you'd need to verify).

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Great! thank you all for your help!

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2007 H210
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe LT

You can also hear the brakes "move" when putting the truck in reverse if you are standing out by the trailer.

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

My solenoid is the same as the #1507. I only have a single line that runs into and out of my solenoid. The #1504 needs a return line back to the reservoir. The other option we could be seeing here is "free backing" drum brakes. They "slip" when backing up even with pressure being applied by the cylinder. Even my disks on the H260 can be pushed around by my tractor when I am backing the boat into the garage maybe I better take a good look at the brake system this spring! The lock out pin can also be used to positively lock out and not activate the brakes.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

My understanding is that they switched to the bypass solenoid around '04.



Hmmm, when my solenoid failed, I could not back up - period. It was like I was going to fold the trailer in half if I kept trying.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Mike,

I will be tearing into the trailer as soon as I get the boat in the water so maybe I will find some issues with the brake system at that time.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Guys...I think I have figured this out.

I am about to buy a 2004 Eddie Bauer from my dealership. It has the 4.6L engine and has the 4 Flat connector, NOT a 7 round connecter. I am thinking the 5.4L engine DOES have a 7 round.

I had the truck in the air today and there actually IS the 5th wire attached to the trailer wire loom, its just got a cap on the wire. It is blue, and even said BRK on it, assuming it would be for the brake lockout we are all talking about.

Crawl under yours, I bet you find the same thing. No, I still have to figure out how to make this work and not make it look like a hodge podge of wiring on it...but the wire IS there.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Just to add to the cornfusion -- my F150 with 4.6L has the 7 round. And yes, the blue wire is for the lockout.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic