Camper towing, 7-pin connector, Brake Controller

[Eneto-55]

Anyone here install a brake controller in their vehicle that wasn't already wired for the 7-pin connector?
Favorite brand/design for the controller? (I think I will want a proportional type. Comments?)
Wire gauge back to the trailer connector? (10 or 12?)

[Trailer: single axle, Whitewater model 177. (Inside dimensions: 8 x 16) Gross Weight is around 3,500 to 3,800 lbs., but haven't had it on a scale.
Tow vehicle (for the time being): 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan with the factory tow package (4.0L V6, trans cooler, engine oil cooler, extra large radiator, air adjustable rear suspension, class III OEM hitch). It currently has only the 4-pin trailer harness installed.]

Other comments: Currently not planning to go far with this set up - 35 miles 1-way, all US highway, 2-lane, with 55 MPH speed limit. (I would drive slower - "Be a Leader!")

[greg g]

I had a 7 pin but only used 5.  Didn't connect auxiliary ( car to trailer battery) or backup lights.  With 12v 14gauge should be enough for lights, 12 gauge for brakes and trailer battery.  I forget what controller I used.  I was working at a car dealership in the get ready dept, on used cars and trucks w,e were instructed to pull all aftermarket towing components and all non factory auxiliary lights and switches, so I always had access to controllers. The E Trailer website or probably  you tube would have tutorials. On where to pull power for the controller, and battery connection.

 

[vintage6t]

Tekonsha P3 are very popular controllers. Sometimes you can find a used controller on craigslist or whatever your favorite site is.

 

As mentioned above you don't need aux charging unless your trailer has a battery operated breakaway or other battery operated equipment.

Same with the backup lights.

 

Without getting into a religous discussion on towing, my advice is at least check the tow rating and other specs of the Caravan and make sure your within its tow limits regardless of how far you plan to go. There's probably a reason a vehicle equipped with a tow package only has a 4 pin connector. Maybe because it's not rated to pull a trailer heavy enough to need its it's own brakes. 

[Eneto-55]

8 hours ago, vintage6t said:

Tekonsha P3 are very popular controllers. Sometimes you can find a used controller on craigslist or whatever your favorite site is.

 

As mentioned above you don't need aux charging unless your trailer has a battery operated breakaway or other battery operated equipment.

Same with the backup lights.

 

Without getting into a religious discussion on towing, my advice is at least check the tow rating and other specs of the Caravan and make sure your'e within its tow limits regardless of how far you plan to go. There's probably a reason a vehicle equipped with a tow package only has a 4 pin connector. Maybe because it's not rated to pull a trailer heavy enough to need its it's own brakes. 

I installed the 4-pin trailer harness.  I only had a small (4x8) all-aluminum open box trailer that has no brakes on the axle, so I had no reason to wire in a 6 or 7-pin connector.  (I did that a bit over 7 years ago, and so far that's the only trailer I've ever towed with it.)

 

In my state (Ohio) all trailers of an empty weight of 2,000 lbs or more are required to have brakes.  The Caravan with the tow package is rated at 3,600 lbs.  So for this state at least, the vehicle's rating is far higher than the allowed empty trailer weight.  But Chrysler didn't build this vehicle specifically for Ohio, so whether it came with a 4-pin or 7-pin trailer terminal doesn't seem to answer the question regarding the towing capability of the vehicle.

 

Ohio Revised Code, Section 4513.20 -  Brake equipment for vehicles:

 

(A) The following requirements govern as to brake equipment on vehicles:

....

(4) When operated upon the highways of this state, the following vehicles shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and to hold the vehicle, designed to be applied by the driver of the towing motor vehicle from its cab, and also designed and connected so that, in case of a breakaway of the towed vehicle, the brakes shall be automatically applied:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every trailer or semitrailer, except a pole trailer, with an empty weight of two thousand pounds or more, manufactured or assembled on or after January 1, 1942;

 

However, whether it can handle it or not, the camper trailer is almost certainly near or very slightly over the top end of the vehicle rating.  Will it work anyway?  I don't know, and finding out could end up being an expensive "acquisition of knowledge".  So while I suspect that the manufacturer has a fairly significant "fudge factor" built in to all of their ratings (to protect themselves both financially and in reputation), we are looking around for a Ram 1500, to "remove the doubt".  We used to have a PU (off-brand), but replaced it with this Caravan, due to a need for "dry package hauling" in my business, and bought the small aluminum trailer for the other uses (lumber, fire wood, mulch, trash, leaves, & brush, metal scrap, etc.).  (Yeah, could have bought a cover for the PU, but I knew that I would be constantly taking it off & putting it back on, and the PU was already badly rusted out and had developed other serious issues as well.)

Edited May 21, 2023 by Eneto-55

[Eneto-55]

In case anyone else has the same questions about a modern MoPar as I did, a member on the MoPar minivan fan forum reminded me of this link where you can see your 'build sheet":

 

Just add your vehicle's VIN to the end of the following address:

https://www.chrysler.com/webselfservice/BuildSheetServlet?vin=
 

I copied VINs off of Cars DOT com and ran 9 2010 Dodge Grand Caravans, 2 with the 3.8L engine, and 7 with the 4.0.

 

Like my own GC, four of the seven 4.0L vehicles had the following 6 items listed, which the other three 4.0Ls and the two 3.8Ls didn't have:

TRAILER TOW GROUP - 3600 LB RATING
HEAVY DUTY TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER
HEAVY DUTY ENGINE COOLING
HEAVY DUTY RADIATOR
LOAD LEVELING AND HEIGHT CONTROL
TRAILER TOW WIRING HARNESS
 

The reason I did this was because some of the guys there didn't believe me that I actually have factory installed tow package, because mine didn't have the OEM hitch installed.  (Until I installed it myself, shortly after I bought it used, in 2015.) 

[Eneto-55]

Ended up getting a 2019 Ram Classic.  My wife found it, and she was more favorable to getting a Ram because it has the second seat, but a shorter cab than her family's go-to brand, which is anathama (forbidden, or 'cursed') in my family (the one that starts with an 'F').  She just didn't like to have to skimp on the heavy stuff she wanted to take along, to try to stay as close to the weight limit for the Dodge Grand Caravan I was planning to use.

 

So if anyone knows of a good discussion forum for the Ram PUs, I'd like to hear it.  I looked at several, but wasn't sure where I would fit in best.  (I'm not into any of the current trends, like over-sized wheels with almost no rubber, fancy wheels either, or the tail dragging business.)