Well, Im kinda dumfounded

[Worstenemy453]

Well, im a youngin. Im only 18.

Was just driving to charlottesville and back today and for some reason, on a 4 hour round trip, i just noticed that my trailer brake controller has a hard brake line running into the bottom of it. Ive never even heard of this.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Yup, that's a Kelsey-Hayes controller. Prolly older than you are. It has a cyl. in it connected to a slider that travel's along a wire wound resistance, the further it travels the less resistance the more output voltage to the brakes. There is a knob for adjustment.

 

[Worstenemy453]

What do i need to do to put a newer one on it ?

 

[GOOSE]

The newer units are a self contained solid state system that only requires an electrical hookup. No remote rheostats or plumbing into the brake system is necessary. Just make sure what you buy is suitable for how many brakes you need to control. Most do up to four brakes(dual axle). I had to spend a tad more dough for a six brake unit for my 9 ton tri axle tag a long trailer.

 

[OLDBULL8]

If/when you put a newer one in, when you remove the Tee at the master cyl. the brake line will screw back into it. A new BC will come with wiring instructions. You will have to locate the brake light switch and the RED wire from the BC taps into the WHITE wire on the BLS from 1988 to 1993.

Put your truck in your sig. so any future questions can be refered to it.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

That hard-lined controller is way better than any pricey bells-and-whistles electronic one that you can buy; if it is still in working order, I would leave it alone.



Kelsay-Hayes is not the only company to make them; back in that day, there were a host of manufacturers.

Some were quite deluxe, with variable controls, little red dots that lit up progressively according to braking pressure, number-of-axles selector knobs, and one feature that many are un-aware of existing = turning the knob on the stem that slides back and fro adjusts how quickly the brakes hit.


Several of my trucks still have working controllers such as these.


The only reason there is an electronic one on my personal truck is because that was all I could find on the day that I went shopping for one; it matters not so much to me, as 99% of the trailers I tow have vacuum-hydraulic brakes that do not use the controller.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Keep what you have. Those old controllers are much better than the electric only. They give smooth trailer brake operation and can be fine tuned nicely.
You will have to buy a really high end electric only controller to get the performance of the one you already have.

 

[Diesel_brad]

Keep what you have. Those old controllers are much better than the electric only. They give smooth trailer brake operation and can be fine tuned nicely.
You will have to buy a really high end electric only controller to get the performance of the one you already have.

^^^What he said^^^ I am removing my electric one in favor of one like your real one

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

The only two reasons for the fully electronic ones are silly anti-lock brakes and installer laziness.