Trailer Brake Controller Wiring 2001 Chieftan

[LES]

I have a 2001 Winnebago Chieftan and would like to know where the factory connection under the dash is located.
Thank you for your time, Les

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Les-

Welcome to Winnieowners!

This post on iRV2 contains a link to Ford's Q-206 document that shows where on the F-53 harness you'll find the trailer electric brake controller connector. It's worth reading that entire thread.

Ford used to provide a pigtail to fit into that connector. If they did, and Winnebago installed it, you may find the blunt-cut ends of the pigtail wires before you spot the connector. You can buy a pigtail. In any case, DO NOT cut the Ford wiring or connector. You can make the installation entirely plug-and-play, which considering the hard-to-reach connector is a positive thing.

Your Chieftan may have a flip-up dash panel, which would improve access to the connector.

Wiring diagrams for your coach are available here. My look at them says that Winnebago did not connect the trailer electric brake "blue" wire to the 6-pin hitch connector as the coach came from the factory. That said, it's been over 20 years, and a prior owner may have modified the hitch connector and its wiring. The "blue" wire should terminate on a pigtail attached to a Ford connector near the rear of the chassis, on the driver-side frame rail. From there one can extend the wire to the hitch connector. This will complete the path between the under-dash and hitch connectors, saving you the effort of running a separate "blue" wire between those two points.

etrailer has an excellent page showing "standard" trailer wiring at this link. I refer to it to sort out which signal ends up on which pin.

You should add a "signature" to your profile. It contains whatever info you want; most people put info about their coach there, so they don't have to type it into each message. Instructions for adding a signature are here.

[LES]

Thank you for the information. I will definitely use it.

[treimche]

Originally Posted by LES

I have a 2001 Winnebago Chieftan and would like to know where the factory connection under the dash is located.
Thank you for your time, Les

Les, did you get this figured out? I think if you follow the links that l1v3fr33ord1 posted you will be able to piece it all together. I had to do this back in May when I bought my 1999 Chieftain and needed to hook up a brake controller so I could pull my car on the trailer 2000 miles. Unfortunately I didn't have time to take any good pics of any of it.

After finding the 4 pin Ford plug behind the instrument cluster and wiring in the brake controller, another thing I had to do was run a wire from the chassis wire harness under the rear of the RV to the 7 pin plug. You will likely find the blue trailer brake control wire in one of the harnesses along the driver's side frame somewhere between the rear wheels and the rear bumper.