Draw-Tite 5500 User Manual [en, es, fr]
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE INSTALLATION
AND OPERATION OF
ELECTRONIC TRAILER
BRAKE CONTROL FOR
2, 4, 6 & 8 BRAKE
SYSTEMS
IMPORTANT: READ AND
FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. KEEP THESE
INSTRUCTIONS IN YOUR TOW
VEHICLE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES:
(1) Brake Control Unit
(1) Mounting Bracket
(4) Mounting Screws
(1) Wire Tap Connector
(1) Warranty Card
TOOLS REQUIRED:
Assorted end wrenches
Drill with ¹⁄₈" bit
Wire connector crimp tool
Probe type circuit tester
Wire cutter/stripper
Screwdriver or ¹⁄₄" Nut Driver
MATERIAL REQUIRED:
10 Ga. wire
30 Amp auto-reset circuit breaker
Assorted ring terminal & butt con-
nectors
4" cable ties (6-10)
CONTROLS
OUTPUT CONTROL
The Output Control establishes the maximum amount of
power available to the trailer brakes.
As the Control is rotated up more power will be available
to the brakes when the brake pedal is pressed or the
manual control is used.
The Output Control would be adjusted during initial setup,
when trailer load changes, when different trailers are used
or to adjust for a change in road conditions.
The Output setting is shown on the digital display when a
trailer is connected and the brake pedal is pressed or the
Manual Control is actuated.
The Output setting is shown as 0 through 10 with 0 being
the minimum and 10 the maximum.
SYNC CONTROL
The Sync Control is located on the left side of the Brake
Control Unit, forward of the mounting bracket.
The Sync Control adjusts trailer brake aggressiveness.
The trailer brakes become more aggressive as the switch
is moved toward the front of the tow vehicle.
To view the Sync setting on the display, press the brake
pedal (trailer must be connected) and move the Sync Control
slightly. The display will change to the Sync mode.
The Sync setting is shown as 1
0
through 90with 10being
the least aggressive and 9
0
being the most aggressive.
The Sync adjustment has no effect on the manual control.
The Sync Control would be adjusted for individual driver
preference or changing road conditions.
MANUAL CONTROL
The Manual Control is located on the front of the Brake
Control Unit at the right side.
The Manual Control only applies the trailer brakes and would
be used during initial setup and in situations where it is
desirable to reduce speed slowly.
When the Manual Control is pushed to the left, the control
begins to apply the trailer brakes. The further to the left it is
pushed the harder the brakes are applied until the maximum
set by the Output Control is reached.
The Output setting will be shown on the display and can be
adjusted when using the Manual Control.
The Manual Control activates the tow vehicle and trailer stoplights.
SETUP
Preliminary Adjustments
With the trailer connected press and hold the brake pedal,
the Display will show the Output setting.
Adjust to 2.0 by turning the control up or down as needed.
While still holding the brake pedal move the Sync Control
slightly, the Display will change to the Sync setting.
Adjust to 4
0
by sliding the Sync Control ahead or back as
necessary.
TEST DRIVE
In an open area, such as a large parking lot, drive forward
and apply the trailer brakes using the Manual Control.
If the trailer brakes are weak adjust the Output Control up.
If the trailer brakes jerk or lockup adjust the Output Control
down.
Repeat this step until firm braking is felt with out jerking or
lockup.
Once the Output is set, drive forward and press the brake
pedal, the tow vehicle and trailer should make a smooth stop.
If the stop seems slow and more aggressive braking is
desired, move the Sync Control rearward while holding the
brake pedal.
If the stop seems too aggressive adjust the Sync Control
rearward while holding the brake pedal.
After making a Sync adjustment the Display will show the
setting until the brake pedal is released.
Make several stops at various speeds and adjust the Sync
until stops are smooth and firm. Slight adjustment of the
Output Control may also be desirable.
NOTE: If any problems occur during Setup refer to the
Trouble Shooting section of these instructions.
DIGITAL DISPLAY
The Digital display shows the Output setting when the
control is activated. It is used to setup and monitor the
Brake Control and can be used when trouble shooting.
SINGLE DECIMAL
CONTROL ACTIVATED
NO TRAILER CONNECTED
OUTPUT DISPLAY
CONTROL ACTIVATED
TRAILER CONNECTED
SYNC DISPLAY
BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED
SYNC CONTROL ACTIVATED
TRAILER CONNECTED
OVER LOAD DISPLAY
SHORTED OR OVER LOADED
BRAKE CIRCUIT
SEE TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE
ERROR DISPLAY
INTERNAL CONTROL ERROR
SEE TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
DISPLAY MODES
USAGE TIPS
Light pressure on the brake pedal will activate the trailer's
brakes with no effect on the tow vehicle's brakes. This is
useful for gradual slowing on steep grades or before stops.
Periodic adjustment of the Sync and Output controls
may be necessary to correct for changing road conditions,
trailer loading, brake wear, and/or driver preference.
On some vehicles, operating the Brake Control's Manual
control will not disengage "Cruise Control".
When Towing (in most applications) with Hazard Flashers
on the Digital Display will flash with the Hazard Flashers. If
the Brake Control is set aggressively pulsing may be felt in
the trailer brakes.
Installation of a Pulse Preventor will isolate the brake control from the flashers and eliminate the flash/pulse situation.
TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE
WITHOUT TRAILER CONNECTEDWITH TRAILER CONNECTED
TEST WITHOUT TRAILER FIRST
CONDITION DISPLAY PROBABLE CAUSES POSSIBLE SOLUTION
DECIMAL ONLY
BLANK
PEDAL MANUAL
OUTPUT SETTING
FLASHING OL
ERROR
DECIMAL ONLY
OUTPUT SETTING
FLASHING OL
ERROR
OUTPUT SETTING
LEVEL
LEVEL LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
LEVEL
BLANK
LEVEL
DECIMAL ON ALL THE TIME
DECIMAL POINT DOES NOT LIGHT
WHEN BRAKE PEDAL OR MANUAL
CONTROL IS USED
NO POWER TO CONTROL, NO GROUND,
REVERSED BLACK AND WHITE WIRES,
CIRCUIT BREAKER BLOWN
NO CONNECTION OR INCORRECT
CONNECTION AT STOPLIGHT SWITCH,
BLOWN FUSE IN STOPLIGHT CIRCUIT
CHECK AND REPAIR CONNECTIONS
REFER TO "WIRING" SECTION
CHECK AND REPAIR CONNECTIONS
REFER TO "WIRING" SECTION
CHECK AND REPAIR CONNECTIONS
REFER TO "WIRING" SECTION
LOCATE AND CORRECT SHORT
RETURN UNIT TO DEALER FOR
EVALUATION
CONFIRM TRAILER CONNECTOR
TERMINAL POSITIONS
RETURN UNIT TO DEALER FOR
EVALUATION
CHECK AND CORRECT CONNECTOR
WIRE POSITIONS
CHECK AND CORRECT CONNECTOR
WIRE POSITIONS
CONFIRM CONNECTION TO TRAILER
CONNECTOR, CONFIRM CONNECTOR
TERMINAL POSITIONS, CHECK TRAILER
TROUBLE SHOOT TRAILER BRAKE
CIRCUIT PER BRAKE MANUFACTURER'S
INSTRUCTIONS
CHECK AND REPAIR CONNECTIONS
REFER TO "WIRING" SECTION,
CHECK STOPLIGHT CIRCUIT
RED WIRE CONNECTED TO THE WRONG
SIDE OF THE STOPLIGHT SWITCH OR
TO WRONG SWITCH (CRUISE CONTROL)
BRAKE CONTROL UNIT MISWIRED
SHORT IN BLUE WIRE CIRCUIT
INTERNAL BRAKE CONTROL PROBLEM
NO CONNECTION BETWEEN BRAKE CONTROL
AND BRAKES - BLUE WIRE CIRCUIT
MISWIRED TRAILER CONNECTOR
DECIMAL POINT DOES NOT LIGHT
WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS PUSHED
DOES LIGHT WITH MANUAL
DISPLAY SHOWS OUTPUT
SETTING
DISPLAY SHOWS OL WHEN
ACTIVATED
DISPLAY SHOWS Er
NO TRAILER BRAKES, PEDAL
OR MANUAL
NO TRAILER BRAKES, PEDAL
OR MANUAL
NO TRAILER BRAKES, PEDAL
OR MANUAL
SHORT OR OVERLOAD IN TRAILER BRAKES
NO TRAILER BRAKES, PEDAL
OR MANUAL
INTERNAL BRAKE CONTROL PROBLEM
WEAK OR NO TRAILER BRAKES MISWIRED TRAILER CONNECTOR
TRAILER BRAKES ON ALL THE
TIME
MISWIRED TRAILER CONNECTOR
Towing Products
47774 Anchor Court West
Plymouth, MI 48170
©
TOWING PRODUCTS 2003
PRINTED IN CHINA
05500-037 1 of 3 rev. 2/6/03
05500-037 2/6/03 English 3/6/03 2:05 PM Page 1
OUTPUT CONTROL
MORE OUTPUT
LESS OUTPUT
OUTPUT / SYNC
SYNC CONTROL
MORE AGGRESSIVE BRAKING
LESS AGGRESSIVE BRAKING
DISPLAY
MANUAL CONTROL
PUSH TO
APPLY BRAKES
MOUNTING
2. Hold the mounting bracket in the position selected and
mark hole locations through the slots in the bracket
3. Using a 1/8" dia. bit, drill holes in the marked locations.
4. With a screwdriver or a 1/4" nut driver, secure the
bracket in place using (2) self tapping screws (provided).
Be careful not to strip the holes by over-tightening.
5. Mount the brake control unit in the bracket using the
other (2) self tapping screws as shown in the illustration.
WARNING: Do not connect the black “BATTERY” wire to
the fuse panel or tie into accessory wiring. Connecting
to existing wiring may damage vehicle wiring and cause
trailer brake failure.
FOR TOW VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FACTORY TRAILER
TOWING PACKAGES:
Wire per tow vehicle manufacturer's instructions.
NOTE: Make sure that the tow vehicle's Brake Control
Battery Feed circuit is capable of carrying enough current to
supply trailer brake requirements (check tow vehicle manufacturer's instructions and trailer brake manufacturer's
information). If the circuit does not meet the trailer's
requirements, wire directly to the battery per steps 1
through 7.
FOR TOW VEHICLES WITHOUT FACTORY TRAILER
TOWING PACKAGES:
1. Disconnect the tow vehicle's negative (-) battery cable.
2. Mount a 30 Amp auto-reset circuit breaker as close to
the positive (+) battery terminal as possible. Using 10 Ga.
stranded wire and crimp type ring terminals connect the
"BATT" side of the circuit breaker to the positive battery terminal.
NOTE: When passing wire through sheet metal always go
through an existing grommet, add a grommet or use
silicone rubber to insulate the wire from the hole.
3. Feed one black and one white, 10 Ga. stranded wire from
the Brake Control location to the tow vehicle's battery area.
4. Connect the black wire to the "AUX" side of the circuit
breaker with a ring terminal.
5. Connect the white wire to the negative battery post with
a ring terminal.
6 Attach the Control's black "BATTERY +" wire to the wire
(black) connected to the "AUX" side of the circuit breaker
using a butt connector.
7. Connect the control's white "GROUND" wire to the wire
(white) leading from the negative battery terminal with
another butt connector.
IMPORTANT: A brake control that is not properly grounded
may operate intermittently or not at all. Recheck
to make
sure that the white "GROUND -" wire is connected to the (-)
negative battery terminal and that the black "BATTERY +"
wire is attached to the (+) positive battery terminal.
8. For tow vehicles other than 1989-91 Ford E and F
series trucks and vans:
Determine which side of the stoplight switch is the cold
side. To determine the cold side probe the terminals of the
switch with a test light until one is found that is only on
when the brake pedal is depressed.
Using the wire tap provided, splice the brake control's red
"STOPLIGHT" wire to the attached to the cold side of the
stoplight switch as determined above.
For 1989-91 Ford E and F series trucks and vans with
anti-lock brakes:
Find the crescent shaped connector located on the steering
column (turn signal harness). The connector has two rows
of wires, one row has four wires (inside row) the other has
seven.
The wire needed is the light green wire, second in from the
row of seven (see wiring diagram above).
Using the wire tap provided, splice the brake control's red
"STOPLIGHT" wire to the light green wire.
9. Secure all loose wires with cable ties so that they will
not be damaged and reconnect battery. See vehicle's
owners manual for special re-connection instructions.
10.Test installation:
Without a trailer connected, push the brake pedal.
A single . (decimal point) should light up on the Display.
If the decimal point does not light or if OL or Er is shown
go to the Trouble Shooting section.
12 VOLT BATTERY OF TOW VEHICLE
THIS ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL IS FOR USE
ON 12 VOLT NEGATIVE GROUND SYSTEMS ONLY
IMPORTANT: READ AND FOLLOW ALL WARNINGS AND
CAUTIONS ON TOW VEHICLE BATTERY
IMPORTANT: DO NOT REVERSE BLACK AND
WHITE WIRE CONNECTIONS. DAMAGE TO
THE BRAKE CONTROL UNIT MAY OCCUR.
STOPLIGHT SWITCH
CONNECT TO COLD SIDE
(ON ONLY WHEN PEDAL IS PUSHED)
WIRE TAP
(SUPPLIED)
BUTT CONNECTORS
(NOT SUPPLIED)
USE 10 GA. WIRE
USE 10 GA. WIRE
DISCONNECT NEGATIVE (-)
CABLE BEFORE WIRING
BRAKE CONTROL UNIT
30A AUTO-RESET
CIRCUIT BREAKER
(NOT SUPPLIED)
TRAILER
CONNECTOR
BRAKE CONTROL
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FORD E AND F SERIES TRUCKS
AND VANS, 1989 - 91, WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES
DO NOT CONNECT TO STOPLIGHT SWITCH
ON THESE VEHICLES
LIGHT GREEN WIRE
TURN SIGNAL HARNESS
CONNECTOR UNDER DASH
NEAR STEERING COLUMN
SPLICE RED STOPLIGHT WIRE TO LIGHT GREEN
WIRE USING THE WIRE TAP CONNECTOR SUPPLIED
BRAKE BLUE
BATTERY + BLACK
STOPLIGHT RED
GROUND - WHITE
BATT
AUX
BENCH TEST INSTRUCTIONS
1. Wire as shown at right. Set the Output control to
maximum (+) and set the Sync control to minimum (-).
NOTE: If at any time during the bench test, the display shows
OL make sure that the blue "BRAKE" wire is not shorted to the
"-" battery terminal or the white "BATTERY -" wire.
If at any time, the display shows Er return the unit to your
Draw-Tite dealer for further evaluation.
2. Test "Standby Condition"
Hold the red "STOPLIGHT" wire on the "+" battery terminal. The
display should show a single . (decimal point). This indicates
correct wiring and that the control is ready.
Disconnect the red "STOPLIGHT" wire from the battery.
3. Test Brake Pedal Activation
Firmly ground the light bulb to the "-" terminal of the battery.
Re-attach the red "STOPLIGHT" wire to the "+" battery terminal.
The display should step up to 10 and the bulb should start
out dim and slowly get brighter (unhook and re-attach the
red wire as many times as necessary to confirm this)
With the red wire still hooked up, slowly move the Output
Control down to (-). The display should count down to 0
and the bulb should dim and go off.
Slowly move the Output Control back up to (+), the Display
should go back to 10 and the bulb should return to full brightness.
Slowly move the Sync Control to maximum (+). The
display should change to Sync mode and count up to 90.
Disconnect and reconnect the red wire. The bulb should
light brightly with no delay and the Display should read 10.
Disconnect the red wire.
4. Test Manual Activation
With the Output Control still set at maximum, slowly
activate the Manual Control button.
The bulb should start to dim and get brighter and the dis-
play should count up to 10 as the Manual Control is pushed.
While holding the Manual Control all the way in, rotate the
Output Control up and down. As the output changes the
bulb should go bright and dim and the display should
read 0 to 10.
5. Defective Unit
If the Brake Control unit does not function as described,
return it for service or replacement.
1. Determine a suitable mounting location.
A) The unit must be mounted securely to a solid surface.
B) The unit must be easily reached by the driver.
C) The area behind the mounting location must be clear
so nothing will be damaged when drilling.
WIRING
05500-037 2/6/03 English 3/6/03 2:05 PM Page 2
UNDER DASH
TOP OF DASH VERTICAL
IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE AREA BEHIND PANEL IS CLEAR
BEFORE DRILLING.
USE BRACKET AS TEMPLATE TO MARK HOLE LOCATIONS.
DRILL (2) 1/8" DIA. HOLES AND MOUNT BRACKET WITH
SCREWS PROVIDED.
MOUNT BRAKE CONTROL TO BRACKET USING THE
REMAINING (2) SCREWS.
ANY ANGLE
12 VOLT BATTERY OF TOW VEHICLE
IMPORTANT: READ AND FOLLOW
ALL WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS
SHOWN ON BATTERY
SYNC CONTROL
OUTPUT CONTROL
MORE OUTPUT
LESS OUTPUT
BLACK WIRE IS
CONNECTED TO
POSITIVE +
ONLY CONNECT
RED WIRE
WHEN NEEDED
RED WIRE
BLACK WIRE
WHITE WIRE IS
CONNECTED TO
NEGATIVE -
WHITE WIRE
BLUE WIRE
ONLY CONNECT BULB
TO NEGATIVE TERMINAL
WHEN NEEDED
STANDARD 1156
AUTOMOTIVE BULB
USE A SOCKET OR SOLDER
WIRES TO BULB
MANUAL CONTROL
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