2019 2500HD - brake controller use for double towing

[Dave Kuntz]

I have a 2019 Sierra HD with integrated brake controller.   I'm towing a 5th wheel camper with two axles and electric brakes on each.  Behind the camper I'm town an ATV trailer with two axles, but only one of them has an electric brake.  Towing either of the trailers individually there are no issues with the trucks brake controller to control the brakes on the trailer.  But with both trailers connected the truck won't apply any 'juice' to the brakes.  It does nothing - no brakes on their trailer.  When I manually apply the brake controller it does nothing.  GM is telling me the truck is only designed to handle two sets of electric brakes and if I want to handle 3, I would need to add an after market controller to control the 2nd trailer separately.  I can understand that, but does it make sense the trucks computer/controller would not apply any 'juice' to the brakes when it senses too much resistance via the 3 sets of brakes?  Has anyone had this issue?  How did you resolve?

[DSMProject]

On 6/3/2021 at 12:00 PM, Dave Kuntz said:

I have a 2019 Sierra HD with integrated brake controller.   I'm towing a 5th wheel camper with two axles and electric brakes on each.  Behind the camper I'm town an ATV trailer with two axles, but only one of them has an electric brake.  Towing either of the trailers individually there are no issues with the trucks brake controller to control the brakes on the trailer.  But with both trailers connected the truck won't apply any 'juice' to the brakes.  It does nothing - no brakes on their trailer.  When I manually apply the brake controller it does nothing.  GM is telling me the truck is only designed to handle two sets of electric brakes and if I want to handle 3, I would need to add an after market controller to control the 2nd trailer separately.  I can understand that, but does it make sense the trucks computer/controller would not apply any 'juice' to the brakes when it senses too much resistance via the 3 sets of brakes?  Has anyone had this issue?  How did you resolve?

 

You will get better response in the correct forum... This is for 2020+

[THE YETI]

I have no idea on the specifics of how the system actually technically works.  BUT, it is designed to work for up to 2 axles brakes and knowing how electronics like to act when they aren't working properly it would not surprise me at all that this would somehow cause the system to not work at all when your setup is hooked up.  Maybe try only hooking up the one system for now.  I would think st least then you will have one units brakes working for the time being until you get it figured out with another aftermarket control.