Western Star jake wiring

Hi guys very new to any forums and not as bright with wiring either. I am to trying to hook up EASY JAKE IN MY 06 lowmax.
Could you explain how you hooked it up like you were explaining it to someone in grade one or two? I don't grasp the concept of making something work without providing power. Thanks in advance.

 

Would you mind providing the last 6 of your VIN? That way I can look up schematics specific to your unit. I don't like giving advice until I have all the facts.

How they usually work these days with everything being electronic, instead of electrical, is the ecm that the switch is connected to is looking for ground. It's providing the voltage, which may be very little, but when it see's ground it says "ok this has been requested so lets activate the jakes". So the switch is just giving a path to ground. This may not be how yours is setup, but I think it is. Depends on engine, specs.. etc etc. That's why I'd like the vin.

I just read the install instructions on easy jake's web site and those are the worst wiring instructions I've ever read. It's going to be easier than they make it sound.

 

Thank you for response.
V34527

 

I forgot to ask. Is your easy jake switch lit or not?

 

So at this time I don't know if your easy jake has a lit switch or not. if it doesn't then my instructions will be perfect, if it does then my instructions will be missing the info on getting the switch to light. Anyways.

See the attached file for a picture of the switch connector.

Here's a picture of the jake brake switch connector. You'll see numbers along the side of the black connector that goes to the jake brake on/off switch numbered 1 to 8. 8 and 7 are the power and ground for the switch illuminating when the headlights are turned on, we don't care about them, I'm just letting you know what they do and why they are there.

The only one we truly care about is the wire going into pin 6 (EB04a will be a wire number on that wire, they only print it every 6" so may be hard to see, any other numbers you see won't be useful) the wires will have of the switch connector, when that one see's ground the jake's activate.

So assuming the easy jake has just 2 wires then I'd cut the wire at pin 6 and one of your easy jake wires goes to the pin6 wire you just cut, and the other goes to ground anywhere. If you want to keep it easy, pin 5 is a direct ground, just note that there are probably 2 wires going into the pin 5 connector, they need to stay connected to each other, you can add the second wire from your easy jake to the 2 here, just crimp the 3 wires together. But if you cut the wires at pin 5 then your cruise won't work. FYI

The jake brake selection switch is still used for high/medium/low, but the on/off will be controlled by your easy jake switch.


Now when you compare what I told you vs what the easy jake info said


Anything engine in the last 10 years will usually activate in the same "looking for ground" way that your truck is. When you think of it, it's fairly easy. if pin 6 at the connector see's ground, jakes activate. your not worrying about proving power anywhere .. or any of that crap. Your just making sure it see's ground.

 

the instructions at easyjake.com are completely moronic and will confuse anyone.

 

Yes it is

 

Yes it is a lighted switch.

Very well said. I am installing right now and it going well. I'll let you know shortly……
Thank you I do appreciate the time and effort you have given.

 

I had a huge wall of text here describing how to hook up the light, but from what I see over on easy jake's website the switch only has 3 wires coming from it. It does only have 3 right?

 

Yes