[GloNDark]

OK I am gonna sound like a mege noooobie here, but how in the fawk do you work this thing?? I've got it wired and ready to go, and I am picking up our new travel trailer this weekend. But I still don't really know how to use this thing.

My controller has a vertical nob, and a horizontal lever. What do they do?? The instructions are so so, but I still don't really get it.

 

[70~K5]

OK I am gonna sound like a mege noooobie here, but how in the fawk do you work this thing?? I've got it wired and ready to go, and I am picking up our new travel trailer this weekend. But I still don't really know how to use this thing.

My controller has a vertical nob, and a horizontal lever. What do they do?? The instructions are so so, but I still don't really get it.

What brand and model of controler do you have??? Cmeon peps if you have a question like this give us some info to work with.

 

[GloNDark]

DOH! Sorry guys, it's a sure pull. I got it from Summit. It's a Time-based, electronic, brake control. This is the exact same unit the RV place wanted to charge me $180 to install, and I got it at Summit for $49.99.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=23181

 

[mr4x42u]

well the big knob on the righet side that slides left is to engauge your trailor brakes while towing..Say it get a bit out of hand with sway or side to side motion,,well you can let off throttle and apply the brakes or amont of brakes with that knob to drag the trailor stright with out applying the vehicle brakes..As you may know when the trailor is in sway hitting the vehicle brakes is not always the best option,,somtimes can be a big no no..The other knob in an adjust for the amount of brakes you want to apply to the trailor..Higher the knob is truned the more trailor brake pressure is applyed,,say for ligh and heavy loads..It looks like you have a soft and hard setting,,do both the top and bottom knobs move?(hard and soft)Mine just has a setting from 0-10 and the apply knob.Thats a funky one you have there..Mine is draw-tite though..

 

[70~K5]

I normally just keep my throtle postion the same and give the trailer a shot of trailer only brakes to pull it straight. I want the power on to pull the rig out not coasting. I'vee pulled a 53" van out of a jack knife this way many times. Some times you have to hammer the throtle and give it a shot on the johnson bar to get it right.

 

[GloNDark]

actually mine doesn't look exactly like that one. It's more like I discribed, the horizontal slide level and only 1 vertical nob to adjust the amount of brakes.

So basically this little box is one of those "magic happens here" and it tells the trailer how much brake is needed. And the lever can manually apply just the trailer brakes. Got it, thanks guys. I've pulled all kinds of trailers but never had anything with trailer brakes.

 

[FYRMAN]

I wish I could help you, but I have never had to mess with a controller like that. Can you scan the instructions and PM, e-mail, or post them up here so I can have a look?


[email protected]

 

[GloNDark]

I wish I could help you, but I have never had to mess with a controller like that. Can you scan the instructions and PM, e-mail, or post them up here so I can have a look?
[email protected]

Sure can, I will even take a picture of the actual unit tonight. The wiring is done (thanks to you by the way :beer I swear their instructions were crap compared to what you told Todd.

 

[FYRMAN]

The actual instructions that I posted for Todd wouldn't be found in any book or instruction booklet. The only part that was posted in a book was the section where I outlined which wire to grab for the brake signal. That came out of the Tekonsha manual, and that is a book that only a Tekonsha distributor would have.

When you guys pay people to do work like this for you, these are the kinds of things that you are paying for. We know which wire to grab for this, which wires are strung from the factory, where it is safe to punch a hole through, and we can do it all fairly quickly to get you on the road. One of the things I have learned here is that (most of) you guys are more than competent enough to handle this kind of chit in your own shop, and that you would rather do the work on your own rigs.

 

[fj40guy]

When you guys pay people to do work like this for you, these are the kinds of things that you are paying for. We know which wire to grab for this, which wires are strung from the factory, where it is safe to punch a hole through, and we can do it all fairly quickly to get you on the road. One of the things I have learned here is that (most of) you guys are more than competent enough to handle this kind of chit in your own shop, and that you would rather do the work on your own rigs.

ALL TRUE!!! Funny thing I have learned: DO NOT HELP a neighbor with a trailer hitch install. Even with the Discount Hitch brand that I like, I just tell them "shop wanted $50 to install it.... hey, that is a bargain great price"

Most shops have it installed in 20 minutes... while I'm still snaking a bolt down into place, balancing the hitch on a floor jack and my knee.

On my own vehicle... na, I'll install it myself. For neighbors "that's a great price... let them install it and enjoy watching the game" (Damn, I'm getting old.

OH :beer: I snagged the Prodigy controller off eBay for $105 ($95 + $10 shipping). Love the 2500HD as they couldn't have made it easier for wiring!

Tom :usa:

 

[woody]

I am in the process of removing the EXACT BrakeMate controller you show above and switching to my old Tekonsha....been running the Tekonsha's for about 5 years now and have been really pleased. (probably installing over lunch actually....have neccessities along today)

Tekonsha's have 2 settings and the "oh shit" lever like the one above. Setting one is to set the inner pendulum for how quickly the brake system kicks in, effectively at what "panic angle" the controller kicks in hard. The other setting is for how hard the brake hit once they do kick in.

My Tekonsha's have always had a nice variable feel to the trailer brakes....not the "locked" or "loose" feeling I've had from some other controllers.

BTW: BrakeMate controller for sale...heh heh

 

[FYRMAN]

OH :beer: I snagged the Prodigy controller off eBay for $105 ($95 + $10 shipping). Love the 2500HD as they couldn't have made it easier for wiring!

Tom :usa:

Damn! You stole that controller!

 

[GloNDark]

Hey scott, one more question for you.

I was testing everything last night. The system seems to work pretty good. I even think I got all the wiring right. :laughing:

My question is, how much voltage does the brake controller normally send to the brakes, via the blue wire?? When I hit the brakes it would spike up to like 6 and then gradually go down from there. What do you think??