Use of Trailer Brakes (tekonsha voyager)

One final lesson. For those with the Prodigy series, the proper way to set the gain (maximum voltage):

accelerate to 20 mph. use the manual brake lever on the controller to "panic stop." If the tires lock up, lower the voltage gain. If they do not, raise the voltage gain. Repeat this until you find the threshold where the tires on the trailer barely have traction, and you have it set properly.

The other setting: Boost. If you are carrying an empty car trailer, leave the boost off. A small bumper pull TT would warrant a boost level of one. A large bumper pull would warrant two. And a 5th wheel requires a three.

I have spent years hotshotting and use a Prodigy P3 for its versatility. This method of setting up the brakes yielded the best feel and the shortest stopping distances when needed.

Thanks again everyone for the interesting lesson on the differences in the brake controllers!! Very helpful!! I love this place!!:B

I always backed mine down when we got off the highway. Got a Prodigy P2 now, set it and forget it.....the Voyage served me well for many years till it gave up the ghost.....if I remember correctly, I installed it in 1995, and it went into 5 trucks after that, finally replaced it last year

Redterpos3 wrote:
Thanks!! That helps a lot folks!! I didn't know there are proportional controllers and pendulum ones! Interesting! Thanks for the lesson! Roll-on!

The accelerometer in the Prodigy is basicly a electronic pendulum. They both feel how fast the TV is decelerating, and act accordingly. Thing is with the Prodigy, as the TV, slows to a stop. It sends less power to the brakes, and finally turns them loose. The Voyager holds on, and s o there is a jerk when you let off the brake pedal.

I have a voyager. It took me a while to get it set right, but it is a proportional controller. The harder you brake, the redder the led. Before I got it set right, it was very grabby in slow traffic. Bugged my wife to no end.

Too much gain on the trailer brakes will have the trailer doing more than its fair share of braking. You also get the jerking. Too little and the TV brakes work too hard.

I had a Voyager. It IS a proportional controller.

From the manufacturers instructions Clicky

7. This brake control is activated by inertia.
It senses deceleration and generates an
output that reflects the inertia sensed.
In a stationary state, the brake control
will not apply the trailer brakes unless
the Manual Slide Knob is actuated.

Post removed because I was wrong. Jack :o

Thanks!! That helps a lot folks!! I didn't know there are proportional controllers and pendulum ones! Interesting! Thanks for the lesson! Roll-on!

Redterpos3 wrote:
Just towed for the first time this year (had to move the trailer so I could have 13 trees taken out from around my house).

I have a question regarding the tweaking of the trailer brake controller. I've noticed that when I'm traveling the highway I feel safer to have my controller tight, so it reacts quick in case of an emergency. I back it off as I leave the highway and travel regular roads, and a bit more when I enter campgrounds, ie. going extra slow. Does this sound about right? Or is it best to adjust it one way and not touch it?

Yes it does. The Voyager is not time based it is proportional just like the Prodigy. Difference is. The Prodigy has an accelerometer to "feel" the TV decelerate. The Voyager has a mechanical pendulum. The farther it swings, the more power is sent to the brakes. That is why you have to level it.

As the Voyager is really grabby in stop, and go traffic. You will want to back it off in town, and in the CG.
The Voyager does exactly what it is supposed to do. It is just much less smooth than the Prodigy. But does a good job stopping the trailer

IF I remember right the voyager is a time based controller so what you are doing sounds about right. If you get a proportion based controller adjusting wouldn't be necessary