Jack_Diane_Freedom wrote:
The Ford IBC is so smooth you will not feel the action of the trailer brakes. There is NO grab feeling. I thought the same thing with mine. It is totally proportional to the brake pedal pressure applied and integrated into the ABS system. Page the DiC to the brake controller and press the brake pedal and you will see the gain increase as you put the pressure on. I set mine at 9 and forget it.
RRTom, I agree with Jack_Diane_Freedom, on this.
If this is the first time your son has towed with a Ford integrated break controller, he may be learning something new. I have the 2005 version which is the first year they came out with it. It is not as adjustable as the newer ones but I can say this, this controller is so smooth the truck and trailer stop as one. I cannot force this controller even on a gain of 10 to have the trailer lead the truck. I had the Jordan brake controller before this on a different TV and on those non integrated controllers, yes you can tweak the controller to have the trailer lead the truck.
My camper weighs just under 10,000# when fully loaded. I use a gain of 8.5 and this combo is one smooth stopping rig.
If I go to my equipment flat bed trailer when it is empty and do not turn down the gain to about 6.5, I can smell the flat bed brakes getting really hot. Yet those tires do not lock up just I can tell with that high a gain on that lighter weight trailer (~2500lb) the trailer is doing more stopping of the rig then it should, but I still do not feel it. I smell the problem. Back it down to 6.5, the rig still stops the same but the trailer brakes are normal heat then.
Is your son trying to get the trailer to lead the truck brakes? The controller may be working like it is suppose to and it may not be able to happen that way.
Hope this helps
John
