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joelc's avatar
joelc
Nomad
Jul 20, 2016

Truck tow setting

I have a Carriage Cameo and a '06 Ford F-350 long bed lariat. I was having breaking problems and have to get some work done on the truck. The truck has the full tow package including the Ford Break controller. For those with a heavy unit like my 5er (about 18.5K +) I would like to know what number you have to break controller set to. I used to have it at 6.5 but found that too light. I now have it at 9.5. Is that adequate.

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  • VeloFellow's avatar
    VeloFellow
    Explorer
    Jul 21, 2016
    joelc wrote:
    I have drum breaks on the RV. Is there a basic method to adjust or does one just check for drag 1st? I am rather ignorant when it comes to breaks.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL-eLaB0opE

    It took me about 15 minutes per wheel.
  • tatest's avatar
    tatest
    Explorer II
    Jul 21, 2016
    joelc wrote:
    I have drum breaks on the RV. Is there a basic method to adjust or does one just check for drag 1st? I am rather ignorant when it comes to breaks.


    Going back 50 years to when they were all drum and manual adjustment routine maintenance. My mentors at the shop taught me to adjust to where I could feel the drag at the tire, then back off two notches. We always adjusted with the tire mounted; I woouldn't know what the feel should be at the drum itself. We did this every 3000 miles on cars in the 50s and 60s.
  • joelc's avatar
    joelc
    Nomad
    Jul 20, 2016
    I have drum breaks on the RV. Is there a basic method to adjust or does one just check for drag 1st? I am rather ignorant when it comes to breaks.
  • azdryheat's avatar
    azdryheat
    Explorer
    Jul 20, 2016
    I hope my trailer brakes brake but don't break in the process. lol

    My brakes, like most of our trailers, are manually adjusted. When adjusted the setting on my Chevy is around 7 and when needing adjustment they are up at the max of 10. Sounds like your brakes need adjusting.
  • VeloFellow's avatar
    VeloFellow
    Explorer
    Jul 20, 2016
    I had the brake controller on my F450 set to 10 for my 15,000 lb dry toy hauler and it provided "mild" braking power. With help from this forum, I realized that my trailer brakes were manually adjusting. (I thought they were auto adjust like the drums in my classic cars. Nope.) Well, after I adjusted the brakes (15 minutes each brake) I have fantastic braking power with the controller set to 7
  • joelc's avatar
    joelc
    Nomad
    Jul 20, 2016
    As far as I know the trailer breaks are fine. We had all checked before our trip. Right now we are on a cross country trip and are now in Washington, leaving for Oregon in a few days. So, it is not practical to see if anything has changed at this moment. I do a break check every time I hook up to be sure they engage properly using the Ford controller only.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Jul 20, 2016
    First.......

    With that heavy of a 5vr and that older F350 I would make sure trailers brakes are fully functional and capable of stopping trailer

    I would verify that trailer 'Brakes' are working and have been properly adjusted.
    Visual inspection of brake assemblies, then manual adjustments, then voltage to brake magnets from trucks brake controller.

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