brake surge ?

Each Tow Vehicle and Trailer needs different brake adjustments. For my one trailer, I set it at 4.2 For my other trailer with electric brakes, I set the brake controller at 5.4 Your settings will vary for each unique trailer as well.

Hello all. The brake controller i have is an Agility made by Hopkins Mfg. It is inertia activated. I will take the suggestions i received and play with it this weekend. Looking at the directions again i am wondering if the sensitivity might need to be reset.

Thanks for all the help

If you went with a electro/hydrolic controller you would have progressive brake control. I use the "Max Brake" which has a sensor tapped into the TV brake line. It senses pressure change as you press the pedal and will activate the TT brakes accordingly.
But back to your problem,pull the wheel off and check the system for pad integrity and operation. Make sure it is not sticking upon engagement. Also look for shorts or possible arcing of wires. Just like regular brakes inspect for glazed surfaces.

What is the current make / model of your current Brake Controller?

If wondering, some are "time based". IMO, ALL Time Based technology controllers should be pulled from store shelves and trashed. They are an accident waiting to happen.

Hopefully, your Brake Controller is motion sensor (aka: Proportional) based. Prodigy P2 and P3 brake controllers are great motion sensor models. Motion sensor because their computer calculates how fast the Tow Vehicle is stopping, then applies the correction amount of current down its blue wire (to its trailer brakes).

If you provide the make / model of your current brake controller, we can confirm if Time Based or if proportional (aka: Motion Sensor) technology.

i have the controller set to come on at 10 percent of the truck brakes. maybe is should lean it back. At 25% it will lock up the wheels on gravel

Not sure what kind of system you have, but our brake controller has a dial to increase or decrease the "intensity"? When set too high, it will literally lock up the camper tires. If set somewhere in the middle, it is very jerky at low speeds (like in town at stop lights or stop signs). But at higher speeds is much smoother. It's just the nature of the beast.

You have to find the happy-medium that you are getting good breaking from the TT, but not jerk your head off every time you touch the brake pedal.

The goal is for the TT brakes to engage slightly before the tow vehicle brakes engage. Unfortunately, the electric brakes on the camper are either on or off. The tow vehicle is a smooth transition.

So the 'sensitivity' need to be adjusted, and even then, in heavy town traffic, I'll move the controller from a 5 to a 2. Sometimes when driving through the campground, I'll change it to a 1, because even at very slow speeds, a 2 is still to jerky.

Play with the settings until you find the happy spot. Chances are, the second time you touch the brakes, you're moving faster, thus it feels smoother.

I may be completely wrong here, but that's how my controller works.