Not Very Happy#### update page 6#####

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Carhlr wrote:
Well we took delivery about 2 weeks ago 2013 Shadow Cruiser 314tsb it is a nice rig I didn't make it 2 miles from the dealer and turned around and went back my brake controller was set at 10 and I didn't feel the tt brakes were adjusted correctly. Dealer took it for a ride came back and said they were fine! I don't think there fine. So today I was dewinterizing getting ready for a short trip were taking next Saturday I went to check the tire pressure 1 tire 65lbs fine. second third and fourth tire the valve stems were so cracked I broke one just putting a tire gauge on it. So I put the spare on and dragged it back to the dealer I dropped it in his lot and will call him in am with a list of stuff. I'm really kinda ticked off now I mean when they prepped the thing these things should have been caught. I fully expect these issues to be taken care of OR There's gonna be a PROBLEM. When I dropped it off I also smelled a burning smell (brakes maybe). My F150 has a built in controller and 10 is as high as it goes and set on 10 no way could I lockem up.

Maybe the valve stems should have been found during the prep, but the preceived brake issue NO WAY ... I also question whether one should be able to lock up a fairly heavy trailer at any speed above about 5-10mph unless they are misadjusted to be too tight or you are on say gravel on a very slick road. I can tell you that you that YOU and not THEM will have the problem with what I perceive as a confrontational attitude and your part. Depending on how your warranty reads some times tires and possibly the entire tire assembly are not part of the manufacturer warranty, but are a separate issue. However, I would think a good dealer would take care of the issue either way. I have found fixing minor items on your own and saving only major ones for a dealer is the best way since you will have to fix them after the warranty anyway and the dealer really doesn't have a vested interest in fixing something the best or most professional way. He only has to fix things to the "INDUSTRY STANDARDS" and you don't have a say in what level of expertise or quality those are and I have found them to be FAR BELOW my personal standards which is another reason for me to fix what I can whether within or covered by any short term warranty.

IMO one is best served by saving those "SILVER BULLETS" until they are really needed and not wasting them needlessly.

Larry

Carhlr

IMO, all RV dealers should have a 30 day "no questions asked" fixing policy. If something is broke, it gets fixed. If something looks like its ready to break (like badly cracked valve stems), then it should be fixed. And, fixing is on their dime / their time. Heck, even simple retail stores give 14 day no penalty replacement policy. In reality, asking an RV dealer to fix things can be a totally different world. Sad to say but true...

Recommend returning the RV, show / explain where things need to be fixed and hope for the best. Hopefully, your RV dealer treats you like a long term customer should be treated.

Hopefully your dealer will take care of the stems and other issues you are having. As for the brake controller, last year I had a draw tite controller and my breaks locked up easily all the time, I had to keep it set at 1.5 as any higher the brakes caught way before the truck brakes. This year I have the built in controller and test it all the way to 10 and nothing locked up the tires using the brakes but I quickly found that the manual use locked up the trailer brakes easy at 10. I now have it set at 7.5 and all seems good, just does not lock them up.

Seems like this thread is gone off on a tangent ...

buyyouabeer wrote:
When I got my new trailer a couple of years ago the brakes would not lock up. I worried about it and learned it was normal; the shoes and drums need to wear together. Now they will lock up quite easily if I try. Hopefully you will get it all sorted.

That is interesting. My brakes would not lock up at first. After a 1,000 mile trip I could get them to lock up now and then using the manual lever on the brake controller. I have read that a trailer that is reasonable heavy for the truck (but still under the spec limits) might not lock up. But, if they don't lock up at 10, what do you set them at. I have been using 7 until I figure this out. Of greater concern is the regular "Trailer Disconnected" message I get. I will start a thread on that soon. Apparently Ford trailer brake controllers are very picky and if it doesn't like what it hears from the trailer, you get the error message.

gmw photos wrote:

Dragonfly wrote:
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR ALL FORD OWNERS, ESPECIALLY F150: Before you go off on the brake controller, know that Ford has an ongoing problem with their built in brake controller. I have a new airstream with a similar problem. I am constantly getting a "trailer disconnected" message. Yet the brake lights and running lights work.

According to the dealer, a former Ford employee I know and, another non-Airstream dealer, the trailer is recognizing the truck, thus the working lights on the trailer. But, the truck keeps forgetting that the trailer is there, thus I may or may not have brakes when the truck tells me that the trailer is disconnected. Even when the truck recognized the trailer, I too have trouble getting the brakes to lock up using the adjuster. I just set the level at 7 until I get this solved. I haven't talked to Ford yet and, need to Google the issue. You might want to do the same before you act. This happens with many brands of trailers. Also, a few GM trucks using the same system are affected. Let me know if you learn more and, I will do the same.

We use our F350 to pull two different horse trailers, and my equipment trailer. The equipment trailer is nearly new. It never faults out, but one of the horse trailers was giving the 'trailer disconnected' error on the dash display pretty regularly. Turned out to be a poor ground in the trailer wiring. A friend who works on these things all the time told me the Ford controller is very picky that all the electrical connections and equipment on the trailer need to be tip top perfect....or it can error out. So that was apparently why it always worked perfect on my new trailer, but not on the older trailer.

________________

Thanks. I expect to be bouncing back and forth between Ford and Airstream. Both have checked their systems and say they are OK. I will keep you posted. Did you manage to get the older trailer to stop giving you the error message?

Dragonfly wrote:
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR ALL FORD OWNERS, ESPECIALLY F150: Before you go off on the brake controller, know that Ford has an ongoing problem with their built in brake controller. I have a new airstream with a similar problem. I am constantly getting a "trailer disconnected" message. Yet the brake lights and running lights work.

According to the dealer, a former Ford employee I know and, another non-Airstream dealer, the trailer is recognizing the truck, thus the working lights on the trailer. But, the truck keeps forgetting that the trailer is there, thus I may or may not have brakes when the truck tells me that the trailer is disconnected. Even when the truck recognized the trailer, I too have trouble getting the brakes to lock up using the adjuster. I just set the level at 7 until I get this solved. I haven't talked to Ford yet and, need to Google the issue. You might want to do the same before you act. This happens with many brands of trailers. Also, a few GM trucks using the same system are affected. Let me know if you learn more and, I will do the same.

We use our F350 to pull two different horse trailers, and my equipment trailer. The equipment trailer is nearly new. It never faults out, but one of the horse trailers was giving the 'trailer disconnected' error on the dash display pretty regularly. Turned out to be a poor ground in the trailer wiring. A friend who works on these things all the time told me the Ford controller is very picky that all the electrical connections and equipment on the trailer need to be tip top perfect....or it can error out. So that was apparently why it always worked perfect on my new trailer, but not on the older trailer.

I rented a 2010 Edge and I could lock up the TT wheel. I bought a 2010 Dutchmen and I cannot lock up the wheels. Same brake controller using the manual over ride and both trailers weight about 5K. Both trailer stop okay during normal driving.

My next project is to check the brakes before an extended trip this summer. However, I am not sure that you can lock the brakes on all TTs and of course the instruction say to back off the controller setting so you do not reach lock up.

Install metal valve stems.