GON2SKI wrote:
current brake controller is Draw Tite Activator giving no stopping power even set on max.
Per Drawtite manual, you have a TIME BASED controller.
Drawtite Activator manual
HEREHowever the usage of the manual lever bypasses the time based portion and should allow for full output at max setting.
With that said, you need to do a few “checks” to make sure the brakes on the TRAILER are working as they should..
First is to make sure the trailer brakes are working, with the trailer disconnected pull the breakaway switch plunger out (make sure trailer battery is fully charged).
Please note, failure to disconnect the trailer from the vehicle MAY result in damage to your brake controller when pulling the breakaway pin.
Then pull forward.
The wheels SHOULD LOCK and you should be able to DRAG all four wheels.
If the wheels do not lock then you have a problem on the trailer side (IE incorrectly adjusted brakes, poor wiring, grease on brakes or drums, brakes not burnished in).
If brakes lock and you can drag all four wheels then the trailer side is OK and you need to troubleshoot the truck side (bad wiring, bad brake controller, ect).
If trailer side passes, try bypassing the controller (disconnect controller, locate the trailer brake and 12V hot wires on the truck wiring harness). Using a jumper from the 12V hot to the trailer brake wire. Then connect the trailer and try pulling forward. The trailer brakes should lock up and you should be able to drag all four wheels (like the breakaway test).
If wheels lock then your brake controller output is bad, replace with a new or known good controller.
If wheels do not lock or are weak then you have a wiring issue on your vehicle (IE corroded or damaged wire).
Ultimately you have a heavy trailer and there is a real good chance that the wiring on the trailer is TOO LIGHT from the factory. Many trailer manufacturers use the “recommended” MINIMUM WIRE GA which is 14Ga. While 14Ga is within the CURRENT carrying specs it wastes a lot of the 12V due to resistance.
Each magnet should draw about 3A at 12V but due to typical wiring using 14Ga wire you effectively lose 20%-30% of your brakes POTENTIAL stopping power (you are only getting 70%-80% of the potential braking power).
Your Drawtite as well as pretty much all controllers now days uses PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) on the brake output, this makes it difficult to get a accurate DC voltage reading on the output. For that reason it is easier to measure the current flowing using an ammeter. The exception to this is if you pull the breakaway cable which will apply 12V DC to the brake magnets.
Some folks who have moved to a heavier trailer have changed the drums to disc brakes (electric over hydraulic) which eliminates the weak brakes, but it is a very costly upgrade. A good chance if they had swapped out the 14ga wire for 10ga or heavier they would not have needed to change to disc brakes.
I would highly recommend you consider upgrading your trailer side wiring to at least 10Ga or better, with that you will easily get 98%-99% of your brake capacity. In your case since you have a time based controller moving to a inertial controller will result in a much smoother operation.
A P2/P3 should give better CONTROL than the Drawtite you have but for best braking you need to ensure the WIRING is up to the task.
I do not think you will be able to install a Ford IBC in your vehicle (Can’t remember exact year Ford offered IBC as an option but I think it was somewhere around 2004/2005, any years before that will not work for sure) but you CAN get an aftermarket controller which connects to your vehicle through the OBDII connection. It is more expensive than a P2/P3 but it uses the diagnostic port to get real world input on your vehicles brakes!
DirecLink
HERE$350 at
HERE
