Electronic Break Control Question

[ellie007]

We have a 24 ft travel trailer we tow with a F150 5.4 L pickup. We have an electronic break control system that has been adjusted for our trailer weight. My husband reaches down and uses the manual override when we are going down mountain passes or steep grades eventhough the breaking system works fine. I hate it when he does that because he has to take his eyes from the road and lean down to reach it. YIKES! Is that necessary? We argue about this everytime he does it. He thinks it makes the trailer more stable going down hill. Can someone out there help us resolve this ongoing dispute? Thanks!

[canoe_on_top]

I have a Prodigy brake controller and, when I went from a TT that weighed under 6K to one that weighs close to 10K, I set the brake controller to boost 1. It is my understanding that the boost setting increases the voltage to the TT brakes faster giving you more braking sooner. The amount of braking applied to the TT is still proportional to the amount of braking applied to the TV.

I agree with those above who have said that the time to control your speed on a long grade is at the top. Start slow, shift down if appropriate and brake in short bursts.

[DiskDoctr]

If you are using a proportional breaking controller, like the Prodigy and a number of others, it has a Boost setting, up to 3 levels that have a similar effect to manually applying the controller braking- EXCEPT you are still braking the tow vehicle, just with a little tugging from the trailer to ease things a bit.

If I am hauling very heavy, for long distances, or extended downhill grades, I will often boost it and sometimes even raise my baseline braking level until back on level ground.

[peirek]

canoe on top wrote:
If you have a proportional brake controller the brakes on the TV and the TT should work together. The TT braking is directly proportional to the braking of the TV. This being the case, and if the TT brakes are properly adjusted, the TT should stay in line when going down hill, even steep grades.

The TT brakes are designed to adequately brake the weight of the TT, not the combined weight of both the TT and the TV. I would suggest that doing this kind of braking will result in excessive wear on the TT brakes and you run the risk of them over heating and then, not working at all.

I live in CO and we have some pretty high, steep and long grades. I think using TT brakes in this manner would be potentially dangerous. I'm not talking about touching the brake controller to get the TT back in line, I'm talking about using the TT brakes for braking your total combined weight on a long grade.

You will not be a happy camper if you lose your trailer brakes on a mountain pass from over use.

(ellie007, I grew up in Yakima but it was many years ago)

x2

[opnspaces]

The only time I touch the manual lever is when hooking up to pull. I want to see the digital readout climb as I move the lever. Other than that I just use the tow vehicle brakes to slow the combination down by stepping on the brake pedal.

The trailer brake control is there to help your tow vehicle and trailer brake as a complete unit. The manual lever is there to bring a trailer back under control if it starts to sway.

[Nvr2loud]

canoe on top wrote:
If you have a proportional brake controller the brakes on the TV and the TT should work together. The TT braking is directly proportional to the braking of the TV. This being the case, and if the TT brakes are properly adjusted, the TT should stay in line when going down hill, even steep grades.

The TT brakes are designed to adequately brake the weight of the TT, not the combined weight of both the TT and the TV. I would suggest that doing this kind of braking will result in excessive wear on the TT brakes and you run the risk of them over heating and then, not working at all.

I live in CO and we have some pretty high, steep and long grades. I think using TT brakes in this manner would be potentially dangerous. I'm not talking about touching the brake controller to get the TT back in line, I'm talking about using the TT brakes for braking your total combined weight on a long grade.

You will not be a happy camper if you lose your trailer brakes on a mountain pass from over use.

(ellie007, I grew up in Yakima but it was many years ago)

+1

I downshift the truck to maintain a lower speed down grade, and will touch the brake controller manual switch a little to pull the slack between the truck and trailer a little bit... but I don't keep it pulled for long.

[hddecker]

The manual over ride is there to be used not abused.

Since I now tow with a Ram 3500 6.7l with an exhaust break, with a tow/haul function and a much greater engine breaking ability, even so I still use just the trailer brakes occasionally.

I don't remember if the '00 F150 has a tow/haul function, if it does then that should be engaged.

The speed at the top of the descent should lower than the maximum speed you want to reach on the down hill. Down shift to a lower gear so that much of the breaking is done by the engine.

Alternate between using the combined braking system and the override. Above all do not ride the brakes on either unit, they will over heat and they will fail if ride all the way down to long steep grade.

The most important thing is to remember that the trailer brakes will require more frequent adjustments and he must ensure that is done as required.

[69_Avion]

I use my trailer brake controller for slowing the rig down. I've done this all my life when on steep downhill grades. I don't over use the trailer brakes because I also don't let my speed get out of hand. I also don't constantly use them. I will use my truck brakes if my speed gets excessive, otherwise I will use a little trailer braking. I just took my trailer on a 5,000 mile trip which included going over the pass near Silverton Colorado. I have never had an issue with trailer brakes in all the years I've been towing, except for one time when a RV dealer rebuilt the brakes and installed them all wrong. Did you know your brakes can lock up when the parts fall off. LOL

[canoe_on_top]

If you have a proportional brake controller the brakes on the TV and the TT should work together. The TT braking is directly proportional to the braking of the TV. This being the case, and if the TT brakes are properly adjusted, the TT should stay in line when going down hill, even steep grades.

The TT brakes are designed to adequately brake the weight of the TT, not the combined weight of both the TT and the TV. I would suggest that doing this kind of braking will result in excessive wear on the TT brakes and you run the risk of them over heating and then, not working at all.

I live in CO and we have some pretty high, steep and long grades. I think using TT brakes in this manner would be potentially dangerous. I'm not talking about touching the brake controller to get the TT back in line, I'm talking about using the TT brakes for braking your total combined weight on a long grade.

You will not be a happy camper if you lose your trailer brakes on a mountain pass from over use.

(ellie007, I grew up in Yakima but it was many years ago)

[ellie007]

Thank you to all who replied. It was all very helpful information and I feel much better about his using the manual break.

[NanciL]

Mine saved our butts coming down from a 9000 foot mountain leaving Yellowstone, when we got caught in a bad snow storm.
There were cars off the road and tractor trailers jackknifed all over the place.
I never touched the truck brake pedal and used the trailer brakes intermittent all the way down and we never skidded.
I use them like that if I am coming down a real steep incline, and down shifting won't slow me up.
I don't have to look down since I have used it so often, I just reach down to where it is.

I'm with your hubby on that one
Jack L

[Jack_Diane_Free]

If it is a break control nothing will break.

[I_am_still_wayn]

ellie007 wrote:
I hate it when he does that because he has to take his eyes from the road and lean down to reach it. YIKES!

He probably does not take hiss eyes off the road anymore than if he was talking to you while driving and glanced over to look at you. Do you complain about that, too?

[Old-Biscuit]

YES using the 'manual' control is OK for slowing and controlling trailer.

You will find this statement (or similar) in brake controller manual
"Manual operation is used during initial setup and in situations where a slow reduction in speed is desirable."

As with any brakes....TV/Trailer they should NOT be used excessively when going downgrade (DON'T ride them). Brakes should be applied 'firmly' for short durations to scrub off speed quickly then off the brakes so they have a chance to cool...then repeat
Downshifting should be used to help control speed....not excessive braking

[RoyB]

I'm afraid I use mine like this all the time as well haha... I don't have to look down at the lever switch however it is right at knee height and don't need to look at the panel for anything - just slide the lever over... I like using it for just grabbing alittle brakes every now and then while going down the big long grades...

My brake controller is OEM ford and it doesn't work with the ford brake pedal when your speed is less than 10MPH so I always use the brake slider lever when pulling up to a stop sign especially if it is on a incline..

I am pretty sure my trailer brake lights come on when I just use my OEM slider lever - If yours doesn't do that then you might use that for a good reason for your hubby to not do that any more hehe... People behind you may not know you are slowing down????

It certainly is there to use and I think it helps alot with my setup...

Roy Ken