Prodigy P3/Trailer Brakes Question

[kirkl]

This section gets more views so Ill post this here to.

I just bought a new springdale travle trailer, 24ft. With my old trailer I could pull the handle underneath the controller to test the brakes and it would lock them up on gravel. With my new trailer when I pull the lever all the way over it doesnt seem like the trailer brakes grab very much. Since its new you think I need to get the trailer brakes adjusted? I have it set to like 6.3 on the controller, havent used the boost on it yet but the brakes should grab good by pulling the lever all the way over.

[RCMAN46]

Lynnmor wrote:
Trailer brakes don't change that much from new. They work reasonably well right out of the box. I would think that the trip from Indiana to Washington qualifies as a break-in period.

Each time the brakes are adjusted they will need a break-in-period as only one side of the shoe is moved thus full contact is no longer made. This may take a couple hundred miles.

The way the hot shot drivers drive I suspect the brakes may need adjusting. Also the factory is not always that good at adjusting them correctly.

[Lynnmor]

Trailer brakes don't change that much from new. They work reasonably well right out of the box. I would think that the trip from Indiana to Washington qualifies as a break-in period.

[RCMAN46]

Be careful applying the brakes with full voltage. You can lock the brakes on a trailer not realize it. They do not always smoke a lot and you can flat spot the tires.

This is also true if you have one brake that is more sensitive than the others. It may take several hundred miles before the brakes are seated completely on a trailer after adjusting them.

Just because the trailer is new does not mean you do not need to adjust the brakes.

[ScottG]

randallb wrote:
Seat the brakes! All new trailers: travel, utility, car hauler or stacker need to have the brakes bedded in. Crank the voltage all the way up and go out and do a series of 20-40 MPH stops using the lever. Allow a little time between applications for the brakes to cool. You will see the brakes improve dramatically and then finally appear to settle in. Return to the barn and readjust the brakes then head down the road and set your max voltage and your boost. My small aluminum car hauler runs happily at 4.5 Vs and boost level 1. Initially it did not stop worth a damn empty.
Randy

This is good advice but from the directions I read from a one brake company, you don't want to let the brakes cool down between stops.
The heat helps bed them in.

[GaryWT]

Just because a setting worked on one trailer does not mean it will work on the next. Set it at max and back off until you get a setting you like. I have never touched my brakes just make adjustments to the setting.

[randallb]

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[jmtandem]

Use the boost. I have found that the Prodigy P3 is not a set it and forget it controller. Often I have to readjust for highway driving and then again for in town driving. Otherwise the brakes will lock up and slide the tires in town if the boost is not reduced.

[ChooChooMan74]

Crossed posted. http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28244291.cfm