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Brake controller set up?HELP! |
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rpodmania 
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Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Location: Alberta,Canada Status: Offline Points: 76 |
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 Topic: Brake controller set up?HELP!Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 6:16pm |
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Only had the Pod out a couple of times and still not sure if the brake control is setup properly
I set up the controller as per instructions but cant seem to get the(Feel) Will I REALLY notice if im not using enough control? At one point I though I might be using to much control as the trailer seemed to be pulsating,jerking behind the Suv I just cant tell. HELP! |
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2010 171
Ford f-150 5.4L |
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gmandual
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Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Status: Offline Points: 470 |
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Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 7:32pm |
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Which make/model brake controller do you have?
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rpodmania
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Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Location: Alberta,Canada Status: Offline Points: 76 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 6:39pm |
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I have the basic reese compact controler
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2010 171
Ford f-150 5.4L |
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retired Roxy
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Joined: 26 Aug 2009 Location: SoCA, Status: Offline Points: 119 |
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Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 10:12pm |
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Hi, I'm in your same situation. Had a neighbor do the first adjustments. Way too strong. I got a mild whiplash every time I braked. Lessened it and my tires were sliding and you could smell burning breaks. finally turned everything to the lightest setting and stayed green. Traveled this way all the way to Yosemite. Had great breaking but not sure if the controller even applied any pressure to the trailer but everything sure felt great. Lately I have practiced adjusting it slightly from all green to a little orange. Its causing the jeep brakes to feel like they have a little bounce - grab, grab, grab feel. I turned them to more green and have a smooth brake feel back.
So my question to the group is..... If I leave the breaks on the lightest setting- all green, am I sending any breaking info to the brakes? or is it like having no trailer brakes at all? Roxy |
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AllGood
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Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Location: Illinois Status: Offline Points: 12 |
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Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 5:11am |
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I had a similar issue with my brake controller at first it was doing the grab, grab, grab thing, I called the installer from the road and he had me turn it down. I have a Pilot (I think thats what its called) and it has a digital numeric read out on it. The installer started it at 2.0 now I have it at 1.2. Not sure what the numeric units are but I know when I hit the breaks the number go up from 0 to 1.2 at a full stop witht he breaks fully applied. It seems to stop smoothly now and no grab, grab, grab thing.
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R-Pod 172 2010
2010 Nissan Pathfinder |
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techntrek
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Status: Offline Points: 442 |
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Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 7:44am |
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The basic Reese controllers are timed controllers. Another type that is available is an intertia-based controller.
The timed controllers phase in the max setting you have set over a few seconds. If you slam on the brakes in a panic stop... you'll get full trailer brakes after you have already hit the guy in front of you. Also you need to set it lower on the backroads, and another for the highway. Forget to lower it after getting off the highway and your trailer gives you whiplash. It was the only technology available for electronic brakes for decades.
Intertial controllers came out this decade. They use a g-force sensor to apply exactly the amount of braking you are applying to your tow vehicle, to the trailer. You tap the brakes to slow down a little, the trailer taps its brakes. You panic stop, the trailer immediately panic stops. You end up with a much smoother braking experience (I often forget the trailer is back there during stops!) and its much safer.
Many people love the Tekonsha Prodigy and you can buy it online for less than $100. I have it and after many, many years of timed controllers I wondered why I waited so long to get it. Its the difference between sledgehammer and quill pen. Since you have a brake controller already its only a matter of hooking the 4 wires to the existing 4 wires, very easy.
Allgood, it sounds like you have an intertial controller - they usually show the voltage output on the break line and it varies. If set for a maximum of 6 volts you might normally only see it go up to 3.5 during a stop, then settle back to 1.2 after you are stopped. Your max of 1.2 sounds way too low.
Timed controllers have 2 settings, one is how fast the timing is, the other is the maximum voltage. rpodmania may have one or both set incorrectly.
Here are instructions for an intertial controller: http://www.anythingtruck.com/instructions/755-90185Manual.pdf
And the Reese controller: http://www.bradstrailer.com/reesetrouble.htm
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'10 Forest River R-pod 171
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rpodmania
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Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Location: Alberta,Canada Status: Offline Points: 76 |
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Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 1:57pm |
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Thanks for the help techntrek
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2010 171
Ford f-150 5.4L |
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