oworm
Full Access Member
looks like I will be splicing.
Brake Controller question
- Thread starter oworm
- Start date
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You get what you pay for with controllers. It's all about how the controller adjusts and ramps up the brakes in conjunction with the truck's brakes.
The cheapest controllers are like the one I use, they ramp up the brakes on a time delay basis only. The longer the controller sees voltage from the truck's brake switch, the more voltage it applies to the trailer brakes. This is better than nothing, but has some drawbacks. The obvious one is during a panic stop when you slam on the truck's brakes, the controller is still doing it's ramp up thing with the trailer brakes, and by the time it's done you have already run over what you were trying to avoid. The other one is when you are lightly riding the truck's brakes, the controller doesn't know this, it ramps up as usual and the trailer brakes start coming on strong when you don't need them. This is easily remedied though, by just letting up on the truck's brakes and then re-applying them. This starts the ramp-up cycle over again till the trailer brakes grab too hard again.
They have more expensive ones with pendulums inside that swing and try to read what you are doing with the truck, and there are really fancy ones that do this electronically. You can spend as much as you want, the more money you spend, the better they work.
The cheapest controllers are like the one I use, they ramp up the brakes on a time delay basis only. The longer the controller sees voltage from the truck's brake switch, the more voltage it applies to the trailer brakes. This is better than nothing, but has some drawbacks. The obvious one is during a panic stop when you slam on the truck's brakes, the controller is still doing it's ramp up thing with the trailer brakes, and by the time it's done you have already run over what you were trying to avoid. The other one is when you are lightly riding the truck's brakes, the controller doesn't know this, it ramps up as usual and the trailer brakes start coming on strong when you don't need them. This is easily remedied though, by just letting up on the truck's brakes and then re-applying them. This starts the ramp-up cycle over again till the trailer brakes grab too hard again.
They have more expensive ones with pendulums inside that swing and try to read what you are doing with the truck, and there are really fancy ones that do this electronically. You can spend as much as you want, the more money you spend, the better they work.
I have used a time delay for a while too. No more often than I use it, it's fine. You just have to understand how it works and adjust accordingly. I set it a little firmer than it needs to be and use the time delay to coordinate pumping the brakes and if you need it for a panick stop it gets there quicker. This works really well unless you are in stop and go traffic.
Totally agree though. The more you spend the slicker they seem to work.
Totally agree though. The more you spend the slicker they seem to work.
