Trailer brake setting
01-15-2014, 08:11 PM
#12
Senior Member
Yeah 10 should lock them up. I towed for the first time in this truck and tried setting the brakes on an empty car trailer. It was late and dark and cold but I played with it and eventually was at 10 and nothing, no brakes! I was pissed! Then I realized tires were locked and trailer was just sliding along behind me. Lol. Whoops
01-30-2014, 08:39 PM
#13
Senior Member
But when I'm going downhill (like the mountains in Arkansas), I'll boost it up to 9.
When it's raining, or other circumstances that might cause reduced traction, I'll back off to 6 or 7. I don't want the trailer brakes locking up and have the travel trailer come fishtailing around me.
.
Last edited by SailorDon; 01-30-2014 at 08:41 PM.
02-06-2014, 06:24 AM
#14
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I haven't used mine much, just a test run so far, but they don't lock up even at 10. They are working, but at about half the braking that the same trailer did with my old truck.
I don't think it's the brakes on the trailer, because they did lock up with the old truck. I also get the "trailer disconnect" message often. It shouldn't be a loose connection, as again, it didn't do that with my old truck.
I don't think it's the brakes on the trailer, because they did lock up with the old truck. I also get the "trailer disconnect" message often. It shouldn't be a loose connection, as again, it didn't do that with my old truck.
02-07-2014, 09:35 PM
#17
Senior Member
Our old TT that had about 2800 lb on 3500 lb axles needed a setting of 6.0-6.5 and would lock no problem above that.
Current 5th with 3600lb on 4400lb axles (same 10" brakes as 3500lb axle); maxed at 10 and will lock on hard packed gravel but not on dry pavement. I even re-wired the trailer with a larger wire to get them to lock on gravel. They are brand new brakes but worn in good. Bottom line is that the brakes are not always designed to lock on pavement when fully loaded, especially if the wire gauge is marginal. In addition, the performance is poor before they wear in but a few good brake controller tests should help that.
Current 5th with 3600lb on 4400lb axles (same 10" brakes as 3500lb axle); maxed at 10 and will lock on hard packed gravel but not on dry pavement. I even re-wired the trailer with a larger wire to get them to lock on gravel. They are brand new brakes but worn in good. Bottom line is that the brakes are not always designed to lock on pavement when fully loaded, especially if the wire gauge is marginal. In addition, the performance is poor before they wear in but a few good brake controller tests should help that.
02-07-2014, 10:22 PM
#18
Our old TT that had about 2800 lb on 3500 lb axles needed a setting of 6.0-6.5 and would lock no problem above that.
Current 5th with 3600lb on 4400lb axles (same 10" brakes as 3500lb axle); maxed at 10 and will lock on hard packed gravel but not on dry pavement. I even re-wired the trailer with a larger wire to get them to lock on gravel. They are brand new brakes but worn in good. Bottom line is that the brakes are not always designed to lock on pavement when fully loaded, especially if the wire gauge is marginal. In addition, the performance is poor before they wear in but a few good brake controller tests should help that.
Current 5th with 3600lb on 4400lb axles (same 10" brakes as 3500lb axle); maxed at 10 and will lock on hard packed gravel but not on dry pavement. I even re-wired the trailer with a larger wire to get them to lock on gravel. They are brand new brakes but worn in good. Bottom line is that the brakes are not always designed to lock on pavement when fully loaded, especially if the wire gauge is marginal. In addition, the performance is poor before they wear in but a few good brake controller tests should help that.
02-13-2014, 12:26 PM
#20
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Location: Fishers, Indiana
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First post - go easy on me.
I took delivery of my truck in August ’13 and used it once to tow a new travel trailer prior to winter. I had to set the factory brake controller at 10 and the stopping was marginal at best. It definitely wouldn’t lock the trailer wheels. I finally took the truck in for the first service. They replaced the controller stating it failed all tests. It would only register a max of 2 volts. However, an interesting situation occurred. The new controller registers 10 volts if worked manually (controls on dashboard) and only 5 to 6 volts when using the truck brake. The dealer thought they had received another defective controller. They tested 3 new trucks on the lot with the same results. Ford states this is appropriate. I won’t have the opportunity to tow the trailer again for about 6 weeks to test the effectiveness of the new controller. Does it seem reasonable to you, the experts, that the controller would only output 5 to 6 volts when using the vehicle brake? Thoughts/comments?
2013 EB SCREW MaxTow
I took delivery of my truck in August ’13 and used it once to tow a new travel trailer prior to winter. I had to set the factory brake controller at 10 and the stopping was marginal at best. It definitely wouldn’t lock the trailer wheels. I finally took the truck in for the first service. They replaced the controller stating it failed all tests. It would only register a max of 2 volts. However, an interesting situation occurred. The new controller registers 10 volts if worked manually (controls on dashboard) and only 5 to 6 volts when using the truck brake. The dealer thought they had received another defective controller. They tested 3 new trucks on the lot with the same results. Ford states this is appropriate. I won’t have the opportunity to tow the trailer again for about 6 weeks to test the effectiveness of the new controller. Does it seem reasonable to you, the experts, that the controller would only output 5 to 6 volts when using the vehicle brake? Thoughts/comments?
2013 EB SCREW MaxTow