Did you follow the setup instructions in the manual, including selecting "Low", "Medium", or "High"? I'll bet it'set on LOW.

Page 301 of the manual (version 1). http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Fo...US_05_2017.pdf

Many people never follow the setup process, and then wonder why they have issues.

 

 

Depends on how well the trailer is wired. If it has a non molded plug you can pull it apart and test there. If not there should be a distribution box somewhere were the plug pigtail meets the trailer wiring. Another option is at the drum, there will likely be wirenuts tieing the wires together at each magnet. If you go that route take the multimeter and ohm the magnets for good measure just to make sure you have no shorts or weak magnets.

If the brakes are strong enough to lock the wheel before, they should now unless something changed on the trailer.

Try what Ricktwuhk suggested, it will boost the initial voltage when the brakes are applied.

 

 

Is this "Low, Medium, or High" setting a new feature of the 2018+ integrated trailer brake controller? I don't seem to have that setting on my 2015. I have the gain set to 10, but cannot lock up my travel trailer brakes. I tried it with the trailer mostly empty, which for my TT is ~8500 lbs. The brakes will not lock up at any speed. I did lift each of the four wheels and manually adjusted the drums. Initially the brake shoes were quite loose. The manual does state that for very heavy trailers, wheel lockup may not be possible even at the max controller gain setting of 10. I went through the trailer setup menu on the truck and that setting never appeared. I plan to swap my electric drum for electric over hydraulic disc brakes before I tow this TT through any mountains.

 

My '17 has it, its in the trailer setup menu, brake force or effort it should be called, ill look later.

It's true not all drums will lock, especially if your on the upper end of the axles rating. Mine wont even come close to scrubbing the tires, it has two 4400 axles and a dry weight around 7300.

 

I bought this 2010 V-Cross (by Forest River) 31V RLS used about a month ago. It's in VERY good shape. 5200 lb axles. The previous owner used it once per year to tow from Central IL to MN to go hunting in the winter. It was stored in a metal shed otherwise. However, the brakes were not functional when I towed it home. I'm guessing mice or a squirrel had chewed the wires on both axles at the brake drums. I repaired the wires and adjusted the shoes. I can definitely feel the brakes engage now, but they are no where near locking up the wheels on the trailer. I think electric over hydraulic disc brakes will be much more powerful.

 

I checked my manual, which is the May, 2015 Third Printing edition, and it does not say anything about a Low, Medium, and High setting for the factory trailer controller. I'm concluding that this was a feature added after the 2015 model year.

 

Disk will give you much more power, but they do have a slight delay from when you hit the pedal. Most of the newer actuators compensate pretty well for it. I wish i could go disk, but no one makes a hub/rotor for the 4400 lb axle so i would have to upgrade the tube and spindle to a 5.2 or 6k first.

 

That's not terribly expensive. The disc brake and actuator kits, on the other hand.... I'm looking at $1200 to $1300. Well worth the money for safety though before I try driving through any mountainous terrain.