trailer brakes not working
#31
10-13-2014, 07:15 PM
Jess,
I share you impression that the first tech did not understand the system and was shooting blindly. It is hard for me, from a distance, to tell you much more than I already have about your TBS.
Stomping the brakes should bring your trailer to the point of lock-up and it sounds like that is what it is doing. I did a step-by-step noting output amperage at each setting and depending on pedal pressure that I think it is in the notes at the top of this forum and when I troubleshoot I find amp readings more valuable than voltage.
What year was your F150? I have a TBS in mine and can't feel my trailer brakes, although I normally tow with my F350 in which I have an after-market controller that I love and have trusted with our lives on two occasions. I also can not feel that one working, but can watch the output ramp up on the screen when I nail the brakes.
One thing you can do to asses your trailer simply pull the break-away pin (with the seven pin lead to your truck disconnected) with a fully charge battery on-board and try to put to pull the trailer. The wheels should locked tight. If they are not focus on the trailer and forget the truck.
If they are locked and you are still concerned, you might try finding a tech who works on trailer brakes. Anyone who knows electronic brake controllers can tell you whether or not yours is working, even if they don't know the Ford system as the output at the seven pin is the same as it is with high-end controller.
I try to really slow folks down in making any assumptions about their TBS without considering the entire system as we have had so many posts about the TBS system to this forum and so many of them ended up not being caused by the TBS.
best of luck,
Steve
I share you impression that the first tech did not understand the system and was shooting blindly. It is hard for me, from a distance, to tell you much more than I already have about your TBS.
Stomping the brakes should bring your trailer to the point of lock-up and it sounds like that is what it is doing. I did a step-by-step noting output amperage at each setting and depending on pedal pressure that I think it is in the notes at the top of this forum and when I troubleshoot I find amp readings more valuable than voltage.
What year was your F150? I have a TBS in mine and can't feel my trailer brakes, although I normally tow with my F350 in which I have an after-market controller that I love and have trusted with our lives on two occasions. I also can not feel that one working, but can watch the output ramp up on the screen when I nail the brakes.
One thing you can do to asses your trailer simply pull the break-away pin (with the seven pin lead to your truck disconnected) with a fully charge battery on-board and try to put to pull the trailer. The wheels should locked tight. If they are not focus on the trailer and forget the truck.
If they are locked and you are still concerned, you might try finding a tech who works on trailer brakes. Anyone who knows electronic brake controllers can tell you whether or not yours is working, even if they don't know the Ford system as the output at the seven pin is the same as it is with high-end controller.
I try to really slow folks down in making any assumptions about their TBS without considering the entire system as we have had so many posts about the TBS system to this forum and so many of them ended up not being caused by the TBS.
best of luck,
Steve
#32
10-13-2014, 08:06 PM
My F150 was a 2011 with the integrated trailer brake control. <br />
<br />
I'm going to test each of my trailers and see how they work... I do know that before I took it in the first time for the TB not working we took the 5er out and it pushed us into an intersection under a normal stop so I'll be able to immediately tell if it stops better now.. The truck doesn't stop too well with 14,000 lbs on the back and no trailer brakes lol.. <br />
<br />
Thank you.
<br />
I'm going to test each of my trailers and see how they work... I do know that before I took it in the first time for the TB not working we took the 5er out and it pushed us into an intersection under a normal stop so I'll be able to immediately tell if it stops better now.. The truck doesn't stop too well with 14,000 lbs on the back and no trailer brakes lol.. <br />
<br />
Thank you.
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