Haven't towed with my '16, 6.7, F-350, I have only 500 miles on it. Been reading the book regarding the settings on the brake controller, they suggest starting out at a 6.0 gain setting, but don't say anything about starting with a medium or high setting. I will be towing a 35', 5th wheel weighing 14K. Anyone towing similar weight, what do you have the controller set at?
John

 

I have not used an integrated controller but have used many different types from old school that hooked to brake lines to more modern ones on many different cars & trucks towing many different types of trailers.


IIRC I started off on the high side and worked down till I found what worked for me on each trailer.
I look at it best to start high than too low and not be able to stop.
Dave ----

 

I have mine set to 8 or 8.5 for my 13000 lb 5th wheel.

But I also always use Tow/Haul and the Engine Brake feature when towing. The truck/engine/trans do most of the work it seems.

I can only feel the trailer brakes when I have to do a hard unexpected slow down and the trans/engine brake don't have time to engage all the way.

And even then it's only brief before the truck start doing it's job.

 

I've only towed mine for about 10 miles just to see how the controller worked........ it worked great! had it set on 6.5-7 for my 12k 5th wheel.

 

If it is like mine, it won't have the same feel as any other controller. The truck does most of the work. I have mine set at 10.0. Rarely does it feel like the trailer brakes are doing much stopping. They are working properly and if I do a manual stop with the controller the trailer brakes will stop the whole rig. So it may feel like the brakes aren't working at first. Look in the 6.7L section and there is a thread about how the brakes feel on the newer trucks.

 

i'd set it on medium and 5. See how that goes.

Mine is 2013 so I don't have the low, med and high.

I run mine on 8 towing 16K

 

Same here but I run mine at 7 with disk brakes and 8 when I had drum brakes, what the low, med and high setting does is give the brakes power as soon as the brake light comes on so you can fell the trailer braking. Most are used to the none proportional controllers that reply on the truck to start the braking so they start a small amount of braking where the IBC uses the actual truck braking pressure from the master cylinder to apply the trailer brakes and that gives you a smooth braking so normally you can't feel the trailer brakes. That's the way I like it but some want to feel that initial brake surge so they added the boost setting.

Denny

 

I'm set mine at 10 (14 F250) and can't really tell it's doing anything UNLESS I operate it manually, then I can feel it holding back (10K loaded weight).

 

Exactly like mine.

 

Try it with the brakes disconnected and see if you can tell a difference, I can't feel mine but when I had a bad connection at the plug I knew the trailer brakes weren't there.

Denny

 

X2 I couldnt feel mine working until one of the pins got bent over in the plug. The controller works very smoothly, far better than my Prodigy 3

 

I came from a BrakeSmart so I was used to the feel, the one thing I miss is the controller working at 0 mph not the delay until 5 mph like the Ford does.

Denny

 

I too run mine at 10..... you never feel it until you need a quick stop!

 

This thread makes me feel much better. I've used both aftermarket and the integral controller that is in my 05 F350 and was wondering if there was something wrong with the integral one because it doesn't feel like it's working. Now I see that it is in the design that it actually works smoother, hence I don't feel it as much. Wheew, what a relief...

 

Knowledge is a wonderful thing!