Trailer Brake Setting
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 209
Likes: 1
Trailer Brake Setting
I have a 15 F350 DRW 6.7 pulling a 19K fiver with 8K axles and disc brakes, I have to have my brake controller set at 10 to get the brakes to work well. The pads are good, just bled the system using a power bleeder, controller is set to electric over hydraulic with max gain. Any ideas on why I need to have the controller set to max?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 31
From: Idaho
Settings
I have my set at 4.5. Are you sure you not over apply the brake?
Find a flat road and using the sider on the controller when you can feel the brakes being applied is where you set it. It should not look up the brakes.
I am saying this because you could have the brakes rubbing all the time creating heat. Right after towing how hot are your trailer wheels?
Find a flat road and using the sider on the controller when you can feel the brakes being applied is where you set it. It should not look up the brakes.
I am saying this because you could have the brakes rubbing all the time creating heat. Right after towing how hot are your trailer wheels?
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,220
Likes: 62
Which hydraulic pump do you have?
The Ford controller can be a little slow in spooling up the pump. I have mine set on 10 as well, although my truck does not have the other setting.
The Carlisle and Dexter pumps are 3 cylinder pumps, the Titan pump is a 5 cylinder with a larger reservoir.
The bigger pump is claimed to spool up about a third faster then the other 2, lower the perceived delay in braking. Plus, they claim you can keep your feet on the brakes at prolonged stops like railroad crossing due to the increased fluid capacity.
Do you know that the Ford TBC has a reduced output at 11 MPH and below to minimize tugging?
And from experimenting I have seen there is a delay before the voltage comes up just stepping on the brakes.
The Ford controller can be a little slow in spooling up the pump. I have mine set on 10 as well, although my truck does not have the other setting.
The Carlisle and Dexter pumps are 3 cylinder pumps, the Titan pump is a 5 cylinder with a larger reservoir.
The bigger pump is claimed to spool up about a third faster then the other 2, lower the perceived delay in braking. Plus, they claim you can keep your feet on the brakes at prolonged stops like railroad crossing due to the increased fluid capacity.
Do you know that the Ford TBC has a reduced output at 11 MPH and below to minimize tugging?
And from experimenting I have seen there is a delay before the voltage comes up just stepping on the brakes.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,523
Likes: 2,480
From: West Michigan
Out of curiousity, what are your settings you use?
I ask, because for my 15K Cardinal with drum brakes I have noticed two "behaviors"
With default effort of low, I notice at stop/starts the trailer clunking a little bit in the hitch. I think caused by the IBC doing nothing that last few feet before full stop and the back pressure coming off the hitch. I changed to an effort of medium, and that has gone away for the most part.
My drum brakes are the auto adjusting, and upon testing with the slider, I can feel a pretty good tug, but they never lock up. I really don't expect to lock them up because of the weight of the trailer, but to achieve decent stopping performance, I have to have the gain set to 10. I totally forgot when I got home to go put my hand on all 4 hubs to make sure they are all about the same temp.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,945
Likes: 1
From: Wasaga Beach, ON
If I recall I'm running 7.5 but haven't figured out the best way to optimize the brake setting. Mine will clunk in the hitch when coming to a full stop. My hubs aren't hot when stopped at a fuel stop. I have drums, 7k axles and a 15k GVWR trailer.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,523
Likes: 2,480
From: West Michigan
thanks Steve. IBC doesn't put out much at low speeds either. I had someone jump on their brakes ahead of me yesterday in stop/go traffic on the highway due to contruction. I was going about 10, and almost rear ended the guy in front of me due in part to late reaction on my part.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,521
Likes: 11
From: Greenwood, SC
I keep my system on medium effort and usually between 4 and 10. When the trailer brakes are newer or adjusted right they feel strong. I have an older trailer that needs brake work, when I tow it I need to crank it up. My work trailers usually are less than 10k in weight so it isn't like I'm towing an Rv all the time. When I am heavy, I've considered going up to max brake effort but haven't done it yet.
Depends on how you drive too. I usually have the brakes set low enough so that it's very hard to tell if they're even working.
The only time I ever over heat the brakes is doing a long drive in reverse. Most people drag the brake pedal while backing up, it's a bad habit I have managed to cure.
Depends on how you drive too. I usually have the brakes set low enough so that it's very hard to tell if they're even working.
The only time I ever over heat the brakes is doing a long drive in reverse. Most people drag the brake pedal while backing up, it's a bad habit I have managed to cure.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,351
Likes: 242
From: North Florida
I'm totally clueless on this effort setting. This is my second 6.7, so you would think I would know about all of that stuff. Time to read the manual.
On this fiver and my last on I have had to run it on 10. Probably set on low effort.
On this fiver and my last on I have had to run it on 10. Probably set on low effort.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 209
Likes: 1
I have the Carlisle Actuator, gain is set at 10 with max effort. The trailer hubs are running 120-130 degrees so no brake drag. I can tell how the trailer brakes are applying, I have a Trailair Pinbox and when applying the brakes the lower the gain setting the more I can see the nose of the trailer rise and at 9.5 - 10 it will push down. When applying trailer brakes manually the nose goes down.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 374
Likes: 1
From: Las Vegas
Can someone explain that?
Leon
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 576
Likes: 4
From: Graham, WA
When I had drum brakes on my previous trailer I always had the controller set on 10. Now with disc brakes I have to set the controller to 6.5 to keep from locking up the brakes. I'll never have a heavy trailer without disc brakes again.
Rob
Rob
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,945
Likes: 1
From: Wasaga Beach, ON
How heavy is the trailer? Were the disc brakes OE on the trailer?
Freshman User
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 39
Likes: 1
If I remember correctly it says to drive at 15-20mph and manually activate the trailer brakes all the way briefly while watching in your mirrors for lockup. Release. If they didn't lock up increase the gain on the TBC until they lock up at that speed, then back it off .5