I hooked my camper up for the first time today and was testing everything out. I put the brake controller on high, and it was set to 10 gain, and it would't stop the camper.

On my old truck, I would drive and squeeze the brake thing until it brought it to an immediate stop, that's how I knew where to set the gain.

This truck, everything turned all the way up, and it just barley slowing it down. Am I doing something wrong?

It's a 30 ft 2016 coachman Catalina with I assume electric brakes.

I set the screen to electric brakes, I set the screen to pull behind, I'm at a loss.

Any ideas?

 

When was the last time you examined and then adjusted your trailer brakes?

 

You have several setting. Electric and electric over hydraulic. Chose the appropriate one which should be electric. Then you have another setting. Trailer gain setting for size trailer. Small, Medium and Heavy. Choose one you think you need and test it again.

 

I'm having the same issue. My trailer weighs just under 9000 lbs and with the gain at ten and size of trailer at maximum I can slightly slow the trailer and truck down by squeezing the controller to full. I have checked the linings and adjusted the brakes but still get the same results. I was thinking of looking for stronger magnets if such a thing exists.
Gary

 

I would make sure that the brakes are actually getting power from the truck. Wiring harness could be different for some reason. On my 10k empty/28k loaded elec/hyd trailer brakes will flat out stop. Brake controller works fantastic.

Brett

 

I believe "small", "medium", and "heavy" indicate the initial braking effort. I believe this controls the initial voltage and the ramp rate after that.

 

As another point of reference, I came from a 16 F150 and the 250 controller is exponentially stronger. I was accidentally locking up the brakes on my 24' 10k enclosed car trailer with the gain at 10. I have to turn it way down, especially if empty, compared to the 150. My trailer is nearly brand new so the brakes are obviously not worn, etc. I would not have expected a difference and set up my controller with the same settings I used previously, but apparently something is different with the super duty. I was actually very unimpressed with the F150 as it sounded very much like what you are experiencing.

 

I have checked to make sure it is on electric, it's basically a new camper and I just took it on a trip last month with my old truck so I know the brakes are good.


I don't know, is there a chance I wasn't driving fast enough when I hit the trailer brakes? I was only going a couple miles an hour, I think I read somewhere years ago that some of these controllers have some kind of surge thing where they don't kick in fully until the truck is over a certain MPH?

 

Again, check that the brakes are actually getting power. Might be the wrong wire on the plug. I've found difference between trucks before that would show my brake controller working but it wasn't getting the power needed. Example, my old 25+5 would stop for crap behind my 13. Just wouldn't get anything but yet it showed hooked up. My 2017 would hammer those brakes. New trailer was a perfect match to my truck. Ensure the blue wire is going to the elec brake pin in the truck

Brett

 

I too have the same problem, picked up a brand new camper with dexter never adjust electric brakes. I have the setting on high and gain up to 9 and have not locked up the brakes. I can think of two things, the dexter brakes need to be pushed 20 times or so for the brakes to seat properly, or I was not going over 20mph when squeezing the brake control during setup.

 

I have the same issue, I tested the voltage from the TBC to the trailer brakes. The highest voltage I can get, on high and full gain is 10.5, I am wondering if it has something to do with the trucks antilock system, as the tbc is integrated with that.

 

I HAD the same issue as many of you. New 5er with only a couple of short trips under its belt. I looked at it. Took the trailer in to be serviced. Everything was set and adjusted correctly and the brakes should lock up. After much searching on the RV sites I found out that Ford uses a brand of trailer connector that is not completely compatible with some umbilical cords installed on some trailers.

I did not get the 5er prep since I bought the sliding B&W (which at the time did not come with the ford pucks as an option) so I installed the umbilical connection and the camera connection. I bought the umbilical extension from Etrailer and the camera TPMS extension and box from Nichols Welding. Hooked it all up and on the maiden voyage today, to get rid of the China bombs, I locked up all 4 brakes on the trailer. I adjusted the brakes down to 8.0 gain and it seems good. Need to play with it some more but there was too much traffic. Some of the people on the forums were changing the trailer umbilical and got good results.

BTW, the umbilical slides right into the new trailer connection. It was always an issue getting it into the Ford connector. Also to note that my 8k utility trailer had no problem locking up with the old connector. That one is back in the bumper.

Good luck.

 

Ding ding ding. We have a winner here! Make sure the truck brake prong is going to the trailer brake prong.

Brett

 

For what it's worth my trailer brakes work great through the controller. 10k tractor on 5k trailer.

 

I tow a 10k trailer and have the medium setting with a gain of 6. Make sure you are going at least 20 mph or the controller will not work. Very happy with the tow haul set up and the brakes work great.