Ford brake control setting?
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 177
Likes: 36
From: MI
Or maybe brake wire is pinched/rubbed/corroded under camper. I guess I can pull the under belly loose and check the wire the whole length.
Also been thinking about buying old school, hang under dash brake control and see what happens.
I’m surprised at all of these high settings. I have a 30 ft gooseneck, that weighs 23,000 pounds loaded with hay, and I set the brakes 3.5 heavy electric. Anything more than that gets really grabby. The 40 ft trailer, which weighs 30,000 loaded, runs at 4.0 heavy electric over hydraulic.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 1,644
Likes: 689
OP, you wrote the drums were not replaced. Were they resurfaced? Did your mechanic verify the drums roundness is true?
I had a similar situation as yours with my dump trailer. Bearing Buddy leaked and the shoes were contaminated with grease. Replaced all the necessary parts but not the drums. I was told the drums were not perfect and the shoes might take some time to seat. I could have new drums installed but decided to try it out. At first, braking was inadequate even at high controller settings. Over time, the brakes got better.
I think the variation in brake controller level others have reported is more due to variability in the brake performance (e.g. drum vs. disc) and not the controller.
I had a similar situation as yours with my dump trailer. Bearing Buddy leaked and the shoes were contaminated with grease. Replaced all the necessary parts but not the drums. I was told the drums were not perfect and the shoes might take some time to seat. I could have new drums installed but decided to try it out. At first, braking was inadequate even at high controller settings. Over time, the brakes got better.
I think the variation in brake controller level others have reported is more due to variability in the brake performance (e.g. drum vs. disc) and not the controller.
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 591
Likes: 320
Originally Posted by 1olddogtwo;[url=tel:20551662
20551662[/url]]
I forgot on the higher end trucks, I do have settings for the brake controller on the driver screen, something like low, medium or heavy and and if it's electric over hydraulic.
I forgot on the higher end trucks, I do have settings for the brake controller on the driver screen, something like low, medium or heavy and and if it's electric over hydraulic.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 177
Likes: 36
From: MI
OP, you wrote the drums were not replaced. Were they resurfaced? Did your mechanic verify the drums roundness is true?
I had a similar situation as yours with my dump trailer. Bearing Buddy leaked and the shoes were contaminated with grease. Replaced all the necessary parts but not the drums. I was told the drums were not perfect and the shoes might take some time to seat. I could have new drums installed but decided to try it out. At first, braking was inadequate even at high controller settings. Over time, the brakes got better.
I think the variation in brake controller level others have reported is more due to variability in the brake performance (e.g. drum vs. disc) and not the controller.
I had a similar situation as yours with my dump trailer. Bearing Buddy leaked and the shoes were contaminated with grease. Replaced all the necessary parts but not the drums. I was told the drums were not perfect and the shoes might take some time to seat. I could have new drums installed but decided to try it out. At first, braking was inadequate even at high controller settings. Over time, the brakes got better.
I think the variation in brake controller level others have reported is more due to variability in the brake performance (e.g. drum vs. disc) and not the controller.
Also was wonder about new shoes seated in. Only 100 miles on with new brakes. Trailers 2021 Montane with about 10k/12k miles on it mostly highway. Michigan to California a few times.
We got camper new.
The Ford brake controller has settings based on what you choose here. So 9 on low is not the same as 9 on medium or 9 on heavy. I started my 7k car hauler on low and could never get lock up. Switched to medium and can't go above a 4. So op check how your trailer is setup. I don't know what Ford recommends as far as this goes with trailer weight. I assume it's on the manual where the break is between the 3 settings
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 227
Likes: 94
From: Southcentral Alaska
new brakes might be the issue
Acquired a new car hauler this summer. Brakes were worthless even at high gain of 9 on the integrated controller. Checked the mfgr manual thinking I would need to adjust the brakes manually perhaps. I was surprised to see mfgr instructions to "cure" the brake pads and drums by repeatedly applying trailer brakes from 40mph until 20 mph in rapid succession until the brake drums were indicating some ridiculously high temp using an infrared sensor, then cool and do it again until the brakes "operated in a satisfactory" manner. Didn't bother with the temp sensor, and simply repeated the 40-to-20 process about 15 times, pausing for a few minutes every 5 or so, and now the brakes act as expected at about 2.5 empty and 5.5 loaded.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 232
Likes: 148
Went through this today with a new 5th wheel 337rls. Crawled under and adjusted all 4 brakes and 3 of the 4 were so far out of adjustment it was stupid. Took it for a spin and it was significantly better. I just need to cycle them some more and things should settle in. Drove it home 500 miles worried sick someone was going to pull out in front of me. I had a feeling they were not adjusted properly and i proved it this morning. You can’t trust anything these days.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 49
Likes: 13
Did you change your trailer brake setting? In the driver information screen under your towing you can change your brake type to electric over hydraulic. I don't see where you said that's been done. I may have missed it.
5th Gear
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 5
Likes: 4
25 foot AS here as well. My brake controller is set to 5, but will probably drop it down to 4 to make it less aggressive
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 105
Likes: 63
Yeah, I'm supposing that there may be some variation from truck to truck and trailer to trailer as far as sensitivity is concerned. 2.5 seems low but if I set the gain any higher, I sometimes get jerky stops at slow speed. Braking performance of truck and trailer is good so the lower setting appears to be working. Cheers to a fellow Airstreamer!
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 177
Likes: 36
From: MI
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 122
Likes: 44
From: Weatherford
I have my factory installed brake control set on 9, all new brakes on 5th wheel, still not stopping very well.
Have tested volts to each wheel with some what consistent readings with hand slide control but with foot brake inconsistent readings
2020 super duty/2021 Keystone 5th wheel w/ electric brakes, 12k empty/15k loaded
I've tried different setting in the trailer tow screen with not much luck.
Just wondering what others have there's set at? Thanks
Have tested volts to each wheel with some what consistent readings with hand slide control but with foot brake inconsistent readings
2020 super duty/2021 Keystone 5th wheel w/ electric brakes, 12k empty/15k loaded
I've tried different setting in the trailer tow screen with not much luck.
Just wondering what others have there's set at? Thanks
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 177
Likes: 36
From: MI
You were correct. Had my super duty at the Ford dealer today diagnosing power folding mirror not folding. They ordered a whole new mirror assembly.
They also said there was a notice about updating my trailer brake controller so they did that with the new program software update. Not a chance to tow with it yet but maybe that will help my situation. Thanks
They also said there was a notice about updating my trailer brake controller so they did that with the new program software update. Not a chance to tow with it yet but maybe that will help my situation. Thanks
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 177
Likes: 36
From: MI
So I did follow a break in procedure I found online for new brakes. And the update to my brake control from Ford seem to solve most of my problems.
camper stops much better now I’ve actually reduce the setting to eight. Still some inconsistency in the breaking effort but again much better.
camper stops much better now I’ve actually reduce the setting to eight. Still some inconsistency in the breaking effort but again much better.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 752
Likes: 519
So I did follow a break in procedure I found online for new brakes. And the update to my brake control from Ford seem to solve most of my problems.
camper stops much better now I’ve actually reduce the setting to eight. Still some inconsistency in the breaking effort but again much better.
camper stops much better now I’ve actually reduce the setting to eight. Still some inconsistency in the breaking effort but again much better.
Thanks, Jim. And glad to know it seems to be better.