Brake Controller
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 221
Likes: 3
Brake Controller
I have a 2017 F150 with the OEM brake controller. If I use the controller manually, brakes will come on no problem. If I use the brake pedal, it will only give me one bar of gain which gives me little if any braking power. The fuse by the footwell for the module is good. The fuse under the hood for the module is good. The gain is set at 8 and the force is set for moderate. I’ve cleaned both connectors, the one on the truck and the one on the trailer. At this time I am by myself so I cannot test the brake wire voltage coming out of the trailer to see if it varies What else can I do or look for at this time?Thanks.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
The trailer brakes should engage according to how rapidly your truck is slowing so if you are light on the pedel and your truck slows gradually, you will feel almost nothing. That is why I asked how you are testing them. Time on the brake pedal does not make the trailer brake. It is brake pedal pressure and deacceleration of your truck. For a more intense response, set your brake controller to a more intense level than moderate. Why everything is working, you really should not feel the trailer slowing as trailer braking does not "lead" the truck braking as time delay controllers used to do.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 221
Likes: 3
Ok. Just to be clear. If I was sitting in park. Pressed my brake pedal hard to the floor. Should I get more that one bar of gain, or will I only see the gain go up on the dash to more bars as I am moving and slowing down?
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 221
Likes: 3
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Remember, when it is set correctly the trailer should slow at the same rate as your truck. We could never feel our trailer brakes, but always got stopped. There probably is some YouTube showing how to adjust, but I am betting your controller is working fine. 😀
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Having followed posts about brake controllers not working ever since Ford introduced theirs as well as aftermarket controllers, I feel fairly certain brake controllers are one of the most poorly understood systems. And by my estimate 90% of complaints or questions about controllers have to do with connections or issues with the trailer. No saying they don't fail, they do. It is just not a common problem and fortunately quite often the fix comes with a modest cost or no cost at all. I hope that is the case here. 
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 221
Likes: 3
Thanks for the help with my questions yesterday. I had the brakes adjusted by a RV shop, I have the controller set up and the brakes are now working fine. Appreciated. Not to fix a sticking caliber on my truck. Lol
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Thanks for reporting back. It really helps to hear the outcome. So often folks post in then vanish and we never know the rest of the story.
Sticking caliper, yeah grease those caliper pins.
Steve
Sticking caliper, yeah grease those caliper pins.
Steve
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 785
Likes: 150
I put a Tekonsha P3 in a former company pickup. That controller operated so smoothly I went thru the same issue as OP. I was used to getting yanked around by older controllers. I have heard that the built in controllers are the same way, they are so smooth acting you don't even realize they are working. It is nice to upgrade to proper equipment, although it can leave you scratching the old head for a bit!
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