"Problems With Brake Controllers"
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
"Problems With Brake Controllers"
As you can well imagine, since I work for a living at an RV dealership - I am extremely interested in hearing about BAD brake controllers, and ones that just plain work without exception.
So far - everything I have heard about "PRODIGY" BC's is good.
Can you post about bad experiences with other controllers so that I can be aware of them?
Thank you very much in advance for your inputs.
I don't want any of us to be out there with the "wrong stuff"....
~Wolf
So far - everything I have heard about "PRODIGY" BC's is good.
Can you post about bad experiences with other controllers so that I can be aware of them?
Thank you very much in advance for your inputs.
I don't want any of us to be out there with the "wrong stuff"....
~Wolf
Last edited by Greywolf; Sep 25, 2006 at 09:02 PM.
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 352
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From: Kansas, USA
Excuse my ignorance. But what's a "brake controller"? I've been using a tandem axle trailer for personal family use 2-3 times per year. It has "surge brakes". I generally don't get on the Interstate with it. Thanks.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
Originally Posted by tigerman
Excuse my ignorance. But what's a "brake controller"? I've been using a tandem axle trailer for personal family use 2-3 times per year. It has "surge brakes". I generally don't get on the Interstate with it. Thanks.
Does it have a seven conductor cable or a four-way?
~Wolf
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From: Home Base Nebraska
Originally Posted by tigerman
Excuse my ignorance. But what's a "brake controller"? I've been using a tandem axle trailer for personal family use 2-3 times per year. It has "surge brakes". I generally don't get on the Interstate with it. Thanks.
Denny
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
I gotcha! That's the system used on U-HAUL car haulers - with the sliding hitch that applies a self contained mechanical or hydraulic brake set. When the trailer shoves forward towards the ball - it brakes mechanically. (Thus the term "SURGE")
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Tuned
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 352
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From: Kansas, USA
Thanks for the reply RV and Greywolf. I occasionally pull a 2,200 "Redi-Haul" 12 ft tandem wheel trailer made in Fairmont, MN. Bought it new in 1999 and pull it with my 1999 Superduty 5.4, 4.10 gears 2WD. I've had to adjust some of the shoes twice because they drag and will lock up. Boy, does that dog up a tire! 
Oh yeah, it has a seven point connector.
Oh yeah, it has a seven point connector.
Last edited by tigerman; Sep 29, 2006 at 07:53 PM.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
About the only thing you can do to extend the life of your brake shoes on that is just to try very hard to avoid sudden braking. IE: Drive SMOOTHLY....
Around town I bet it eats a lot of brake material. This is the advantage of electric with a Controller - IN TOWN at slower speeds and with a lot more stops you can set it differently, so the brakes don't get "ATE UP" as hard.
Around town I bet it eats a lot of brake material. This is the advantage of electric with a Controller - IN TOWN at slower speeds and with a lot more stops you can set it differently, so the brakes don't get "ATE UP" as hard.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
Roger that.
How much PRICEY in a modification do you really want to do?
It runs right on back to the original design, and how much it costs to mess with it.
In your case - it would involve carving off some serious trailer frame parts.
How much PRICEY in a modification do you really want to do?
It runs right on back to the original design, and how much it costs to mess with it.
In your case - it would involve carving off some serious trailer frame parts.
Last edited by Greywolf; Sep 29, 2006 at 10:00 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Sunny SOCAL!
I have had very good luck towing our 9000lbs travel trailer using a drawtite and also a prodigy brake controller. Never a single issue with either.
Both got retired for the tow commandsystem in my new F350. I still use the prodigy if I need to move the trailer with our suburban but it mainly collects dust
Both got retired for the tow commandsystem in my new F350. I still use the prodigy if I need to move the trailer with our suburban but it mainly collects dust
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
Originally Posted by tigerman
Thanks again, Greywolf, for that insight to the complications of such a conversion. I'll just stick with what I got....and drive smoothly. 
There is some stuff called "PENEGREASE" that would be good to spray all up in the working parts of your surge hitch, I personally got hooked on WHITE LITHIUM AEROSOL GREASE a few years ago. I know that the Lithium spray will stay where it is put once you spray it on there, and it won't break down.
EITHER ONE will do two things for you:
1) They lubricate everything so they don't rust together and lock up.
2) They prevent rust in the first place.
*The thing that makes a lithium grease in a spray can so outstanding is that it percolates into small places before the aerosol evaporates, which means bluntly that it gets into everything! It will do a wonderful job on a hinge or a stuck lock cylinder...
I'd keep some around if it was on me to do...
Last edited by Greywolf; Sep 30, 2006 at 02:34 PM.
