Problem with brake controller. HELP!!!
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Problem with brake controller. HELP!!!
So I am trying to install a brake control in my 2010 F350. I have a Reese Pilot brake control and I cannot seem to get it to work. I have everything wired correctly and when I hit the brakes, nothing happens. When I slide to manual lever to the left, the brakes on the trailer activate, when I adjust the gain, it changed the level of braking, only with the manual slide though. What am I doing wrong here?
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Stephensville WI
This controller doesn't apply the trailer brakes when you apply your brakes. it works by measuring the deceleration of your truck and applying the trailer brakes appropriately.
This text is from etrailer.com | Trailer Brake Controller Information
With proportional brake controllers, once the brake pedal is stepped on, a motion sensing device knows how fast the tow vehicle is stopping. It then applies power to the trailer brakes equally as fast (or slow) as the towing vehicle. This allows the trailer to stop at the same rate as the tow vehicle. Therefore, in an extreme stopping situation where the vehicle brakes are slammed on, a proportional controller will immediately send the maximum preset power to the trailer brakes.
This type of brake controller provides the smoothest and quickest braking while also providing the least amount of wear on both the vehicle and trailer's brakes. Proportional controllers are "enabled" by the brake pedal switch and "activated" by a pendulum circuit that senses the vehicle's stopping motion and applies a proportional voltage to the trailer's brakes. When properly adjusted the trailer will decelerate at the same rate as the tow vehicle, increasing braking efficiency and reducing brake wear.
Time Delayed Brake Controller
With Time Delayed trailer brake controllers, once the brake pedal is stepped on, the pre-determined amount of power (which is set by the user, based on trailer weight) is sent back to the trailer brakes. On time delayed controllers, a delay always exists from when the brake pedal is pushed to when the unit reaches the user set, maximum power output. The delay can be shortened or lengthened with the 'sync' switch, available on most time delayed controllers, but it behaves the same way for every stop (slow or fast). If the sync switch is set too low, the vehicle will do most of the initial braking, putting extra strain on the vehicle's brakes. If the sync switch is set too high, the trailer will be braking harder. So in most cases, either the truck or the trailer will be doing the majority of the braking, resulting in uneven brake wear.
The time delayed brake controller system is easily installed and is very user friendly. It can be mounted at any angle. It also has a low profile. The amount of power that is sent back to the brakes is adjustable using a control on the brake controller. With most time delayed brake controllers, when towing with the hazard flashers on, the digital display will flash with the hazard flashers. If the brake controller is set to aggressively, pulsing may occur which will be felt in the trailer brakes. However, a pulse preventer can isolate the brake controller from the flashers and will eliminate the pulsing and flashing on the controller. A pulse preventer is not necessary for vehicles that have a different bulb for the stop and turn signals, which is typical of vehicles with amber turn signals.
Yours is a time delay controller, if I am not mistaken.
This text is from etrailer.com | Trailer Brake Controller Information
With proportional brake controllers, once the brake pedal is stepped on, a motion sensing device knows how fast the tow vehicle is stopping. It then applies power to the trailer brakes equally as fast (or slow) as the towing vehicle. This allows the trailer to stop at the same rate as the tow vehicle. Therefore, in an extreme stopping situation where the vehicle brakes are slammed on, a proportional controller will immediately send the maximum preset power to the trailer brakes.
This type of brake controller provides the smoothest and quickest braking while also providing the least amount of wear on both the vehicle and trailer's brakes. Proportional controllers are "enabled" by the brake pedal switch and "activated" by a pendulum circuit that senses the vehicle's stopping motion and applies a proportional voltage to the trailer's brakes. When properly adjusted the trailer will decelerate at the same rate as the tow vehicle, increasing braking efficiency and reducing brake wear.
Time Delayed Brake Controller
With Time Delayed trailer brake controllers, once the brake pedal is stepped on, the pre-determined amount of power (which is set by the user, based on trailer weight) is sent back to the trailer brakes. On time delayed controllers, a delay always exists from when the brake pedal is pushed to when the unit reaches the user set, maximum power output. The delay can be shortened or lengthened with the 'sync' switch, available on most time delayed controllers, but it behaves the same way for every stop (slow or fast). If the sync switch is set too low, the vehicle will do most of the initial braking, putting extra strain on the vehicle's brakes. If the sync switch is set too high, the trailer will be braking harder. So in most cases, either the truck or the trailer will be doing the majority of the braking, resulting in uneven brake wear.
The time delayed brake controller system is easily installed and is very user friendly. It can be mounted at any angle. It also has a low profile. The amount of power that is sent back to the brakes is adjustable using a control on the brake controller. With most time delayed brake controllers, when towing with the hazard flashers on, the digital display will flash with the hazard flashers. If the brake controller is set to aggressively, pulsing may occur which will be felt in the trailer brakes. However, a pulse preventer can isolate the brake controller from the flashers and will eliminate the pulsing and flashing on the controller. A pulse preventer is not necessary for vehicles that have a different bulb for the stop and turn signals, which is typical of vehicles with amber turn signals.
Yours is a time delay controller, if I am not mistaken.
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I installed this same brake control in my father truck and it worked when I applied the brakes. It has a digital readout that reads from 0-10 in .10 increments, the harder you apply the brakes the higher the readout on the brake box, ie the more brakes being applied to the trailer. Now, when I installed this same brake control in my truck the readout doesn't display anything when I apply the brakes, however when I use the manual lever on the brake control the trailer brake the display lights up proportionally to how high the brake control is set for (power ****). This tells me the brake box is installed properly but it just doesn't work with the brakes on the truck. I am getting very frustrated with this.
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Joined: Jul 2008
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All mortgage quips aside, you may be doing nothing wrong. It may be how the controller is designed to work with the truck's braking to maximize performance. Does it do ok with the trailer on at speed? If not, it shouldn't cost much at all for a trailer accessory supplier to double check your work. If you made the purchase from a local supplier, they may do it for free as a service. And make sure the relay is installed. The first truck I needed a brake conroller for I had my local trailer supplier install it for me. It took 20 minutes and I purchased a ready made harness to make it a plug and play. It cost me $45 labor and harness. The last truck, I purchased a Prodigy controller from the same supplier and a ready made harness and did the install myself. My controller does not apply trailer brakes with my brake pedal unless I'm moving. I now have an 06 F150 with trailer tow. And by the way, welcome to the forums.
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