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07-14-2014, 01:00 PM
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#1
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Seasonal Camper
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: ontario
Posts: 304
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TT Brakes not doing their fair share of the work.
With previous trailers I've always felt the tug of the brakes on the trailer while slowing. I run a bit more gain than most, but that's the feeling I like. When I got our new trailer in April unless I used the boost +2 feature on the P3 I never felt like I had enough initial brake feel from the TT.
I test pulled with my new truck this past weekend and turned up the controller to 10 and still didn't get anything close to the feeling I wanted. I would say the truck was doing at least 75% of the braking. Since it decided to rain I crawled under the TT and checked the drums. The rear axle was fine with a bit of drag but the fronts I had to turn 8 times before there was any drag on the drum. Looks like the factory forgot to adjust them and the dealer never looked.
I got them adjusted them and went for a drive, the rear axle will lock up on gravel now but I still have to keep the controller up around 8 to feel like the TT is doing anything.
Is there anything else I could be missing?
Towing with the F350 is effortless, I think it gets to 65 with the trailer connected faster than the Avalanche did without.
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2014.5 Sunset Trail ST290QB
2011 F350 KR 6.7 CC SRW
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07-14-2014, 02:04 PM
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#2
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: MS
Posts: 2,746
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Pull the drums, check for grease on them, some dealers will shoot too much grease in there and the grease will get all over the inside of the drums
__________________
Frank and Janet Henn
2000 Monoco Lapalma
being pushed by a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Traveling with Rainbow the wonder dog and now with Sunshine the rescue Schnauzer.
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07-14-2014, 02:38 PM
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#3
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Seasonal Camper
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 393
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If the trailer brakes are adjusted correct and the brake controller is adjusted correctly you should not feel the trailer pushing or pulling under normal braking. It should be as if the trailer is not there. That is the way my Prodigy P3 is.
Under emergency braking with your truck in ABS the trailer should not lock up and you may feel some push as your truck has more braking effort than the trailer has.
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07-14-2014, 04:01 PM
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#4
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Seasonal Camper
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: minnesota
Posts: 365
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The prodigy also has the amperage reading to the brake feed. That could be checked...And not to be dumb, but did you double check the prodigy is set to the correct style of brakes?
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2013S22BH/2015 f-150 ecoboost
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07-14-2014, 07:40 PM
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#5
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: 1
Posts: 2,036
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If the Trailer is new as of April and you have not driven it much, the brake shoes may not have seated yet to the drum.
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07-14-2014, 08:13 PM
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#6
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mebane, NC
Posts: 2,394
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stan
If the Trailer is new as of April and you have not driven it much, the brake shoes may not have seated yet to the drum.
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Wasn't there a break in process described in a previous thread somewhere? I think Mark5W posted it.
__________________
2014 Chevy Silverado 3500 SRW Duramax
2011 Zinger ZT26BL-sold
2014 Sabre 34REQS
***Member of the Mason-Dixon Group***
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07-15-2014, 05:36 AM
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#7
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DFW, TexUS
Posts: 1,032
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you've got a 2011 F350 with the integrated brake controller - why not use it instead of the prodigy?
The IBC incorporates the built in sway control, ABS, ESP, etc...
Can go to go to Settings>Driver Assist>Trailer Brake Mode to set elec or elec over hyd brakes...
am I correct to assume your rv has a 7 pin connector?
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07-15-2014, 05:41 AM
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#8
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Seasonal Camper
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: ontario
Posts: 304
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Sorry for the confusion I only used the P3 in my avalanche. All the pulling with the 350 has been with the factory unit. I'm going to try and pull the drums next week and see if they are fouled by grease. We've pulled the trailer about 800 miles so far so I'd expect they are bedded now. Yes it's 7 pin
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2014.5 Sunset Trail ST290QB
2011 F350 KR 6.7 CC SRW
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07-15-2014, 08:39 AM
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#9
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 844
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coopers_dad
Sorry for the confusion I only used the P3 in my avalanche. All the pulling with the 350 has been with the factory unit. I'm going to try and pull the drums next week and see if they are fouled by grease. We've pulled the trailer about 800 miles so far so I'd expect they are bedded now. Yes it's 7 pin
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The factory unit sometimes takes a bit to get used to. It doesn't react the same as something like a Prodigy. It brings the brakes on gradual when driving and you have to be over 15 or 20 mph to get them to react at all. Best test is to get up to 20 mph and use the manual slider for the brake control only and see how fast it starts to tug. The next test is to park the unit and pull the emergency brake switch and try to pull forward. If all four brakes on the trailer are not locked you need the trailer brakes adjusted, not the truck controller. I pull 12,500 lbs behind my F350 and my gain is set at 7.5 and it is enough that the truck and trailer stop seamlessly. The IBC is very sensitive and based in the truck braking and force it applies more to the trailer as necessary, almost so you don't feel it. But when I need to stop from 65mph in a hurry it does the job perfectly at that gain setting.
Pulling the emergency cable out will lock my trailer brakes and stop my 8,300lb truck dead in its tracks. I know this because it happened twice while turning a corner before I out a Fastway cable on.
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Scott
2013 CrossRoads Cruiser Patriot CF345RF
2011 Ford F350 Lariat FX4 CC 6.7L Turbo Diesel (Heavily Modified)
Saskatoon, SK
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07-15-2014, 11:33 AM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,153
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Scott, are you saying you can't pull the manual brake slider on your truck and make it slide the trailer tires if you are going to slow?
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07-15-2014, 07:26 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,153
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Bump
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07-15-2014, 07:43 PM
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#12
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: PA
Posts: 5,714
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Lloyd, now you're going to have to explain what "bump" means. I know from some other garage sales sites, not sure all the others know.
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Mark & Susan
Lehighton, Pennsylvania
EAGLE HT FIFTH WHEEL | 30.5CKTS - '13 Ford F150 SCREW - PullRite Superslide - Roadmaster Active Suspension
Member - "Northeast Adventures RV Rally Group" & "Mason-Dixon Bunch"
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07-15-2014, 07:45 PM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,153
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Bump means I'm putting this thread back up to the top.
Hoping Scott will see it.
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07-16-2014, 06:57 AM
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#14
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 844
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lloyd
Scott, are you saying you can't pull the manual brake slider on your truck and make it slide the trailer tires if you are going to slow?
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That's right, if driving slowly and I manually push the TBC slider on, it won't lock the brakes. However, if you pull out the emergency brake cable at slow speeds they lock. May have changed it on newer versions, but on my 2011 F350 that's how it works.
__________________
Scott
2013 CrossRoads Cruiser Patriot CF345RF
2011 Ford F350 Lariat FX4 CC 6.7L Turbo Diesel (Heavily Modified)
Saskatoon, SK
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07-16-2014, 07:03 AM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,153
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They must have changed things along to way. It surprised me to read that cause mine will lock them right up. I don't even have to be moving. When I hookup I do the pull test, the brakes are locked.
Seems odd they would have it set up that way.
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07-16-2014, 07:34 AM
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#16
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 844
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lloyd
They must have changed things along to way. It surprised me to read that cause mine will lock them right up. I don't even have to be moving. When I hookup I do the pull test, the brakes are locked.
Seems odd they would have it set up that way.
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I hear there have been some changes. Don't get me wrong, I can stop the trailer with the slider, just not lock the brakes.
__________________
Scott
2013 CrossRoads Cruiser Patriot CF345RF
2011 Ford F350 Lariat FX4 CC 6.7L Turbo Diesel (Heavily Modified)
Saskatoon, SK
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07-16-2014, 10:01 AM
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#17
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Canton, OH
Posts: 937
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I have NO experience with IBC's...but based on TrailerLife articles, there may be a big difference from 2011 to 2013. Seems they are continually changing (and improving) the IBC designs.
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Eddy & Brenda
Canton, OH
2015 Silverado HD 6.0L
2014 Zinger 32QB
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