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Old 12-15-2017, 06:51 PM   #1
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brakes on trailer

heading to Florida from Ohio, on snowy roads do you add more or less brake to the trailer?
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Old 12-15-2017, 07:23 PM   #2
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I own a Ford f250 with the factory brake control, I keep it set on "9", I want the trailer to be slowing the truck down instead of pushing the truck. I guess it depends on comfort zone. I have made a couple of long trips, that setting seemed to work fine for me. I am sure others will chime in that have more long distance towing than I have. The setting could also depend on the terrain, mountains, flat land etc. Just enjoy you trip, don't try to push yourself. just enjoy the journey.
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Old 12-15-2017, 07:26 PM   #3
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Trailer higher in my experience on slippery roads. If tow vehicle is doing the majority of breaking on slippery roads, it is more likely to try to jackknife imo.
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Old 12-15-2017, 07:36 PM   #4
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Thanks for help and yes it's 22hr. drive think 3days will be good
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Old 12-15-2017, 07:49 PM   #5
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Ya we do it in two, go down every thanksgiving for 10 days at fort wilderness/ Disney. But we are in our early 30’s and have to rush bc of work etc. If it were feasible, no doubt I’d do it in 3. Have fun and safe travels
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Old 12-15-2017, 08:38 PM   #6
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I set mine so that the trailer doesn't push or pull on the TV when braking. If the trailer brakes lock up because they are set to pull back on the TV it could put it into a sideways skid.
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Old 12-15-2017, 08:39 PM   #7
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Less brake and slow down. Adjust them just like you would under any other conditions. Just short of lockup under max braking, which is less on slippery roads. You NEVER want to lock up the trailer brakes. If you have to worry about the trailer pushing your truck, you were moving too fast for conditions anyway.
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Old 12-16-2017, 10:22 AM   #8
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Exactly what raspivey says. You can always add trailer braking with the trailer brake lever but you can't remove it in a panic situation. If those trailer brakes lock up, the trailer will have a tendency to try and pass the truck.
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Old 12-16-2017, 01:52 PM   #9
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If you have a good inertial brake controller I would think there would not be much adjustment needed. You should be driving slower, allowing yourself more stopping room and, therefore, be using less braking on the TV which will automatically apply less braking for the trailer.
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Old 12-16-2017, 02:06 PM   #10
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brakes on trailer

Quote:
Originally Posted by DougW View Post
If you have a good inertial brake controller I would think there would not be much adjustment needed. You should be driving slower, allowing yourself more stopping roosetupm and, therefore, be using less braking on the TV which will automatically apply less braking for the trailer.


There’s not a lot of adjustment required, but the max output does need a little depending on road conditions. I’ve had mine lock in the rain with just moderate braking when I forgot about it. I typically go from a 7 to a 5.5 gain for wet roads on my setup (every setup being different).
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Old 12-16-2017, 02:25 PM   #11
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brakes on trailer

On my prodigy I go from 8 to 9 .....cheers fiver hasn’t passed me yet[emoji23]

Side note: When I was 14 I tried to use all front brake on a motorbike, while going around a curve. Lesson learned......too much front brake is a bad thing[emoji854]
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Old 12-16-2017, 02:53 PM   #12
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Agree with others on brakes. If your coming to the East Coast weather is great 80's starting this week but super nice in the evenings.
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Old 12-19-2017, 12:07 PM   #13
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Anyone recommending cranking up the trailer brakes to compensate for slippery roads is in for problems if those trailer brakes lock up. If that happens on the slightest curve, especially on snow, that rig will go sideways.


You need to have a good, proportional brake controller, like an OEM-integrated system, or a Tekonsha P2 or P3, and set it up properly. If set up properly, you should not need to make any different adjustments. If you hit a slippery spot, your truck's ABS will kick in. That will decrease the amount of deceleration. The brake controller will sense the decreased deceleration, and continue sending just enough voltage to give maximum braking, without locking up the trailer brakes. As soon as you hit dry pavement again, the ABS will back out, and deceleration will automatically increase on both vehicles.
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Old 12-20-2017, 07:04 AM   #14
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I have a Jordan controller. It uses a cable attached to the vehicle brake cable. The more you press the vehicle brakes, the more brakes applied to trailer.
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Old 12-20-2017, 07:27 AM   #15
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The integrated brake controller on my Silverado is awesome. It will increase trailer braking the harder I push on the brake pedal. Even though the truck has ABS brakes, I will pump the pedal if I find myself in a slippery spot with the trailer attached.
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