Freightrain Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 (edited) I've had issues with my trailer brakes for years. Just not working well overall. Did some rewiring of the trailer to upgrade factory wiring(ie scotch loks). Still kinda vague. I finally got the truck back running and got it out so I could hook to trailer and check voltage and current of brakes. Ha! My high dollar Warner air/electric controller has issues. It draws 16 amps but only outputs 10 amps at full activation. WTF? No wonder it doesn't pull very hard. Guess I will be buying some other brand controller and hope to get brakes hitting harder. Edited March 25, 2018 by Freightrain Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
66dc75 Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 I just used a regular straight electric controller in my Kenworth. Works perfect. I couldn't see the extra benefit in an air/electric unit but there must be a reason for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlotpilot Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 larry if you ever get those damn things figured out would you please let me know how you did it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Your newer "Tekonsha" inertia activated controllers are very good and don't take much to install. Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 I have an old Kelsey-Hayes on my motorcycle. It is hydraulic in operation and I plumbed it into the rear brake system on the bike. It works very well and is very adjustable, (electric output). It is physically large and I have an inertia activated controller I'm going to try later this year. My bike, (Freightrain knows the bike) is a Royal Star Venture and the trailer weighs right at 540 pounds ready to travel. Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayseed Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 I'll be a little bit Biased... & say that these Aussie designed Redarc units take some beating.. & i have had a "Tekonsha" unit Too. https://www.redarc.com.au/trailer-brakes Quote "Be who you are and say what you feel...Because those that matter...don't mind...And those that mind....don't matter." - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitchwrks Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 I've had Tekonsha on all of my hauling vehicles -- a F250, F350, and old F600 gasser. Put one on a friend's Toyota Tundra. Very good results, so much better than surge brakes! I did end up upgrading the pendulum type controller that came with the F600 to a solid state Tekonsha, the response was much better. As always, make sure you've got solid grounds back to the trailer, I switched over to ICC style round pin trailer connectors after having to replace the pigtail on my 16-foot trailer. A failing ground contact in the pigtail's connector caused all sorts of weirdness with the electric brakes and trailer lighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted March 26, 2018 Author Share Posted March 26, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, carlotpilot said: larry if you ever get those damn things figured out would you please let me know how you did it Oh, so you haven't had good luck with the Warner either?? I remember paying BIG money for it, figured it would be all that. Come to find out...not so much. I tried a pendulum style in the truck when I first bought it. Truck rides a bit rough and it was very difficult to provide smooth braking. I got one of the newer(at the time) progressive styles. Hated that even worse. I have one in my '95 F150(came in it). It comes on over time and you can only adjust the time span but not the power amount. You have to constantly let off the brakes to keep the trailer from sliding the tires(when empty). I used it just a few weeks back and HATED IT. I want to find a pendulum style as they worked pretty well in a pickup. I know Tekonsha(?) had a cable style you could hook to your brake pedal in your pickup to give you variable braking. Won't really work in a big truck. I found a Hayes air/electric unit($250, ugh). I don't know if it is electronic or mechanical like the Warner? It looks to be likely electronic due to the lack of cooling holes like the big metal case of the Warner unit. I sent Hayes an email tonight...so we'll see what they say. I know my plug grounds are good, as the trailer was not touching the truck and the lights all worked fine. Edited March 26, 2018 by Freightrain Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitchwrks Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 3 hours ago, 66dc75 said: I just used a regular straight electric controller in my Kenworth. Works perfect. I couldn't see the extra benefit in an air/electric unit but there must be a reason for them. I suspect people like them because you can quickly hook up to an air line. Friend of mine with military 5 tons keeps one with the trailer and, if I remember correctly, runs the controller off of a deep cycle battery on the trailer, since the trucks are 24V. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitchwrks Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Oh, and if you're hooking up a Tekonsha or similar on a truck with combined stop and turn lamps, you probably need to relay the switch on the brake pedal -- found out the hard way, pulling up Sandstone Mountain on I-64 in WV. Turned on the hazards and suddenly the trailer brakes are coming on in time with the signals! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlotpilot Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 we pull tri axle underbridge inspection trailers with elec. brakes with air brake trucks and what a pita those things are to keep them working the trailers are upward of 16.000 lbs so we have to keep brakes operable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
66dc75 Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 44 minutes ago, glitchwrks said: Oh, and if you're hooking up a Tekonsha or similar on a truck with combined stop and turn lamps, you probably need to relay the switch on the brake pedal -- found out the hard way, pulling up Sandstone Mountain on I-64 in WV. Turned on the hazards and suddenly the trailer brakes are coming on in time with the signals! Have to run a wire off the cold side of the brake light switch to avoid that. This way it's isolated from the turn signals. Finding that switch buried in the dash was the hardest part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 I have put a Tekonsha Prodigy P3 on a class 7 truck with air brakes and on a class 5 truck with hydraulic brakes and had no problems. Pulling a 40 foot gooseneck with 25 000 pound gross trailer. The trailer has hydraulic disc brakes with an electric over hydraulic pump. The brake controller is about $100.00 , and took less than 1/2 hour to install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted March 26, 2018 Author Share Posted March 26, 2018 11 hours ago, carlotpilot said: we pull tri axle underbridge inspection trailers with elec. brakes with air brake trucks and what a pita those things are to keep them working the trailers are upward of 16.000 lbs so we have to keep brakes operable My race trailer is 15K lbs. I think the brakes lacking was the real issue why I had my little incident going to York. Thus I have been slowly working towards eliminating the problem. Just last fall, coming home one night, damp roads. If I hadn't pulled hard on the hand control previously to the light changing I would have drove through a pickup and a city bus!!! The truck just hopped and skipped as the rear tires locked up. If the trailer wasn't doing something ahead of time I would have never stopped in time(though just over the white line). I was concerned with the light on the other side of a grade, and sure enough as soon as I topped the hill, it changed. I was already on the trailer brakes, knowing it could get ugly. It almost did and if I relied on the air actuation...it would have been way too late. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobert62 Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Keep me posted what you figure out. I haven't hook anything up yet for my elec trl brakes. I saw a pic somewhere of what you had and figured I'd just by one of them. Glad I held off I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddeere Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 I have a Tekonsha Prodigy P3 on a Freightliner low pro with hydraulic brakes pulling a trailer with electric over hydraulic brakes . It would not always pick up the signal from the break pedal. After a week or so of trying to fix it contacted Tekonsha they suggested to tap into the brake line off the master cylinder with a switch that works off hydraulic pressure . Works great now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 I did some testing of the unit after taking it off the truck. Everything is fine, resistance circuits are fine and ramps up okay. One thing I did notice was my airline was small and wondered if it was not applying well enough. I changed the fittings to 1\4" plastic instead of 1\8". I aired the truck up and it seems to snap up harder\quicker with more air volume. This won't help with overall power but just better actuation. I confirmed my trailer circuit. Has 1 ohm resistance. That equates out to 12-13 amps total draw. 12 v times 1 ohm equals 12 amps. I want to change out either just the magnets or the whole backing plate/brakes. It has been 21 yrs. Going to check online for some pricing. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobert62 Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 (edited) Eastern marine out of Delaware I think is the name of a place I ordered some parts through. There prices where good shipping was a little pricey but very quick. Also had good luck with etrailer.com. They have free shipping. Edited April 2, 2018 by Hobert62 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitchwrks Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 I've used eTrailer in the past and been happy with both the service and then quality of the parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 I usually just beat on the local Redneck trailer parts dealer. They know when I hit the door I'm there to make purchase. Usually have a printoff from etrailer, or some other vendors I want them to match prices with. I pay sales tax but seldom is shipping free so it washes out for me. Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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