Brake Control Question

[CD]

My understanding of how a brake controler works is when TV slows fast enough it applies the trailer brakes. In a jack knife condition where TV is crosswise or more but trailer is still going forward, do you lose braking on the trailer? I've been thinking again.

[CD]

My understanding of how a brake controler works is when TV slows fast enough it applies the trailer brakes. In a jack knife condition where TV is crosswise or more but trailer is still going forward, do you lose braking on the trailer? I've been thinking again.

[Vette Racer]

In my opinion, that would be a real good time to reach down and engage your trailer brakes manually. Actually that would be past time to do that.

With an inertia type controller you are correct in that the faster the TV slows down, the more the trailer brake is applied. Other types of controllers use the brake pedal so whenever the brake is applied and how much, determines the amount of braking applied to the trailer.

So, in your scenario, the only way to try and brake the trailer would be to engage the manual brake control as your controller wouldn't be doing much automatically.

[FiverBob]

There are several types of controllers, but they fall into basically four categories. 1) time based (usually cheaper type controllers) 2) Inertia (Prodigy being the most popular) - - works as you described 3) Surge - uses a sensor in the hitch (usually) to determine how hard the trailer is pushing forward on the hitch because the truck is trying to stop and applies trailer brakes accordingly - only operates when the brake lights are on 4) tow vehicle brake operation - two of the more popular being Jordan Ultima using a wire attached to the brake arm and Brakesmart which uses a tee in the brake fluid system.

Jordan and Brakesmart will apply trailer brakes most smoothly in direct proportion to the amount of braking of the tow vehicle.

Bob

[Ray,IN]

Fiverbob, don't forget the Tekonsha Primus, a proportional braking system.