Trailer Brake Gain

[Life is a Highway]

F-150 , factory max tow with factory trailer control 25 ft Airstream truck or trailer not overweight braking feels lame.

In a parking lot I set the gain at 5.5. If I set ( test ) the trailer brakes with hand control I can feel the application and a slow down no wheel skid.

At highway speed 65 if I have to brake in a pinch I feel the truck can’t stop it. As a Newbie do I have the brake gain set to light? Don’t want to smoke the rear trailer brakes.

Any information from experienced towing appreciated.

[StuartsDad]

I would say you are a little light on your setting. With you truck and trailer moving forward on its own, foot off accelerator, activating controller by hand should bring you to a smooth, but complete stop.

[Daquenzer]

I have a 28’ and my gain is set at 8. But my trailer is heavier. You might find 7 about right. I set mine based upon my hitch which is a Propride. At 8 the “Hensley bump” is eliminated.

[Life is a Highway]

I will double check this next time I head out. Have the luxury of a nice flat long concrete exit lane from the storage area. I did try this once and I believe 5 was a smooth stop but sluggish on the stop.

Originally Posted by StuartsDad

I would say you are a little light on your setting. With you truck and trailer moving forward on its own, foot off accelerator, activating controller by hand should bring you to a smooth, but complete stop.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, OK, here's the deal.

(1.) Tow your trailer and make normal stops to warm up your trailer brakes.

(2.) Tow your trailer to exactly 25 MPH.

(3.) With the hand control, only, apply the trailer brakes.

(4.) If the tires don't skid, increase the gain until they do. Then back off just enough so they won't skid.

(5.) If the tires do skid at 25 MPH, slowly back off of the brake controller just enough to where they won't skid.

This is what you want, is to have as much braking as possible without skidding.

[kpm]

The procedure given by ROBERTSUNRUS is correct. To double-check, if done right it should result in a rig that feels like there is no trailer attached when braking. If you ever feel the trailer is pushing from behind, the gain is too low.

[GCinSC2]

Have the brakes worked correctly in the past or is this first run?

If this combo has worked correctly previously, brake adjustment time?

[Mollysdad]

There's no chart and graph. It's something you'll have to experiment with. After two years of towing, I think mine needs a bit more gain. Everything works fine, but I never feel I can stop as fast as I'd want in an emergency. I also don't want to drive a gravel road in a campground at 5 mph and have the brakes lock up everytime I touch the brakes.

[crispyboy]

You have a new trailer with new brakes. Hopefully the brakes shoes were adjusted properly when assembled. It will take a few hundred miles for the brakes shoes to seat themselves. I replaced the shoes and drums on my trailer last year to self adjusting. I adjusted them properly when assembling and the brakes were not that great and had to really adjust the brake controller up. After two trips I was able to dial down the brake controller considerably. They will get better.

[wizardglass]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

There's no chart and graph. It's something you'll have to experiment with. After two years of towing, I think mine needs a bit more gain. Everything works fine, but I never feel I can stop as fast as I'd want in an emergency. I also don't want to drive a gravel road in a campground at 5 mph and have the brakes lock up everytime I touch the brakes.

We have a progressive break controller installed in our Jeep which I can shut off once we get to the campgrounds for parking and slow speed on gravel. Not sure if factory controllers let you do this. Makes backing smoother.
I used to dial down our old time delay brake controller for parking. Looking back that was a pretty bad system, but that was the only option back in the day.
Probably not an issue anymore, but for "newbies" spend the money on a good progressive break controller if you don't have factory controller in your TV.