My brakes suck

[MaxTow]

On an extended road trip in the western states. Never had much of a concern with my brakes back home in eastern Canada. But in the serious downhill grades of the rockies and other assorted ranges I find that I'm relying far too much the TV brakes.

I adjusted the shoes but still not much of an improvement. Measured the voltage and current. All looks good.

I'm using the integrated brake controller in my 2012 F150. With the brake controller set to 8, the measured current is 10A.

Thinking there might be something wrong with the brake mechanism I overnighted new self adjusting units from Inland RV. (Thanks Andy) and installed at our campground at Mammoth Lakes, CA.

While better I'm still running with the brake controller on max gain. (10).

I'm at a loss as what to do next. The only thing left left to change are the hubs.

Thoughts ?

[mopariac]

I'm not sure what TV you have, but have you tried using the transmission to help? Maybe take it out of overdrive or use a lower gear? Just a thought.

[HowieE]

The gear you climbed the hill in is the gear you go down the hill in.

If you are descending a hill in D you may loose the the brakes altogether due to over heating.

Self adjusters will not correct the problem. If your TV does not have a Tow Haul Mode gearing down or an exhaust brake are the first 2 choices.

If you have Tow Haul tap the brakes just as you start down and the trans will come down one gear. If you start to gain speed in that gear hit and hold the brakes to cause slow down and the trans will comes down another gear. When using Tow Haul watch the engine RPMs and don't let it over rev. The Tow Haul will only do so much and brakes are required after that. If you have to use the brakes because of over rev stop all together and start off again in a lower gear that will hold your speed below the point of increasing speed.

[perryg114]

Well can you get the trailer brakes to lock? If not then I would say you have trailer brake problems. You need to check voltages at the brakes themselves to make sure you are getting enough current. Conventional brake controllers are on/off and are not proportional. I don't know how your F150 controller works but you might want to read up on that. Drum brakes will overheat pretty quick and if you have your foot on the brake they are full on the whole time unless your controller is proportional. I have never been impressed with drum type trailer brakes.

Perry

[switz]

The retrofit of disk brakes for your Airstream at the factory will likely melt the AmEx card. There are few dealers that have even a smidgen of knowledge on how to work on the trailer version of Disk Brakes.

[mutcth]

As mentioned above, go downhill in Tow/Haul mode - it will help.

I was towing today in rather hilly Vermont, and was amazed at how the engine braking will keep the whole rig at 50 mph down some rather steep grades.

Tom

[Bigventure]

Are all the brales working on your trailer?

A brake controler like the Prodigy has several settings for trailer size and anticipitation. I think a new controler is in order.

[richinny]

are the right and left brake assemblies on the correct sides?

[LFC]

Originally Posted by MaxTow

On an extended road trip in the western states. Never had much of a concern with my brakes back home in eastern Canada. But in the serious downhill grades of the rockies and other assorted ranges I find that I'm relying far too much the TV brakes.

I adjusted the shoes but still not much of an improvement. Measured the voltage and current. All looks good.

I'm using the integrated brake controller in my 2012 F150. With the brake controller set to 8, the measured current is 10A.

Thinking there might be something wrong with the brake mechanism I overnighted new self adjusting units from Inland RV. (Thanks Andy) and installed at our campground at Mammoth Lakes, CA.

While better I'm still running with the brake controller on max gain. (10).

I'm at a loss as what to do next. The only thing left left to change are the hubs.

Thoughts ?

You can not rely on trailer brakes on long down hills....

You have got to slow down and use the transmission along with occasional use of the trailer brakes to keep your speed under control.

I'd suspect you've fried your brake shoes and possibly scorched your brake drums.

[eubank]

LFC is absolutely right. Relying only on trailer and TV brakes in the mountains in a recipe for damage, possibly disaster. Slow way down before heading downhill, and keep it that way with your transmission; use your brakes only occasionally.

Lynn

Originally Posted by LFC

You can not rely on trailer brakes on long down hills.... You have got to slow down and use the transmission along with occasional use of the trailer brakes to keep your speed under control. ...

[cwf]

Agree with Eubank, LFC and others.


Before I would take another trip, you might consider servicing the brakes on your AS.

We don't know mileage on your AS or previous use. If you don't know how, take to RV dealer. Brakes are standard enough a reputable dealer can service.

Let us know..

[3 Dog Nite]

It's all been good advice so far. I'd like to add slow down. Don't do the posted speed limit on the down hill side. It's figured out for a car in good weather conditions, not for larger vehicles that may be towing. Crest the larger hills going 5-10 mph slower & try to maintain the slower speed all the way down.

[Reganzo]

Originally Posted by MaxTow

On an extended road trip in the western states. Never had much of a concern with my brakes back home in eastern Canada. But in the serious downhill grades of the rockies and other assorted ranges I find that I'm relying far too much the TV brakes.

I adjusted the shoes but still not much of an improvement. Measured the voltage and current. All looks good.

I'm using the integrated brake controller in my 2012 F150. With the brake controller set to 8, the measured current is 10A.

Thinking there might be something wrong with the brake mechanism I overnighted new self adjusting units from Inland RV. (Thanks Andy) and installed at our campground at Mammoth Lakes, CA.

While better I'm still running with the brake controller on max gain. (10).

I'm at a loss as what to do next. The only thing left left to change are the hubs.

Thoughts ?

I recently upgraded from a 2008 F-350 to a 2011 F-350 and a newer to me airstream with hydraulic disc brakes. My first trip the brakes didn't work well or smoothly and I had the gain set for 10. I figured out that I could select electric or electric over hydraulic and as soon as I changed it to electric over hydraulic it worked great. Maybe your computer is set for electric over hydraulic and you need to change it. I can access the settings under truck applications.


Regards,

Reganzo

[Urbanologist]

Just a thought...

I tow and brake without a problem. I use a Tekonsha Prodigy® P2 Electronic Brake Controller. it controls the Panamerica's stopping without fault. It was installed by CanAm RV in London, Ontario. Andy's knowledge and people are great on any towing issue. Give him a call.

[ggoat!!!]

This is a simple case of learning how to pull a trailer through the mountains. You MUST use your transmission to enable engine compression to hold your speed down a mountain. There is NO other safe way. Your vehicle brakes aren't strong enough to hold both itself AND a trailer coming down a 7% grade for miles...and, most trailer brakes are woefully inadequate to hold the trailer let alone help the vehicle as well when you're barreling down a mountain pass at 60mph.

I just got back from a trip out west...my SSR pulled my 75th up and down Monarch Pass, Vail Pass, Berthoud Pass, Loveland Pass, Raton Pass, and McClure Pass (which strangely was the steepest and hardest pull) over the course of nearly a month and I hardly EVER touched the brakes whatsoever on the way down; since my truck is a 6spd manual, I would usually cruise down in 3rd or 4th at a very comfortable moderate speed with NO feeling of the rig "getting away from me" with only a scant tapping of the brakes every now and then to keep momentum in check. Literally hardly had a need for them coming down ANY one of those passes, even with the switchbacks. Proper technique of utilizing correct downshifting at the right times will hold your rig back and save your brakes. There is NO other way to do it; if you try to rely solely on your brakes eventually they WILL overheat and you'll find yourself (and probably some innocent bystanders) dead off a cliff somewhere.

Simply put, it's best to learn how to properly pull a trailer both up and (more importantly) DOWN a mountain using your ENGINE to slow you, not your brakes.

[MaxTow]

Originally Posted by HowieE

The gear you climbed the hill in is the gear you go down the hill in.

If you are descending a hill in D you may loose the the brakes altogether due to over heating.

Self adjusters will not correct the problem. If your TV does not have a Tow Haul Mode gearing down or an exhaust brake are the first 2 choices.

If you have Tow Haul tap the brakes just as you start down and the trans will come down one gear. If you start to gain speed in that gear hit and hold the brakes to cause slow down and the trans will comes down another gear. When using Tow Haul watch the engine RPMs and don't let it over rev. The Tow Haul will only do so much and brakes are required after that. If you have to use the brakes because of over rev stop all together and start off again in a lower gear that will hold your speed below the point of increasing speed.

I have been making good use of the F150's tow, haul mode. But as you say at some point one needs the activate the friction brakes.

With the original brakes most of the braking force was coming from the front rotors of the F150. Since I have swapped brakes I am getting better balance. But it's still less than what I would call ideal.

[eubank]

In the west, it is often not enough just to use tow/haul mode in the mountains! On downhill slopes, you'll need to downshift the automatic, forcing it into an even lower gear.

Lynn

[cwf]

Scenic overlooks iz u friend! Stop, smell the roadside weeds.... Let your rig chill a bit.

[jdalrymple]

Tow/haul mode does help some, but it is not a replacement for manually managing the transmission.

As mentioned before, even properly functioning truck and trailer brakes are not enough for an extended steep descent.

By moving the transmission selector from "Drive" to a lower setting, one is preventing the transmission from an upshift. Thereby keeping it in a lower gear and controlling speed via the back pressure of the engine.

Once the correct shifter setting is found for the steepness of the grade, one uses the brakes only for managing speed within the RPM range of that gear.



Regards,

JD

[MaxTow]

Originally Posted by Reganzo

I recently upgraded from a 2008 F-350 to a 2011 F-350 and a newer to me airstream with hydraulic disc brakes. My first trip the brakes didn't work well or smoothly and I had the gain set for 10. I figured out that I could select electric or electric over hydraulic and as soon as I changed it to electric over hydraulic it worked great. Maybe your computer is set for electric over hydraulic and you need to change it. I can access the settings under truck applications.

Regards,

Reganzo

Thanks for the suggestion. I checked the truck settings and it was properly on Electric.