Does Tekonsha Brake control...?

[AIR-Quarius]

So far we have made it to the point of installing the Tekonsha Brake control device. Have used it once on a short trip of about four miles...it did good.
My question is for those of you who already have - and have used this brake controller. Even though it comes with instructions, I would rather hear it from the horses mouth.
For each time you hook up and connect to make a trip, does this brand brake box have to be set? Or is it automatic? Tell me how you work it yourself if you have one please.

[xrvr]

I do not check my controler each time. As long as the brakes feel <normal> I leave well enough alone. This might be bad advice so I hope someone else chimes in. jim

[FreshAir]

No, not for me. I installed a wiring harness is both the Buick, which I tow with, and in my truck which I use to manuever the Airstream around our property. I have only the one Prodoigy controller which I move between the vehicles. The controller is pretty tolerant but I when had it at first the front to back angle was too much of an angle....it would fail when I went UP our driveway and recovered when I traveled DOWN it. It's about an 8* angle steep. I like mine. I've had it 2-3 years.
Neil

[Tim J]

Best one I've had. Prodigy can be set and forgotten. I have a 31' Soveign and a 20' flatbed. Depending on the load or roads I change the settings, but you dont need to if you use it with one trailer

[AirHeadsRus]

I have had mine on three different trucks and never had to set it up. I just make sure the brakes are working manually. Then go.

[MrUKToad]

Yup, install and go. I always test the manual control before each journey but other than that there's not much to do.

[Friday]

The P2 is auto-levelling. As far as the voltage or boost, it's always proper to test the trailer brakes every time you hook up. You won't likely have to change anything much, but eventually brakes wear or maybe your load is a bit heavier one time.

The P3 is a nice upgrade when the time comes. My first trip of the year I had to dial it down a couple points because the roads had a lot of loose gravel from over winter and I found the brakes too grabby...

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by Friday

The P3 is a nice upgrade when the time comes. My first trip of the year I had to dial it down a couple points because the roads had a lot of loose gravel from over winter and I found the brakes too grabby...

Mine is the P3 and I went through a period when it and the trailer was new where the brakes were really grabby. I slacked off the gain a little, although not much, and after some use everything turned pretty smooth.

[AIR-Quarius]

Good, this is the feed back I want to read about. When I first tried it- it said to set it at 6.0 (right in the middle I figure) and then go from there.
There was a DVD which came with it but my lap top would not play it .(very small weird looking DVD). The instructions were a little busy too.
But one of the instructions was to set it to the point to where the brakes locked up. well - how can you tell your brakes are locked up while in motion? - and wouldn't this possibly yank the gut's of the tow package or truck out?

[MrUKToad]

My towing man, who knows about these things, says to have the gain up as high as you can get away with - presumably not with the locked wheels, though!

[AIR-Quarius]

well, on the right side of this 'prodigy 2' there is a boost button. with I think are three custom settings for the size of trailer you are pulling. so I set mine at the third level. The levels are b. b.1 b.2 b.3 so I am set at b.3 because I figure the trailer weighs 40% more than the TV.
There are some scales down the road from us, and if I hook up and go there, what is the procedure of weighing in?

[Kevin245]

Ours is "Set and Forget". One thing worth mentioning though. When the trailer sits for an extended period (few days or more) the drums have a tendency to flash rust which makes them grabby the first few brake applications. To avoid fiddling with the Prodigy settings I manually apply the trailer brakes a couple of times to lightly scrub the drums while we ease out to the street.

[Friday]

Originally Posted by AIR-Quarius

Good, this is the feed back I want to read about. When I first tried it- it said to set it at 6.0 (right in the middle I figure) and then go from there.
There was a DVD which came with it but my lap top would not play it .(very small weird looking DVD). The instructions were a little busy too.
But one of the instructions was to set it to the point to where the brakes locked up. well - how can you tell your brakes are locked up while in motion? - and wouldn't this possibly yank the gut's of the tow package or truck out?

What you are trying to get is the maximum braking on the trailer when you are at maximum braking on the tow vehicle. When you crank/slide the manual lever all the way, it is going to output the maximum voltage you've got programmed (if you can program it). Ideally you want this to be just short of lock-up... but how do you know when that point it? You don't. So, aim for the wheels to just lock up when you get max output... for the surface you are going to be on. For example, if you are going to be on gravel, your brakes are going to lock way sooner.

By yourself it's not impossible... roll down the window and you'll hear the screeching if you're on pavement. Don't drag them for too far though. You're only going a few miles per hour when you do this, so you won't wreck anything. If your trailer is really big, you might not get your truck to move it with the manual brake applied.

I usually go about 5-8 mph, let off the gas on my truck, then apply the trailer brake smoothly, but quickly (within 2-3 seconds to full). I want to feel my truck slow a bit, and by the time it gets to the end, I want to feel a pretty good tug and a little 'chirp' at the end is perfect.

You won't hurt anything on your rig doing this at low speed.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by AIR-Quarius

So far we have made it to the point of installing the Tekonsha Brake control device. Have used it once on a short trip of about four miles...it did good.
My question is for those of you who already have - and have used this brake controller. Even though it comes with instructions, I would rather hear it from the horses mouth.
For each time you hook up and connect to make a trip, does this brand brake box have to be set? Or is it automatic? Tell me how you work it yourself if you have one please.

Hi, my brake controller is now mounted in my center consul, but before I moved it there it was mounted in a dash board pocket. I see your vehicle has a similar pocket in the dash. By installing it in the dash pocket, it will be easier to reach, see, and adjust. And the biggy for me was that having it mounted in the dash pocket, you won't get your knees ripped of by your brake controller when you get in and out of your tow vehicle.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Lot Rot is what we called the surface rust that forms on the rotors,(more so cuz their exposed) and drums of vehicles that have set on the lot without being driven....sound familiar?

I always test manually before getting on the hi-way to avoid any surprises.
So yes... I turn down the gain a little, apply and then re-set to previous point.

Bob

[aftermath]

I have an older Prodigy, P2 I think, and have been using it for 5 or 6 years now. I have mine dialed in close enough to lock up and am happy with the performance. I usually test it each year in the spring on my street when no one is around.

When I get into the mountains I hit the boost switch up one spot. I get better braking from the trailer and don't have to worry about locking up the tires. Once I am down and into the flats again, I return the controller to the original setting. It is quick and easy and has worked well for me.

[AWCHIEF]

I think I might have a disconect somewhere in my trailer brake wiring. I have a new axle and brakes on my Bambi II and use a P3. Everthing appears to be working fine on the brake controller but nothing at all is happening with the trailer brakes when I apply the brakes or use the manual arm on the P3. Prior to the new axle and brakes I did get a message on the controller saying "no trailer detected" or something like like. I no longer get that message with the new brakes installed. The instructions that came with the P3 are not much help in troubleshooting the system.

[newroswell]

You should manually check the brakes as soon as you get moving down a straight, safe area, without anyone following you. OR you can just wait and see if they work the first time you need them! We check them after every hitch'up. Get up to 25+/- MPH, let off the gas, apply the manual brake lever. They should give a solid pull without locking up. After a while, you'll now what it should feel like with the lever applied 50% and won't need to go through a full braking yank. This doesn't take any time, unless you realize you didn't get the 7-way in all the way and need to stop.

You may need less boost on a rainy day.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Mike,

I would start at the trailer connector, check output from the BC, make sure it's in the proper position for the brake line on the trailer side. A test light will get brighter as the gain is increased.
Have a helper stand next to the wheels, use a jumper or actuate the breakaway and quickly power the trailer brake line on/off you should be able to hear the magnets actuate. On our 63 Safari there always seemed to be a corroded brake wire somewhere every Spring.

Bob

[Friday]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

I think I might have a disconect somewhere in my trailer brake wiring. I have a new axle and brakes on my Bambi II and use a P3. Everthing appears to be working fine on the brake controller but nothing at all is happening with the trailer brakes when I apply the brakes or use the manual arm on the P3. Prior to the new axle and brakes I did get a message on the controller saying "no trailer detected" or something like like. I no longer get that message with the new brakes installed. The instructions that came with the P3 are not much help in troubleshooting the system.

'No trailer' means the brake circuit is incomplete. If you don't see this, it just means the electricity is making it through the loop... and doesn't give you any indication on if the brakes are activating at all. Any trouble shooting beyond that is going to involve testing the voltage at the brake(s), and isolating the problem.