Another brake controller ?

[Prairie Dog]

When I got the new truck I removed the Tekonsha from my 93 where it had worked very well. When it first was installed in the old truck (several years ago) it could lock up the trailer brakes if I manually applied them. In the new truck it won't lock them up no matter how I have it adjusted. I have it mounted horizontally and the level (not power) adjustment has to be cranked as far as it will go to get the brakes to work at all. I'm wondering if brake controllers just get weaker with age or is the wiring in my 03 wimpy?

Maybe it's time for a Jordon?

 

[bombero]

Good post! Ive been wondering the same thing. I just replaced my ta? with a prodigy. While it works smother it will not lock up the brakes when I apply it manually. I know the brakes on my trailer are working as good as any voodoo thing can!

 

[Prairie Dog]

I guess I should have added that I've adjusted the brakes too.

I'm surprised nobody has any feedback for us on this.

 

[Futures1]

Same Gauge Wire ??

Does the new truck have the same size wire as the old truck ?? Does it connect from the battery and ground the same ??

Seems to me that 12 volts from any truck should work the same. I think for trailer brakes, I would want to run a new (separate) set of wires all the way through ??

 

[WMeyers]

bombero -- I replaced my Tekonsha Sentinel with a Prodigy about a year ago and found that while I could adjust the Sentinel (using the manual lever) to lockup and then back it off to just short of lockup per their procedure, the Prodigy even when set at its maximum would not come anywhere near lockup. Same truck, trailer and wires. After talking to their customer support, I went back to using the Sentinel.

 

[Rwhedges]

brake control

Just recently put a prodigy on my '03 and it locks up the brakes on my Jayco 300FSS when set on 6. Had to back off to a setting of 5. 5 in order to get the correct setting for it. If I remember correctly the highest setting is something like 12 or 13 so I am a good way from the highest settings on mine. I find it works very well with my set up.

 

[R-N-R]

I replaced a 1500/Drawtight that would lock up the trailer brakes with a 2500/Prodigy that won't lock up the brakes. I exchanged the Prodigy soon after I purchased it and the 2nd unit still would not lock up the trailer brakes. I used the Prodigy for the first year with the fuse in the PDC blown (unknowingly), basically the unit was receiving power after the trailer was hooked up. Now everything is powered correctly, but it still does not lock up the brakes.



However aside from not being able to correctly follow the Prodigy's set up directions, it works just fine. Am I missing something or endangering anything by using the unit anyway?



Bill

 

[Prairie Dog]

Dick, I'm using the factory wiring so it's new of course and it appears the brake wire is of the correct size. I even soldered (I'm a certified aviation and weapons spec solderer) the pigtail from the cotroller to the pigtail provided by dodge.

 

[BigMike]

I've read several posts in the past about this issue. Seems like the majority of people who own Prodigy's can't get it to lock the brakes. However, I have found no one, including yours truly, who are too concerned about that. I love the performance of my Prodigy. It is so much better than anything I've ever had before. You might do a search on the subject and find some answers.

 

[R-N-R]

I thought about copying the printable version of this thread into a message for their tech support in hopes of getting an "official" response to this issue, but their web site http://www.danatowinggroup.com/ must be down. I also tried http://www.tekonsha.com without luck.

 

[bombero]

Boy today i had an expierience! I hooked up my 1000lbs utility trailer and my son and I were off. I had forgotten that my prodigy was set on 12 so the first stop I came to smoked came off of both wheels. Jeff yelled that our trailer was on fire! It wasn't. Now I know that a prodigy will lock up brakes , just not my 8500 lbs travel trailer!

 

[R-N-R]

I was able to copy/paste this thread into a message to Tekonsha this morning. I will post their response if any.



Bill

 

[Prairie Dog]

Thanks Bill.

 

[R-N-R]

Received responce today....

Dear Mr. Soule,



Thank you for sharing the information with us. I have forwarded the info to the engineering department for a response.



Have a great day.



Regards,

Linda Smith

Tech Support

Tekonsha Towing Systems

 

[Diesel&Donuts]

Just a thought here. Maybe its good not to lock up the trailer brakes. You have better control and stop quicker if you're not skidding.

Harold

 

[WMeyers]

The recommended adjustment technique for most electric brake controllers is to adjust the gain until you achieve lockup with slightly warm brakes at 20 to 25 mph using the manual brake control, then back off the gain slightly so that the brakes do NOT lock up. This is to give you the maximum braking in an emergency stop without locking the brakes.

 

[BigMike]

WMeyers, You're correct. However, the point of this discussion is the fact that you cannot get the brakes to lock up using the manual control on the Prodigy. The users manual says exactly what you suggest. I don't think it's a big deal. My Prodigy does a wonderful job, despite the fact it doesn't adjust precisely they way they suggest.

 

[WMeyers]

I was just responding to the post by Diesel&Donuts, not trying to get off the point of the discussion I do however doubt that my Prodigy would do as good a job as my Sentinel in an emergency stop when I can get the Sentinel to achieve lockup and I cannot get the Prodigy to do the same (with the same truck, trailer, wires).

 

[mbaston]

If anybody doesn't want their old Prodigy, I would be interested.