Brake controller adjusting

[JCasper]

I just got my brake controller mounted and have been playing around with it to make sure it works. Like I said in a previous post I tow very little and I have a unit that a friend of mine gave me so I don't have any instructions. When I first hooked it up I thought it wasn't working when I hit the truck brakes, only was working with manual operation. Now after playing around with it a little I have it working when I hit the brake pedal. My question is how do you normally fine tune them. It has a lever on the side that seems to adjust the power that it applies to the brakes. It also has a gain button on the front, when you have your foot off the brake and hit this button it will light up one light, hit the button again and the next light comes on, and it does that progressively like there are maybe 7 different settings. Can someone tell me exactly what GAIN does. I only towed this trailer around my neighborhood tonight just to see if the brakes were working. They seem to work but if I move that lever on the side too far the trailer brakes lock up very quick, that is why I am pretty sure that is the power adjustment. Once I get the trailer loaded tomorrow I will be able to play with it a little more.



Thanks for your help, Everyone on the TDR has been great. I am really enjoying my subscription.

 

[AggieJustin]

If you're dealing with an inertial brake controller, you should have two adjustments. One is the adjustment for levelling the controller. On an inertial controller, the braking action is controlled by a pendulum inside the controller. If you mount this with the front end of the control tilted up (mounted on the kick panel), then the level control is used to compensate for the additional angle. This is probably the lever on the side. On the controllers I've seen, you usually point this straight down. The gain control is used to set how much power is sent to the brakes. The higher the setting, the more power sent.



Adjusting your level control will typically define how aggressive the brake controller works, the gain controls how hard they grab once they engage.

 

[JCasper]

Thank you I will try that out tomorrow when I head out of here.

 

[Steve.A]

JCasper,

I just found these instructions this morning. They are for a Tekonsha inertial unit which sounds like what you are describing. Here's their instructions for setting it up;



LEVELING THE SENSOR

1. Connect trailer to tow vehicle, Bi-Colored Lights should glow GREEN. (The bi-colored light is in the top, right corner of the display)

2. Set power know (on the right side of the unit as you are looking at it) to maximum by rotating clockwise.

3. Depress tow vehicle's brake pedal and hold.

4. Rotate the level knob (on the left side of the unit as you are looking at it) counter-clockwise (towards the back of the control) until Bi-Colored Light starts to change colors from GREEN to RED.

5. CAREFULLY rotate the Level Knob clockwise (towards the front of the control) until a shade of ORANGE is visible.

6. Release the brake pedal.



ADJUSTING THE POWER TO THE TRAILER BRAKES

1. Set Power Knob to the 12 o'clock position.

2. Drive tow vehicle and trailer on a dry level paved surface at 25 mph an dapply manual slide knob (it's on the front of the unit).

IF TRAILER BRAKES LOCK UP

- Turn power down using power knob (rotate power knob toward the 8 o'clock position by going counter clockwise).

IF TRAILER BRAKING IS NOT SUFFICIENT

- Turn power up using power knowb (rotate power knob toward the 5 o'clock position by going clockwise).

3. Repeat setp (4) until power has been set to a point just below wheel lock up or at a sufficient force as to achieve maximum braking power.

4. Using the brake pedal, make a few low speed stops to check the Power and Level adjustments.



FINE TUNING

1. Make several slow (25 mph) stops as if coming up on a stop sign and take notice of how the trailer brakes respond.

IF BRAKES GRAB TOO MUCH

- You have an Aggressive setting:

- To correct this condition rotate level knob clockwise, toward you.



IF TRAILER TENDING TO PUSH TOW VEHICLE

- You have a Delayed Setting:

- To correct this condition rotate level knob counter-clockwise, away from you.

2. Repeat until desired trailer braking is achieved.



For this last part, only adjust the power knob in small amounts, too much and you have to start over. If you still have problems you can call Tekonsha (if that is the brand you have) at 1-888-785-5832.



I got these directions from an RV dealer years ago. Maybe you could try that as well. It was free, he just copied a page out of the manual for me.



Good luck.

 

[Steve.A]

JCasper, just noticed that you live in St Helens. I live in Beaverton. I have my old Tekonsha brake control and instructions with the correct harness for the 03 and up Dodge if you need it.



Just PM me.

 

[JCasper]

Similar directions but different controller

JCasper,

I just found these instructions this morning. They are for a Tekonsha inertial unit which sounds like what you are describing. Here's their instructions for setting it up;



I got these directions from an RV dealer years ago. Maybe you could try that as well. It was free, he just copied a page out of the manual for me.



Good luck.

Thanks for the instructions. My unit is made By Kelsey but is fairly similar in getting it adjusted correctly. I used it this weekend and once getting it adjusted correctly it worked great. Thanks for your help. Joe

 

[JCasper]

Thanks for the offer

JCasper, just noticed that you live in St Helens. I live in Beaverton. I have my old Tekonsha brake control and instructions with the correct harness for the 03 and up Dodge if you need it.



Just PM me.

Thanks for the offer but I just got mine working and used it this weekend when I hauled four quads over to bend. It worked great once getting it adjusted properly. Thanks, Joe