My experience exactly...

For every inertia brake controller I've had, I've had to mark the dials for an "in town" setting and a "highway" setting.

Since the Brakesmart (and the Maxbrake) are directly sensing the truck's hydraulic brake pressure, speed or uphill or downhill or whatever are not factors.

 

What intensity setting did you have it on?

I have never went over a 6.8 on level 3 intensity pulling the 42' GN "Loaded"

 

That isnt the way I found with my old prodigy, I am not sure which model it was, but once i had it set I never fooled with it again, unless I changed trailers. My 5th wheel was 15k dry, so I towed pretty heavy too.

 

I have it set up at maximum intensity, I think it is around 12.6 v if I recall. In the city I run it on level 2 and on the highway on level 3. My trailer is dual axel but only has electric drum brakes. No way in the world will it send a signal strong enough to lock up the trailer brakes (not a bad thing, but I wonder how much braking I am missing).

Before the P3 I had an old simple box, cant remember the name, no frills, just a thumb dial and slider and an led light. I could lock em, but did so way to often. The P3 is way smoother and for backing up the P3 is clearly better.

Had the brakes checked out and am told no issues there (although I would love to have hydralic disks - I think the OEM's are a bit weak) by the dealer and trailer is only one season old now.

From a feel perspective, I have come to the conclusion that in town at slower speeds when you hit the brake the truck stops first, triggers the inertia switch, which signals the trailer, and boosts the trailer to balance the breaking. Works good and all occurs in a millisecond. On the highway, unless you go harder on the brakes, slight braking doesnt seem to have as good of an effect. On more than one occassion I have gotten on the thumb switch to stop the pushing in the mountains.

Ideally, a guy should be able to get it set up so that the trailer pulls a bit harder first with the truck balanced with it after that. Ideally without having to change settings for difference conditions. From what Ive read and heard, the Brakesmart and Maxbrakes seem to do a better job of those demands.

I suspect an electric over hydralic trailer system would be much better for my set up, but that conversion is lower on the priority list.

Again, I am not intending to slam the P3 at all. It is a very good unit as far as the inertias go. I understand all of the positive comments given on it. price point is great. For my set up though, it just seems it could be better. I put in the Pacbrake and beefed up the truck pads for this season to help out.

But I don't see many Brakesmart owners who report regrets after switching.

 

When we bought our 5th wheel 2 years ago we had the choice to upgrade to hydraulic disk brakes but I didn't go for it.

No question disk brakes are better than drum brakes but in a trailer, the electric over hydraulic disk brake system is extremely complex.

The electrical signal from the brake controller signals electronics mounted to an electric hydraulic pump on the trailer which turns on to
provide the hydraulic pressure to the trailer disk brake calipers to stop the trailer.
There is a significant delay for all this to happen, for the trailer brakes to apply, but the complexity (& the $2k upgrade price) shied me away.
The simple electric drum brakes are dead reliable, work fine, easy to maintain, repair & cheap.

Another factor is that not all brake controllers will work on an electric/hydraulic trailer brake system.
The early built-in brake controllers in the Ford & GM trucks were not compatible & would not work properly with hydraulic trailer brakes.
Those owners had to still purchase an aftermarket brake controller.

 

I have a Brakesmart and have had it since my 01 Ram. I had the first prototype with boost and egt in the controller...That is what I use to monitor my boost and egt now...the display on the Brakesmart. I also have the EGT limit set so an alarm sounds if I exceed the limit I set. Not sure if its available or not.
Hauled trailers for a few yrs and do what Homestead does. Set and go.


Scotty

 

You lost me on the speed and complexity..

1600 PSI in less than 1.8 seconds...Drum brakes w/ magnets are similar plus they have more moving parts and magnets that malfunction or loose their strength..

Hydraulic disc brakes are self adjusting, have fewer moving parts, easier to replace (no hub removal) and work a whole lot better with a quicker cool down time than the drums(why did Dodge go to 4 wheel disc brakes ?)..

The brake controller compatibility was a problem with the older elec/hyd actuators ..The "trailer connected" signal that the controller sent out would actually lock up the trailer tires as the unit is so fast responding to the signal..

Most new elec/hyd actuators are compatible with more controllers plus more controllers are compatible with the elec/hyd actuators..

Just my thoughts on the subject, I have both and wish they both were the elec/hyd now that I have ran the system.. They are both controlled by the P-3 with no problems..

Pictures of my system can be seen at post 22 here:

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...t213006p2.html

 

wow wewwy, what a nice set-up buddy, a real work truck, I like it alot.

 

Great advice guys as per usual. I think I am going to get the p3 for this application which is to tow a small rv trailer with electic drum style brakes on it. On the next truck though, I would like to install a maxbrake style system. Thanks again, ksi.

 

Thanks Mike, ksi don't forget to get the factory harness to plug in the P-3 with, they save you some splice time and they only cost about $12

 

Good suggestion on that harness adapter. I believe one came with the truck, I will do some digging around my garage. Thank you, ksi.

 

There will be a universal one with the truck, but that needs splicing to the brake controller. If you go Tekonsha, you can just buy the harness that plugs into the truck and into the brake controller. No mess, no fuss!

 

That is an awesome truck and trailer Colo River Ram.

My comments & experiences were for RV & light duty trailers, totally unlike your premium commercial duty 42 foot GN, tandem /dually trailer.

I wish that RV trailers were built half as well as your trailer.
The electric/hydraulic brake system on your trailer looks nothing like the cheap Dexter electric/hydraulic brake system on RV trailers.

 

Mike, this is what I used to put a trailer plug in the bed of the truck:

http://www.etrailer.com/p-V30137.html



Plug & play, no cutting, no splicing. Readily available at any trailer shop or RV parts dept for about C$70. Hopefully the new trucks use the same harness as the 2009's & earlier trucks.

Also, I drilled all the holes for the trailer connectors, 5th wheel hitch, etc, removed it all and then had the box Line-X'd. Then put all the stuff back in.
This worked out awesome as everything is sealed up nicely that can't rust.

 

Mike,
X2 on the bed harness #'s in my (05)sig line as well.

ksi,
Here's the truck to controller harness (saves you splicing what comes with the truck and controller):

http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Contro...ha/3020-P.html

Stealth,

Thanks for the good words. I love Dexter axles but the actuators suck.. I went with a Carlisle actuator:

http://www.carlislebrake.com/product...regsupactuator

Carlisle is know for their HD braking components

http://www.carlislebrake.com/
http://www.carlislebrake.com/products/

I used about 70 lbs of wire on the trailer and about 45 lbs on the truck bed (.045)..

Here's a pic of the 32'



And another of the 42'