So i was just sitting here thinkin would it be a benifit to use a balance type controller? that way when the exhaust did its thing trailer brakes would also apply just a thought

 

If you don't touch the brake pedal the trailer brake won't engage..(unless you do a manual override)

When the e-brake is doing its thing you will brake as needed and the controllers inertia controller will react accordingly. I am a fan of the P3 because it has the elec/hyd option.. You will find many opinions on what is considered to be the best controller on this site

 

The brake controller question opens up a whole new can of worms. Everyone has a favorite and for that matter an opinion.

Myself, I run a Brakesmart and an exhaust brake and as far as I'm concerned, they are the best of both worlds when you run them together.

Jeff

 

Yeah I have a 07 and I was wondering if the inertia type would be best with the exhaust as it slows the truck without touching brakes. So the p3 has bility to use brake pressure or inertia? I guess I thought hydroelectric meant that the controller controlled electric brakes nd hydro brakes. Am I wrong?

 

i second homestead. this is the only way to go. the brakesmart and maxbrake are the only two good controllers on the market and are true proportional controllers. the bd and pac have the most brake horse power of them all and no vacuum pump to fail. let the exhaust brake and gearing do most of the stopping as there is no wear parts. then when you apply the brakes you get equal and instant braking on truck and trailer.

 

I was fairly certain that even the interia style controllers needed a brake signal to operate. At least my prodigy does. What I end up doing is turning on the exhaust brake and then just touching the brake pedal will get the trailer brakes to engauge.

If you were to wire the brake controller to get a 12V signal when the EB was on it would take a couple of blocking diodes to only power the things you want, when you want.

 

elec/hyd is for trailer brakes that has hydraulic(brake fluid) to control the disc or drums. vs a standard electric trailer brake set up.. Most of the new trailer brake controllers will let you know when you connected to the trailer. it does this by sending out a signal to the brakes. This signal cause some of the elec/hyd actuators to lock up the trailer brakes..

When descending a hill with the E-brake on if it does not provide enough hold back you will step on the brake pedal and the trailer brake controller will do what you programmed it to do..

Here is a link to the tekonsha site it has a lot of info on it, they are even going to release a Prodigy® P2

http://www.tekonsha.com/product/default.asp

Here is a picture of the Carlisle elec/hyd actuator I have on my 42' GN:



and the 12k hd disc they stop it with:

 

I highly recommend staying away from an inertia controller. I want to control my trailer brakes, not have a controller trying to decide what my truck is doing and apply brakes accordingly. There is a delay in making that decision - - that is unacceptable and the initial surge the Prodigy hits the trailer with while it is making up its mind is unacceptable. When in lower gears on steep grades with the ebrake on, the Prodigy will overbrake. You can step on your brake just enough to activate your brakes lights and you just hit a surge to your trailer brakes and you have not even applied the truck brakes yet. NOPE, I have one and can't stand it. It is now in a box in the fiver perchance my true proportional controller gives up the ghost. Yeh, I know, I will get pounced on for my statements.

Brakesmart or similar controllers monitor exactly how hard the brakes on the truck are being applied and do the exact same thing to the trailer. There is no comparison to the feel between the two styles. This controller ties into the braking system and monitors the pressure of the brake fluid - - it converts that to a signal for the controller. Very smooth and just want you want it to do.

Bob

 

Hmm.. after towing in the intermountain west I am going to disagree 100%. I hated towing with a non-proportional brake, it actually felt unsafe compared to my Prodigy...

But it may be different on the flats.

 

I completely agree with you - - you don't want to tow with the old time based controller. But, by your statement I don't think you understand the principles of something like a Brakesmart. A true proportional controller monitors what the brakes on the truck are doing and applies the brakes on the trailer in EXACTLY the same proportion, not an amount decided by trying to figure out what the truck is doing. The Brakesmart ties directly into the brake fluid line - - you can't get any more proportional than that. I have towed all the way to Newfoundland, Alaska, Mexico, all over Canada and the US on grades as high as 12% pulling a 16,000 pound fiver so believe me when I tell you there is no comparison between a Prodigy and a controller like a Brakesmart. Prodidgy is a whole lot better than a timed controller, but sure is not like a Brakesmart or similar design. Going back to the question of the original poster, the Brakesmart will not be fooled by some conditions that can happen while using the EBrake. My Prodigy drove me in the mountains while using my ebrake as lower speeds just like it did in town.

Bob

 

When I switched to the Brakesmart...several yrs ago now I was VERY impressed because the Tekonsha controller I had would slam the brakes on then fade out fast...probably the cheap controller as it did not cost much. I hauled strongman gear from coast to coast for two yrs then I hauled RV's for 3 yrs...and used the same Brakesmart I have in my truck now. No matter what the load was it worked smooth. Actually I found that many of the new RV's I hauled had terrible brakes...or no brakes thanks to the Brakesmart.
Not sure if you can get a pyro and boost display or not but I have the first prototype on my truck that the original owner developed.

Scotty

 

I understand how the brakesmart works... But for a truck with an EB that doesn't seem like something that would work well when you want the EB to do most the work with a little support from the trailer brakes. With my Prodigy I can touch the brakes enough to actiave the controller then it adds braking proportional to what the EB is doing.

I may be wrong but it sounds like the brakesmart will only brake based off of service brakes, so in order to get trailer braking and exhaust braking I would have to be using the service brakes... To me that doesnt seem like the best combo.

 

Which one of the 4 boost levels did you have it on?

I am pleased with the P-3 I take the 42' GN loaded with 20K places most people would consider a once in a life time hunting trip..set it and forget it.. it is smooth on and off the road with the smaller GN with electric brakes or with the 42' with the disc brakes.

 

I had a time based controller on trucks when in business. Then found out about the Prodigy and thought I had died and gone to heaven in comparison - - changed out my trucks. So, I fully understand your statement that you are pleased with your Prodigy. Then, I drove a friends fiver rig with a Jordan on it and WOW, I suddenly realized I didn't have to put up with the jerks and surprises of the Prodigy - - remember I liked the Prodigy in comparison with what I had. I have set that sucker on every setting available to try and make it work without the jerks and fading. Bought a Jordan and there is no comparison. The Jordan is no longer available. I have driven a rig with the Brakesmart and when mine goes out, that is what I will have. Until you have driven the two systems to compare, we can discuss it around all day long and never convince someone there is something better than what they have. But, just listen to the people that have them and how they compare them to their Prodigy - - they all rave about them. So, my best advice, try one - - you will like it. Then you will understand why we like them so much better.

 

The P-3 is an improved controller over the Prodigy.. And the Prodigy P-2 will be an improved controller over the P-3.. all are about 1/4 to 1/3 the price of a Brakesmart..