Specialreserve
Mill Creek, Washington
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I'm trying to set the power on the brake controller and I've read the directions but I'm confused about something. I started out setting the power at 6.0 and got up to 25mph and fully applied the manual knob and didn't get wheel lockup or much braking from the trailer. So now do I have to pull over and use the manual knob as I'm adjusting the power up or do I just turn the power knob up without using the manual knob? I just had the bearings repacked and brakes adjusted.
Thanks for the help.
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jmtandem
western nevada
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Quote:I'm trying to set the power on the brake controller and I've read the directions but I'm confused about something. I started out setting the power at 6.0 and got up to 25mph and fully applied the manual knob and didn't get wheel lockup or much braking from the trailer. So now do I have to pull over and use the manual knob as I'm adjusting the power up or do I just turn the power knob up without using the manual knob? I just had the bearings repacked and brakes adjusted.
Thanks for the help.
Set the boost feature for two or three and then try it. New brakes on the trailer might need to be warm before really working. The manual provides a schematic for what boost value to use then use the power values starting at 6.0 and perhaps going higher. I have found that the Prodigy is not a set it and forget it controller. One value works better for in town and another for the highway. Some trailers will not lock up and that is also referenced in the manual.
'05 Dodge Cummins 4x4 dually 3500 white quadcab auto long bed.
'09 299bhs Tango.
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Jayco-noslide
Galesburg,Il., USA
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I seldom use the knob but mostly go by how it feels when I apply the brakes by brake pedal. My prodigy goes to 11 and I have it set around 6 or 7. But I find I can't leave it the same all the time but rather have to adjust to conditions; ie, higher on the highway but lower in slow, town driving to avoid jerking or even the trailer wheels locking up. I want to "feel" the trailer brakes without lock-up and not like the trailer is still "pushing" the truck. You don't have to pull over and stop but just change the setting a number or 2 and see how it feels when you stop.
Jayco-noslide
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RCMAN46
NorthWest
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A properly set up Prodigy is a set and forget. The suggestion to set the boost was all wrong. You need to get your gain set properly then decide if you want to have any boost.
I assume you have a P2. If so pull over to make adjustments. Apply the manual level to full travel. There should be a reading on the Prodigy which tells you how much voltage is being applied. In your case it should now be 6.0. Now with the lever all the way adjust the gain for 8.0 and try a stop from 25 mph. When you find the voltage that will just lock the brakes I lower mine 1 volt and use that voltage for that trailer until I repeat after the trailer has several thousand miles on the brakes or after I have made any significant changes to the brake adjustments. There are some trailers that the brakes will not lock. Use the full gain setting if that is the case.
Now for boost. It is dependant on the size of the trailer in relation to the TV. The larger the trailer the more boost you may want. I use boost only on the highway. When in heavy stop and go city traffic or parking trailer in a trailer site I have no boost. But the gain setting is not changed.
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RCMAN46
NorthWest
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Jayco-noslide wrote:I seldom use the knob but mostly go by how it feels when I apply the brakes by brake pedal. My prodigy goes to 11 and I have it set around 6 or 7. But I find I can't leave it the same all the time but rather have to adjust to conditions; ie, higher on the highway but lower in slow, town driving to avoid jerking or even the trailer wheels locking up. I want to "feel" the trailer brakes without lock-up and not like the trailer is still "pushing" the truck. You don't have to pull over and stop but just change the setting a number or 2 and see how it feels when you stop.
If your brakes are locking up you have the gain to high. You should not feel the trailer pulling or pushing the TV if it is set up properly. When set correct most normal stops should feel as if the trailer was not there.
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Specialreserve
Mill Creek, Washington
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Thanks for all the tips. I'm going to head out and try adjusting again.
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Terryallan
Foothills NC
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RCMAN46 wrote:Jayco-noslide wrote:I seldom use the knob but mostly go by how it feels when I apply the brakes by brake pedal. My prodigy goes to 11 and I have it set around 6 or 7. But I find I can't leave it the same all the time but rather have to adjust to conditions; ie, higher on the highway but lower in slow, town driving to avoid jerking or even the trailer wheels locking up. I want to "feel" the trailer brakes without lock-up and not like the trailer is still "pushing" the truck. You don't have to pull over and stop but just change the setting a number or 2 and see how it feels when you stop.
If your brakes are locking up you have the gain to high. You should not feel the trailer pulling or pushing the TV if it is set up properly. When set correct most normal stops should feel as if the trailer was not there.
This is the right answere. When right. the TT, and TV will stop as one, with ni Jerking of any kind.
Plus, IF after you stop, you feel the Trailer brakes turn loose after you let off the brakes. The are set too high. there should be no jerk period.
Terry & Shay
Coachman Apex 288BH.
04 F150, 5.4, Lariat SuperCab
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Mark and Linda
Smyrna, Tennessee
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I installed mine...hooked up..went around the neighborhood and did my settings. I could tell when I had it set right...I applied truck brake...everything stopped with no jerking or bumping or dragging of brakes. I try to check mine when heading out, first stop is a stop sign about 50 yards from my house. I reach down and check that the trailer will stop before I hit my tv brakes.
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Specialreserve
Mill Creek, Washington
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So I went out and set the power setting to 13 and didn't come close to locking the brakes up. I have it around 9 now and that seems to be the number where I can't feel the trailer pushing. I also tried the boost feature and I had it on boost 2 and that seemed real nice. I'm a little worried that when I had the power setting all the way up that the brakes didn't seem to grab as much as I thought. Should I be worried? Being that this is our first tt I don't know what to expect when using the manual knob and activating the brakes.
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Ron Gratz
full time RVer
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Joined: 12/27/2003
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Specialreserve wrote:So I went out and set the power setting to 13 and didn't come close to locking the brakes up.--- You won't know you are close to locking the brakes up unless the brakes do lock up.
And, as RCMAN46 stated,
"There are some trailers that the brakes will not lock. Use the full gain setting if that is the case."
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