Posted 2010-12-06 8:26 AM (#127821) Subject: Brake Control
New User
Posts: 1
Hi everyone. I need some suggestions on which brake control device I should be using? I just bought my first trailer, a 2 horse BP steel trailer that weighs approx 3750 lbs. My towing vehicle is an 05 Dodge Durango with tow package that has towing capacity of 7000 (verified by dealership). When I bought the brake control, the guy at the trailer accessories shop recommended the Pilot 80550. But now I am wondering if this is the best I could have gotten? On the way home with the empty trailer (a four hour drive) every time I'd brake, there would be a jerk. I adjusted the control several times and this didn't change. The horse trailer does have brakes itself. Before going to the shop, I had read that many people use Prodigy. Should I get a Prodigy brake control or is there another, even better one I should be using? TIA
Posted 2010-12-06 8:45 AM (#127823 - in reply to #127821) Subject: RE: Brake Control
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342 Location: Ohio
Sounds to me like you have a timed controller.
The Prodigy P3 is a great controller and fairly inexpensive. It has a pendulum in it to equal the trailer brakes' output to your brake input. Meaning you might have your current controller set mid-upper range and every time you lightly press the brake pedal, you get the full force of the trailer brakes. This would not happen with the P3. It gauges the braking force and applies a matching input to the trailer brakes for smooth braking.
Posted 2010-12-06 9:30 AM (#127825 - in reply to #127821) Subject: RE: Brake Control
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
It is a timed controller. Every time you step on your brakes, it will put the amount of voltage you have it set at to your trailer brakes. A controller like the P3 is inertia controlled and will rate the amount of power it puts to the trailer brakes depending on how hard you are stopping the tow vehicle.
Posted 2010-12-06 12:43 PM (#127834 - in reply to #127821) Subject: RE: Brake Control
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
If you just bought that timed controller and you do NOT want to spend more money turn the controller off and then start adding power by quarter turns until it grabs and then back off a quarter turn...practice, practice practice...the settings will become more routine...one setting for empty and maybe one or two settings for loaded states...I had one years ago and it dealt with horse trailer, dump trailer and flatbed trailer for equipment and hay...it can be done...
Brake Control
