Newblue
Gold Member
Acumen Braking System by Hillsboro Industries
I don't see how this setup is better than regular surge brakes.
I don't see how this setup is better than regular surge brakes.
Overly complicated surge brakes?
- Thread starter Newblue
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Diamondpilot
Super Star Member
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I have never seen it done that way. I have seen it the opposite way. Conventional brake controller in the cab and a electric surge brake actuator on the trailer driving 6 disc brakes. I pull a trailer like this and the only good thing I can say about it is you get brakes in revers on the boat ramp which is nice when launching 25,000#.
The down side is its very delayed. When I pull this trailer I do not use the trucks brakes at all. I use the manual lever on the brake controller to set the brakes on the trailer then if need add in the trucks brakes. If you don't do it this way it beats up your truck because of the delay of about 1 second or so.
What happens is you push the brake pedal then the load pushes the truck for the delay period then it yanks the truck back as the brakes set. Very jerky.
Chris
The down side is its very delayed. When I pull this trailer I do not use the trucks brakes at all. I use the manual lever on the brake controller to set the brakes on the trailer then if need add in the trucks brakes. If you don't do it this way it beats up your truck because of the delay of about 1 second or so.
What happens is you push the brake pedal then the load pushes the truck for the delay period then it yanks the truck back as the brakes set. Very jerky.
Chris
TractorRob
Silver Member
My understanding is this does not work like surge brakes. It works more like a conventional electric brake controller, but measures the forces that the trailer applies to the hitch to increase or decrease the trailers braking forces as needed.
schmism
Super Member
why would you put all the complicated sentive electronics out in the weather.
i really dont see what advantage this system has over a conventional in cab, inertia sensing brake controller.
its not like conventional surg type brakes were there is no controller required on the tow vehical.... the above system is still installed on the tow vehcial so you might as well use a traditional inertia brake controller. ( i really like my prodogy)
TractorRob
Silver Member
You don't. You still have the controller in the cab. The only thing mounted out in the weather is the hitch force sensor(most likely a load cell).
The difference between this and a traditional inertia brake controller is it automatically adjusts for varying trailer loads. With a traditional brake controller you have to turn down the braking level with an empty trailer to prevent the tires from locking up and turn up the braking level with a full load to get maximum braking. This system measures how much force the trailer applies to the hitch when braking and automatically adjusts the amount of braking to the load.
slowzuki
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Neat concept, it just adjusts the trailer brakes to prevent pushing on the truck. Its like a surge brake setup. I'd want to demo it, braking through a bumpy section that jerks back and forth would require a good algorithm in the controller to prevent loss or excessive braking.
Prodigy doesn't work well on electric over hydraulic, the pump responds poorly to being pulsed.
I have the Tekonsha Voyager (one model "below" prodigy) for this reason.
I like the idea at least and had brain stormed it a few years ago.
This gives surge brake LIKE capability to goose neck and 5th wheel trailers.
Could/should be good - as long as they either get the algorithm right or give it adaptive capability.
I overcome the lag issue with anticipation whenever I can, e.g. just enough brake pedal pressure to "wake up" the trailer's brakes,
but not enough for the truck's brakes to really slow the rig. This gives me VERY SLIGHT dragging by the trailer.
This works well in most circumstances, I rarely get into the braking zone where inertia counts for much.
BTW, I have electric over hydraulic, so maybe there is a little more lag than with straight electric drums - not that I would EVER have
DRUM brakes on anything again (except maybe a tractor).
I wrote to them for prices, I have their aluminum flat bed on a 1 ton chassis/cab - maybe I can just swap the ball carrier cross beam
under the trap-door and do the wiring - - maybe. Lets see if it is kilo-bux first.
I have the Tekonsha Voyager (one model "below" prodigy) for this reason.
I like the idea at least and had brain stormed it a few years ago.
This gives surge brake LIKE capability to goose neck and 5th wheel trailers.
Could/should be good - as long as they either get the algorithm right or give it adaptive capability.
I overcome the lag issue with anticipation whenever I can, e.g. just enough brake pedal pressure to "wake up" the trailer's brakes,
but not enough for the truck's brakes to really slow the rig. This gives me VERY SLIGHT dragging by the trailer.
This works well in most circumstances, I rarely get into the braking zone where inertia counts for much.
BTW, I have electric over hydraulic, so maybe there is a little more lag than with straight electric drums - not that I would EVER have
DRUM brakes on anything again (except maybe a tractor).
I wrote to them for prices, I have their aluminum flat bed on a 1 ton chassis/cab - maybe I can just swap the ball carrier cross beam
under the trap-door and do the wiring - - maybe. Lets see if it is kilo-bux first.
Renze
Elite Member
Latest development in Holland (powered trailer braking, hydraulic, air or electric, WITH ABS, mandatory for anything over 3500kg axle weight) is a braking system with an ABS pump from Bosch, with a G sensor sensing the retardation, with a brake light switch that engages the system as soon as the brake lights burn. After hiring a 5th wheel combination equipped with the system, overloading it by 1.5 ton, i must say it works flawless. The Dutch importer of Dexter has also developed a similar system for the European market.