Brake Controller Reese vs. Prodigy vs. ???

[tlbuser]

You guys are cracking me up. If it was any other "safety" issue, ie., chains, trailer loading, truck capacity, etc. You would be screaming how only the best will do. Yet when it comes to brake controllers, **** near anything is deemed, " good enough".

 

[Diamondpilot]

You guys are cracking me up. If it was any other "safety" issue, ie., chains, trailer loading, truck capacity, etc. You would be screaming how only the best will do. Yet when it comes to brake controllers, **** near anything is deemed, " good enough".

I am guilty also of having a cheap controller in my Titan and its really pretty stupid of me. When you think of it I should have a top notch controller like the Max Brake so I have the same quality or near the best like my 06 F-350 does with the factory controller. Yes, its $350 but the truck was $40,000. Trailer, $2,000 and the load its usually hauling was about 15,000 so what is a few hundred buck when you are rolling down the road with a $60,000 load or nearly twice that like when I haul my dads Corvette.

I need to get a better controller on my want list.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

You guys are cracking me up. If it was any other "safety" issue, ie., chains, trailer loading, truck capacity, etc. You would be screaming how only the best will do. Yet when it comes to brake controllers, **** near anything is deemed, " good enough".

that's an apples to acorns comparison.

truck capacity for instance isn't just a 'good enough / safety issue. it's a LEGAL issue, and has defined, set limits.

brake controll quality is a multi level issue. not a cut and dry line to cross.

soundguy

 

[jejeosborne]

On my time base Reese unit it only has one control knob. I just get the rig going 20 mpg and hit the test button on it. If the brakes lock up I back it off some. If they dont lock up I increase the power till it locks up then back it off. It may take some tweaking as you head down the road.

One issue with a inertia system for me is backing down a boat ramp. This is not a issue for most but a 15,000# boat or heavier will pull a diesel 1 ton backwards. This is a very good place for the pressure driven system like that on the Max Break along with the factory ones from Ford and GM.

Chris

Prodigy works in reverse.

 

[aczlan]

Prodigy works in reverse.

But if you are creeping down a boat ramp, you may not have enough inertia to activate the inertia sensor.

Aaron Z

 

[jejeosborne]

But if you are creeping down a boat ramp, you may not have enough inertia to activate the inertia sensor.

Aaron Z

Mine worked fine but my boat/trailer only weighed about 4500lbs. I was towing with a dodge dakota too. My new ford with factory controller hasn't been to the ramp yet.

 

[jejeosborne]

that's an apples to acorns comparison.

truck capacity for instance isn't just a 'good enough / safety issue. it's a LEGAL issue, and has defined, set limits.

brake controll quality is a multi level issue. not a cut and dry line to cross.

soundguy

I mentioned that it should be a legal issue but agree that it isn't. I would think stopping is more important than an axle rating.

Are there any laws pertaining to how well a brake controller works. Can I fashion one up from some radio shack parts and be legal? How about a simple switch I flip on an off with a rheostat?

 

[Soundguy]

But if you are creeping down a boat ramp, you may not have enough inertia to activate the inertia sensor.

Aaron Z

that's what them thear fancy PANIC switches are for. being able to apply the brakes by hand, manually.



soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

I mentioned that it should be a legal issue but agree that it isn't. I would think stopping is more important than an axle rating.

It's all important.. brakes don't do you any good if you've grossly exceded the axle rating and bottomed the ruck out in the driveway. lotsa variables like I mentioned earlier.

Can I fashion one up from some radio shack parts

I don't know.... 'Can' you?

I could.

the circuit trigger and timer and pwm would be high school level circuits.

simple led driver circuit for some basic analog monitoring would be easy as well. IE.. a basic timed controll would be quite doable for a guy with soldering iron + breadboard + discreet component experience. Fancier LED segment display and real time messaging and variable from the higher end units would become increasingly difficult to implement onthe hobby level with out a DSP controller I'd think.

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

But if you are creeping down a boat ramp, you may not have enough inertia to activate the inertia sensor.

Aaron Z

That has been my experience. The time based ones always work because they are "stupid". Just see brake light signal, nothing more.

Chris