Trailer Brake Controller - what type

[MChalkley]

Bird - Interesting. I must not have owned that particular Tekonsha pendulum model. I know I've had several Tekonsha's, though. I've had so many over the years that I've completely lost track. I just know I wasn't happy with any of them.

When I said you can't actuate the trailer brakes without the truck's, I didn't word that correctly. I meant "you can't do it without taking your hands off the wheel." Their normal method of operation is to respond to the braking of the truck, and to activate only the trailer brakes, you have to push the button on the controller manually. If you have a brake failure on the truck, which to my mind constitutes a panic situation, your only recourse is to remember to push the button, when you're probably also doing your best to avoid hitting something and really need both hands on the wheel. Or, as in the example I gave of the trailer going into oscillation, then you really need to keep both hands on the wheel. (BTW, there's a red emergency button actuator on the Jordon Ultima controller, too, in case the cable breaks or something goes wrong with the switch.)

At any rate, it does sound like the Tekonsha pendulum-type was a lot better than the pendulum types I had. Someone once told me there was a "pendulum-type" controller on the market that wasn't a pendulum but a ball in a curved glass tube full of damping fluid (not unlike the tiltmeter) that was self-leveling, and so was immune to the rolling terrain problem, but they didn't know who made it and I never found out - maybe your Tekonsha was it. But, I doubt that anyone who tried this new style controller would ever want one of the old types again. I've recommended them to several of my friends around home, and they've absolutely raved about them, and swear they'll never have any other type.

So, here's the story of how I became a beta tester: I had one of Jordan's ramp-up type controllers and it was the best of that type I'd ever had. I especially liked the ammeter on the panel. (BTW, there are some other units out there that look like they have an ammeter on them, but it's just a relative indicator of how far into the braking cycle the controller is, not how much current is actually going to the brakes, so beware.) Anyway, I'd been thinking about a "better way" (you know, the endless pursuit of perfection), and Jordan's product was such high quality that I thought I'd give them a call to ask some questions. First question: Why doesn't somebody make a controller that is somehow connected to the brake pedal, so it just knows how far you've depressed it? Wouldn't that make sense? Answer: Yes, it makes a lot of sense, but it's not all that easy to implement. We're working on a model that works that way right now. Next question: When can I get one? And the rest, as they say, is history.

MarkC

 

[Rodneyd]

Bird wins the spelling contest. Bird, you are also correct on the operation. I just installed one this spring. I had trouble finding the brand. Also, everyone around here was pushing the fixed controller. I had to resort to mail-order to get the Tekonsha inertia controller. I pull a 5000 lb camper trailer and find it very smooth operation and no problems with bumpy roads, hills, jerky operation.
Rod

 

[dullpain]

Gordon nailed the operation and my preference in controllers.

Bird nailed the spelling ( same brand as mine)

Rodnyed beat me at confirming above!!

My trailer is 21' gooseneck and have pulled some mighty heavy loads and it works well

 

[Bird]

Mark, like I said, I was very happy with the Tekonsha and I find it hard to imagine one I'd like better, but it does sound like that Jordan could be. In '72, I think I drove halfway across South Dakota with one finger on the controller button on that blasted "fixed" controller, pulling a 5000 pound travel trailer. Those folks have some weird wind currents and gusts! Only a few months earlier, at the Northwestern University Transportation Library, I had read the results of a camper accident study that mentioned South Dakota leading the nation in camper accidents due to wind, and I quickly learned to believe it.

Bird

 

[gordon]

Mark, Yes on all controllers you have the PANIC button on the front of the controller in one shape or another its a standard. The reason for this is if the signal from the pedal is lost or you have a sway condition you can still safely stop or slow the trailer down. But a few of the controllers have a plug in cable that has a momentary switch in it that also acts as the panic button. You can have the end in an easily mounted position. So you don't have to hunt under the dash to find the panic button in a sway or no brake condition. So there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Now when we sell a product to a customer we expect it to meet not only our standards but the customers as well. Guess that goes without saying but I had to have a base for what I'm about to say. Alot of our customers are full-timers and out of state so when we install something it has to last without problems. One of the highest on the scale is a brake controller its a safety issue. So we no longer stock or sell unless under special request the ramp style controller. After we changed out 10 or so of that style controller and installed the pendulum style to make the customer happy it wasn't a hard decision to make. The controllers couldn't be sent back for a credit and even if we tried to they would only replace it with another controller of the same make and model. So what I say about the pendulum is not just from one mouth it's a group of trailer owners.

As for the cable style ramp controller I have not seen one so I can't judge the value of it without using it myself. Sounds like a great concept how hard is it to adapt to any truck or car?

But I don't see us going back to them (ramp style) any time soon once a company leaves a bad taste in our customers mouths it does the same to ours and even after brushing its takes a long time to get rid of. Customer and business relationship is no different than a business to business relationship---just give me what I've paid for and it should work for years trouble free. Not to much to ask.

We also just stopped stocking another major brand of controller because of reliablity problems. When installing it would take two or three to get a good controller. Once installed it would only last for a few months and would either loose foot brake or panic button control. They have just done a major revamp on thier controllers. The shame is before that they were pretty much trouble free.

The fun world of brake systems./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

On a good note I just got back from Onan generator school and passed the test with a 98%. I'm slipping in my old age. I will say this though you earn that test I still have brain burn from reading all those wiring schematics and diagrams to answer those test questions./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[Bird]

Did you go to the factory school in Minneapolis, Gordon?

Bird

 

[gordon]

No it was held over in Baltomore, MD at Cummins Power. Class size was seven people. Three days with the recert test at the end of the three days two hour test. I learned alot this week, you can go to the same class every couple of years and always pick up some new information or easier troubleshooting tricks. Live and learn./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Cummins now owns Onan. I've never been to the main Onan plant in Minneapolis. Have you Bird? I can say this though I'm generatored out after this week./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I have used only the inertial sensing type on the advice of friends and relatives who tow maximum loads and beyond in mountainous and flat terrain behind 3/4 ton and 1 ton P/u trucks. I like the way they work and dynamically adapt to the evolving braking sceanario. Just read the little instruction booklet and experiment a bit to gain some familiarity before jumping into the deep end. I have also used Atwood type hydraulic actuated brakes. NO CONTEST Get the fancy electronic controller. It is easy to tweek while driving if mounted in a convenient location.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

P.S. I'm running the top of the line Tekonsha (inertial type controller) on my Ram 3500 pulling a 25 foot enclosed utility trailer with, let's just say, considerable weight. The controller has a convenient spring loaded slide switch on it that allows you to apply from zero to full braking force to the trailer without using the truck brakes should you choose to do it for some reason. Can't get much more versatile than that. I suppose if you wanted to you could adjust the controls so as to give the unit a lobotomy and have it act like the old style controller.

 

[MChalkley]

Gordon - The plug-in auxilliary panic button is the one thing that I might add to the Jordan brake controller; it certainly sounds useful. But I wouldn't trade the other advantages to switch to another controller for it.

You used the term "cable style ramp controller" in your post. Unless I misunderstood your use of the term, I don't think you understand how the Jordan Ultima works. I'd call it "analog proportional". It doesn't "ramp up" at all, unless you mean increasing the current as the pedal is depresssed further and further. For example, if you have it set to send 4 amps of current to the trailer when the pedal is depressed 1", it will do so as long as you hold the pedal down 1". Release the pedal slightly and the amperage sent to the trailer will decrease, push the pedal down further, and the amount of current sent to the trailer goes up, until the maximum set by the knob on the front panel is reached.

As for installation, it's not quite as easy as the other kinds of electric brake controllers. You need a ground, 12v in, and 12v out (to the trailer brakes). You do not need a wire from the brake light switch, though. What you have to do instead is install a small steel cable between the controller and a bracket that goes on the brake pedal up near the pivot point, where total travel is around 1". I installed mine in about 20 minutes (I already had the 3 electrical wires run from the previous controller installation, of course).

I obviously can't compete with your record of satisfied customers. But I'd bet that I'm a lot more picky and accustomed to perfection over a much wider range of usages than your average customer. Generally speaking, if I'm happy with something I didn't have to re-engineer, the product designers did their homework. I don't claim to be a typical consumer, but if there's a weak spot in something, I'll usually find it. For example, I burnt up 2 Tekonsha ramp-up style controllers on my current trailer, despite the fact that they were supposed to be fine for 8-brake trailers (and mine only has 6) - they just couldn't handle the current my heavy duty brakes take. I don't know if their pendulum-type controllers use the same output transistors or not, but if they do, they'd be toast in no time on my rig.

Again, I can't comment on the specific Tekonsha pendulum-style controllers you're using, since I obviously haven't tried them - the pendulum-style controllers I've tried were nothing like as good as your customers and the satisfied posters to this thread say they are. But I can guarantee you that no matter how good they are, I wouldn't like them as well as the type I've got now, just because of the principle of operation. The degree and preciseness of control is incredible. Gently feather the brakes to a stop at a light. If you're on a hill and it wants to roll backward, just apply a little more pressure to the pedal. If it only takes half an amp of current to hold it, that's all it gets. The trailer brakes always lead the truck brakes, if that's the way you set up the linkage (which you should). In a panic situation, you don't even have to think about it - it'll work the exact same way. Do you wonder if everything's working right? Look at the ammeter. Want to set it up for a different trailer or load? Just push the panic button down all the way, and dial in enough amperage that you can slide the tires, then back off till they just barely turn again. It's just one of the few products I've ever used that has no weaknesses that I can find. And you guys know I can find 'em. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif I rarely leave anything alone, but with this one, they've got all the bases covered.

MarkC