Prodigy Question
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Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 287
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From: Loveland, CO
Prodigy Question
My question is related to this controller...our construction company has a new tilt bed trailer capable of hauling about 11000 pounds. We are having problems with the brakes getting too hot and smoking and squealing horribly after use down the road. Twice it has been to the shop for them to adjust the brakes but two days ago I decided to pull our 5000 lb bobcat on this trailer with my truck and prodigy.
My reasoning was thinking about proportionate brakeing and how I might not have the same problem with smoking the brakes as the old controllers on the company trucks do.
Sure enough I got them to smoke after driving around town for a while. I have the maximum load set to 6 volts on the controller and when I decel it only reaches about 3 to 3.5 volts on the display (Boost 2 engaged). The tech at the trailer shop said I was over powering the brakes when he came along with me. (so I could prove to him it was still happening).
He turned my controller down to 3.5 max volts and said "try this" but then I was really, really, having to stand on my pedal to stop the load. He said that was correct but I beg to differ.
So question to the qroup...if you were hauling that much weight (assuming the trailer and bobcat weighed equal to or more than my truck) how much power in theory would you send to the brakes during a normal, no panic, stop to a stoplight? Because I can still get those brakes to smoke...
Thanks all!
--Justin
My reasoning was thinking about proportionate brakeing and how I might not have the same problem with smoking the brakes as the old controllers on the company trucks do.
Sure enough I got them to smoke after driving around town for a while. I have the maximum load set to 6 volts on the controller and when I decel it only reaches about 3 to 3.5 volts on the display (Boost 2 engaged). The tech at the trailer shop said I was over powering the brakes when he came along with me. (so I could prove to him it was still happening).
He turned my controller down to 3.5 max volts and said "try this" but then I was really, really, having to stand on my pedal to stop the load. He said that was correct but I beg to differ.
So question to the qroup...if you were hauling that much weight (assuming the trailer and bobcat weighed equal to or more than my truck) how much power in theory would you send to the brakes during a normal, no panic, stop to a stoplight? Because I can still get those brakes to smoke...
Thanks all!
--Justin
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 217
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From: Washington
I just ordered a prodigy for my personnal use so I don't have any hands on experience. But, this site might be of use to you...http://www.tekonsha.com/instructions...ebpdf7687F.pdf
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 159
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From: Bolton Ontario Canada
KingJR;
Regardless of the type of controller that you have, you should not have to "stand" on the brake pedal to slow your trailer. There should be little or preferably no more effort required than without a trailer. Smoking trailer brakes certainly indicates a fault with the brakes themselves. Ontario law states that a trailers brakes must be able to stop and hold the loaded weight of the trailer. This means that the trailer brakes, not the truck brakes, must be capable of doing the work. If the manufacturer is unable or unwilling to make the brakes work properly, I would get your state or provinces department of transport involved. What you are describing is not a safe condition. Good luck with the problem, GlennMc.
Regardless of the type of controller that you have, you should not have to "stand" on the brake pedal to slow your trailer. There should be little or preferably no more effort required than without a trailer. Smoking trailer brakes certainly indicates a fault with the brakes themselves. Ontario law states that a trailers brakes must be able to stop and hold the loaded weight of the trailer. This means that the trailer brakes, not the truck brakes, must be capable of doing the work. If the manufacturer is unable or unwilling to make the brakes work properly, I would get your state or provinces department of transport involved. What you are describing is not a safe condition. Good luck with the problem, GlennMc.