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Old 10-25-2010, 06:54 AM   #21
Mr. Adventure
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Williamsburg, VA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joshbw View Post
I see your point but the prodigy manual states to set your controller to the point where your brakes are about to lock up. At 12 my brakes will not lock so how is this too aggressive? This is just my take and I'm not a brake expert.

If its wet the controller setting most definitely reduces to about 8.
Ok, you've got me there. Honestly, I think we're short on perfect answers, and you are always the only "brake expert" available for your own tow vehicle. At 12 the trailer is doing too much of the ordinary braking (rough ride in town, hard on the trailer brakes, possibly fade or even failure inducing on long downhill grades). At 8 the trailer's contribution in a panic stop is capped at some fraction of the trailer's full braking capacity.

The practice of using different settings in different conditions is not a bad idea as long as you can remember to make the changes in time for you to need them. High settings have the trailer doing more of the braking. This can be a good thing in panic stops on dry pavement, and possibly too much of a good thing the rest of the time.

PopBeavers once posted that he never routinely applies the brakes for more than 10 seconds at a time. While this could cause some consternation behind you, I think it helps control heat in the brakes on long downhill stretches.
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2005 TrailManor 3023
2003 Toyota Highlander 220hp V6 FWD
Reese 1000# round bar Weight Distributing Hitch
Prodigy brake controller.

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