Quote:
Originally Posted by PopBeavers
The instructions for most brake controllers (Prodigy, etc.) say that you should adjust it so that you can lock the trailer brakes at 25 mph.
I have never been able to lock the TM brakes, even when the brakes are properly adjusted. I do not think it is possible to even come close to skidding at any speed. Therefore, I conclude that in a panic stop, some of the braking power of the entire combination comes at least partly from the TV.
The TM brakes help, but I have no reason to believe that the TM brakes are adequate for stopping the TM. many people claim that the TV brakes will stop the TV and the trailer brakes will stop the trailer.
I do not believe that to be anywhere near accurate.
I know that with the brakes on my 6,000 pound truck I can stop the TV and the TM. The brakes on the 4,100 pound TM will come nowhere close to stopping the TV.
If there was a way to run a side by side test of the TM braking versus my truck braking, I have no doubt that the truck would win.
The TM brakes help, but not by all that much, IMO.
Next time you are towing down the freeway at 55 mph, set the brake controller to maximum boost and manually engage the TM brakes for about 10 seconds and see how much it slows you down. Then set the brake controller to minimum boost and hit the brakes in the TV. I would expect you to find a huge difference.
If the brakes were to fail, I would prefer the TM brakes to fail than the truck brakes to fail.
I would love to hear about any flaws in my thinking.
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Your thinking is right on. There is no way that your stopping distance is going to be the same towing as it is driving solo. We need to be staying out of the left lane as much as possible, IMO.
I posted a recent experience about driving without the trailer brakes that makes me confident I can stop without them, but also confident that it would take longer. It wouldn't be fun in traffic.