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Old 07-01-2010, 11:11 AM   #11
Mr. Adventure
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What we really would like to have, of course, is antilock brakes on trailers, just like we have on our tow vehicles. I know that careful adjustment of the trailer brakes in accordance with the manual is important, and I know that the trailer can't possibly have the same stopping power as the tow vehicle without antilock brakes, no matter how the brake controller is adjusted. I can't decide if we should be dialing back the Prodigy setting a little when the road is wet, but I know for sure that we need to be slowing down and adding to our following distances when towing in the rain.

And I absolutely concur with Grakin: never use a timed controller for anything but a bad example (the longer you apply the brakes, the more braking force they apply).
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Old 07-01-2010, 11:44 AM   #12
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That way, the power can be reduced in city driving to keep the trailer from “grabbing” the brakes, resulting in the “bobble head” effect on the tow-vehicle occupants. The safety issue here is that the driver can fail to turn the gain back up for high-speed driving, which can result in an accident in a panic stop situation.
That's *exactly* what happened to us. I didn't like the "grabbiness" at 7 in town and dialed it down to 5. Then forgot about it. Not good.

The other problem with that dial is that it's readily accessible (at least the way I installed the Prodigy controller) and perhaps too easily adjusted accidentally. I now try to double-check the setting at each start-up.

Anyway, live and learn ...
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Old 07-01-2010, 03:06 PM   #13
mtnguy
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I think the disc brakes for trailers have to hydraulically actuated, which can get involved. Because of the configuration of the magnet up against the drum, it would be difficult to get disc brakes to work solely on electricity.
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Old 07-02-2010, 07:15 AM   #14
Bill
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Agreed. Dexter's magnet-and-drum brake assemblies can be refitted to hydraulic discs for a pretty reasonable price, as I recall. And if you can't tap into the hydraulic brake system of the tow vehicle (which is true for most of us), Dexter also offers an electric-to-hydraulic actuator, which works with a standard brake controller such as a Prodigy. From what I recall of our discussion several years ago, the actuator was far more pricey than the brake conversion. Sure would be fun to try, but I guess I'm not the guy to spring for it.

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