Re: Trailer brakes, etc, was: Re: [ihc] making a 1/2T a 3/4T

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Greg Hermann wrote:

> WHY is one of these old style unts so SUPERIOR to the newer, inertial style
> ones ?? Because being on a downgrade (or upgrade) doesn't mess with how
> hard (or whether) the trailer brakes are applied !!!!!!
I have a KH unit that may have been stock or dealer installed in my 
Travelall.

I really like it for the reasons Greg (and before, Hofs) mentions.

It's easy to adjust - turn the knob for more or less, and that's that. 
It's very proportional to pedal effort, too.

I have a Tecumseh Voyager (I think) unit in my Travelette.  It was 
difficult to find a hydraulic unit locally, and I was being lazy and 
didn't care to open up the brake system at the time.

I got the "bigger" unit that can control 2-4 axles worth of brakes.. 
planning ahead to a potential 3-axle gooseneck, or even doubles.

What I despise about the controller is the need to level it every time I 
hook up.  Even worse, you have to set the controller to "full juice" 
then make the "attitude" adjustment by turning a knob until a little 
light turns from green to orange to red, stopping at orange.

I'm color blind.  Specifically, red-green deficient.

The #@%@#%ing little light turns from a little light to a slightly 
dimmer little light.

I either have to ask my wife to help me (and, of course, I mounted the 
controller to the left of the column), or I do worse, and NOT adjust it.

The result is it's usually too aggressive ("slamming" on the brakes when 
you just touch the pedal).. and either I spend the whole trip fiddling 
with it, or I wind up dialing down the "full power" so when the 
controller "slams" the brakes, it's not too harsh.

Downside is, I don't get full braking that way.

When it's dialed in just right, it's actually fairly nice to drive. 
It's just getting it right that I hate.

Not a problem with the hydraulic controller.

I'm tempted to buy a second brake controller (hydraulic) and install 
dual plugs at the rear bumper.

I would then use the hydraulic for anything it's capable of dealing with 
(typically tandem axle) and only use the electronic when I need more 
(for a 3-axle?) than the hydraulic unit can handle.

Downside is, there'd be two controllers to choose from when needing to 
apply the trailer brakes. ;)

In any case... YUCK.