Electric Trailer Brakes

[Gerdo]

My setup is with the Prodigy on my 4runner and TD. My 4runner is a manual. I have had zero problems.

[brian_bp]

I chose the Primus proportional brake controller by Tekonsha. It's got the same circutry as the Prodigy, but is easier to set-up.

How could it be easier than a Prodigy? I checked the Primus manual, and the Primus is a Prodigy (see manual) but missing the second accelerometer axis, so the Primus requires an extra setup step of setting the sensor positioning arm.

[brian_bp]

...My vehicle is a 2006 Wrangler Unlimited. It has a manual transmission, so when I want to coast the trailer brakes might come on (I read that high drag vehicles with manual transmissions will "trick" these controllers when letting off the gas at highway speeds) particularly with the high engine revs aiding compression braking.

Also, for off roading pursposes, I want extra hill holding with the trailer, instead of having it try and push me down steep inclines, so when I am on the brakes, the trailer is braking too, even when I am not moving. Lastly, with a high pucker factor (and at times the conclusion of the above problem) you get the best braking on loose surfaces at low speed when your tires can lock and start furrowing the surface. In these cases, with out ABS, with a trailer providing no brakes behind you because you are sliding at a constant (albit slow) velocity the trailer will push you faster and likely jack knife. This I have witnessed a few times in the winter on steep boat ramps coming onto a frozen lake, with and with out ABS, and witnessed several WHOOOAAAA!!!!s through the windshield on faces as it almost happend.

This is why I would like a hydraulic pressure sensor, but the pedal sensor would be OK....

So it's not the hills, but the specific behaviour you want on the hills - thanks for the explanation.

I think you've go this well understood! Good luck in the search for the right equipment.

The hold-when-stopped requirement is met in the Prodigy by logic which identifies the combination of no acceleration at all (stopped) with tow vehicle brake application (brake light signal), and runs the output up to something like 20% of the max setting. It works... I stop in traffic, watch the controller display, and after a moment it ramps up to a couple of volts and sits there as long as I hold the pedal on.

The desire to brake the trailer in steady-speed descending conditions does eliminate the acceleration-based approach, but surge brakes (hydraulic or cable) could work (as well as pedal-force-based). I would like this ability, but I'm a little concerned that in sustained use, the trailer brakes might heat up more than the nicely vented disks in the tug, and overheat without me knowing it. I think that this is one of the few good times for engine braking.