trailer brake usage?

[jfaberna]

My 2014 Ram 3500 has an integrated brake controller. I went thru the setup options and set it to Heavy Electric. I was told that the Montana is electric and NOT electric over hydraulic. I hope that is right. I also left the gain at 5.0 which is the default. I have not way of knowing if that is right. I tow with the Tow/Haul switch ON, Exhaust Brake on Automatic and everything seems to work correctly when towing. I never came out of cruise control going down 5% grades were they have truck run off ramps. Please let me know how you set your gain and know it right?

I also have the 2 levers that seem to be spring loaded and you can push them together. What do they do? My owners manual doesn't talk about them.

[Devildog]

I set mine to 7.0 after I started at 5.0. I like the trailer brakes to come in as I am hitting the brakes on the truck. But try yours on your first pull and adjust it the way you think. I really like my integrated brake controller and see no reason to change. Before this, I had a prodigy in my other truck and liked it too.

[jcurtis934]

The levers are for manual application of only the trailer brakes... One thing to do with these is to see if your trailer brakes will lock up the wheels from about 25 mph ON a gravel road as a means of knowing if the automatic setting is close for paved roads. All that said, I up'd my default setting of 5 on the F350 to 7 as well since I use tow/haul switch on and let the turbo brake slow me down until I really need to use the truck brakes. This summer I came over a rise on interstate 75 in Georgia to find all lanes pretty much at a standstill. Those wonderful big brakes on the F350 and the setting on the Montana made the stop from 60 mph to zero real quick...a non-event. I WAS very impressed!!! John

[Irlpguy]

I have a 2012 Dodge 3500 and have my brake controller set at 7. I like to feel the truck being pulled back slightly when I apply the brakes at around 30mph. As long as the brake action on the trailer is smooth and not jerky in stop and go situations a higher setting is fine.

The two levers on the controller are for manually applying the trailer brakes without using the truck brakes. I "always" hook up to the trailer, lift the landing gear a bit, check for engagement of the latch on the hitch and then apply the manual brake and slowly try driving forward. This tells me the brakes are working and everything is properly connected electrically and mechanically.

IMHO no one should be driving in cruise control with a Montana behind you, particularly on hills. I would never do that but that as I say is only my opinion.

Over 20 years or so of towing trailers and 5th wheels I have had different brake systems, I think the integrated system is right up there with any of them.

Towing I run with the brake button on and in Tow/Haul mode.

[CORattler]

It's important that you have confidence in your setup to bring you to a safe and sure stop. While you don't want to lock up your brakes on dry blacktop, you do want your brakes to be just below lockup while also usable in stop & go traffic.
I often decrease my setting when I'm no longer at interstate traffic speeds and slowly navigating residential streets. With my brake controller, this is easy to do.

[DQDick]

You are using the correct setting. If you change to disk brakes and they are hydraulic, like mine, then you will use the electric/hydraulic function. As stated previously the two levers squeezed together will lock the brakes on for a pull test or similar maneuvers.

[jfaberna]

Thanks all for the good information. I might increase from 5 to 7 and do some testing. I didn't have any hard stops on my recent long trip, but that was because I stayed a good way back from the people in front and maybe also got lucky. The rig actually drives in hard pack snow better than I expected.

[Art-n-Marge]

When you think about it, there should NOT be a default setting, since every TV/Rig combination, condition of the brakes and even weather will be different and also change over time. The dual levers (one fixed and one slides to meet it) are important to use at the start of all trips. Drive at 25mph, then squeeze the levers and the trailer should stop both the TV and Trailer WITHOUT screeching. If a screech occurs lower the setting, if you don't stop quick then increase the setting. This procedure is recommended at the start of each trip and if you incur a panic stop or lots of braking over the course of your trip, it doesn't hurt to check using the procedure once again. If you are at the highest setting of your IBC and it's not enough, then a brake service of some kind is needed, quick (or your IBC is bad)!

[Artemus Gordon]

My new Ford has the on screen instructions. It suggested I start at 6. I now have it at 6.5 after taking unit in gravel and testing lock up. My old P3 was always set on 6.8 after same test.

[johncamtravel]

I also use 7.0 on my brake controller. I have the 2011 Ram and it works just right. But again each trailer has different weights.
But from what I hear 7.0 is about the number most are using.

[twindman]

To Irlpguy, I use cruise - especially now with my new(ish) truck. I will set it lower on downhill so the exhaust brakes kick in and the downshift to happen to hold the speed to the setting. Otherwise, I have to use the brakes to get it to downshift.

[jlb27537]

On my '12 Ram I use heavy elec 5.0. Each set of brakes is a bit different. As they (trailer brakes) seat in you might need to turn it back down as they grip better.

[TAKPAK]

For me, on the GMC 3500, I have it set at 8. That seemed to be the best setting, where I can feel the trailer brakes aiding in the stop. I actually have to change by brake setting quite often, as I have three different trailers of three different sizes/weights to tow. The Montana gets 8, the 16 foot enclosed gets 6 and the flatbed gets 5. And as was mentioned, every time I hook up, I do the "manual" test with the brake switch in the truck, to make sure everything works correctly. Been a few times it didn't.......!

[scott-pati]

I use light electric set to 7. Have tested the heavy electric and it seemed to much.