Maiden Voyage of the Trailpixie Boondock

Sharon_is_SAM

@Trailpixie, what TV are you using?  You can dial them back further.  When we first started towing, we had ours dialed up too high and the same thing happened.  Your TV can do most of the work of braking.

BigGrover

It is not your alternator.  It is a balance and level issue.  Just try tweaking both, you want the trailer brakes to engage after your TV brakes engage.  

ScottG

You might check out this recent thread. There are other, older discussions regarding grabbing brakes as well.

lkc001

Set at "5"?  Whowee--I'm not surprised they were locking up!  I'm not making fun of you so please don't take offense.   I barely have mine set at 2 & I can feel the trailer brakes engage. 

I agree that they should be set AFTER driving for awhile.  Also if the trailer is newer or has not had very many miles logged on it, sometimes it takes awhile for the brakes to "settle in" so to speak and they will be smoother. 

Trailpixie

I take no offense.  It takes. While to learn all this stuff.  

I’m driving a Subaru, so I guess I want the reassurance that I’m getting some trailer braking back there. At 750miles, I think my brakes should be “settled-in,” so I’ll keep tweaking and learning.  Maybe I need to turn them down further but set them to boost level 1 which starts them a bit more aggressively before tailing-off as you slowdown.

Sharon_is_SAM

@Trailpixie, we use the Tekonsha Prodigy RF controller as well.  Our instructions recommend against using the Boost feature with a trailer the weight of the TaB.  Check and see if they have changed the recommendation.

lkc001

My Tekonsha Prodigy instructions state the same as what Sharon says.

BrianZ

Just a follow up question, @Trailpixie ..
Did you ever check the Alde's glycol pump to see what setting it is on, whether it is functioning (fuse?), or whether increasing from 1 to 2, for example, would provide the increased glycol circulation you might need to get heat to the distribution fins?

Previous discussions indicate some T@Bs have no manual dial on the pump itself, which are controlled by the digital thermostat.  The pump is located on the Alde near the floor by the yellow drain valve..


You might try using a cell phone's front-facing selfie camera to view the little red dial, if it has one.  Ours works great set on one, but others sometimes use a higher (& noisier) setting.  Not sure which fuse controls it, but might be a good idea to test the two little Alde fuses on top for continuity, or just listen for increased pump noise after dialing it up a couple notches.

Trailpixie

I don't think that is the problem because the heat exchangers get very hot. If they were cold while the Alde unit was hot, then I think your recommendation would make sense.

Trailpixie

I wanted to check back in on those brakes. The pulsing was still happening, even after turning them down to 2.5 or 3.0 on the wireless brake controller. The dealer was unwilling to look at them for another month, so I took matters in my own hands. I looked through the manual for the axle and found the brake adjustment. I was able to lift the trailer and spin the tires. I discovered that they both hung-up slightly on the brakes. I loosened the adjustment on both sides...doing my best to match them. After 400 miles, they are not doing the pulsing shuddering thing any more.

My working hypothesis is that when I had the brake controller turned up so high, the automatic-adjusting brakes adjusted themselves to tight--shoes too close to the drums. This caused it to shudder when one or the other of the brake shoes hit the drum first. After loosening them, the problem is eliminated because they aren't soo close to the drums and they have the distance to seat on the drum in unison. 

Nonetheless, it is no fixed, and I did it myself, and I didn't have to spend hundreds at the dealer, and I didn't reward them for crummy service.

ScottG

Thanks for the followup, @Trailpixie. I had issues with my brakes grabbing when I first got my T@B, and--short of essentially turning it off--no amount of dialing back the controller seemed to help. I eventually did the same thing you did and loosened the brake adjustment a bit.

According to the manual, the brakes are supposed to drag a bit when the wheel is turned by hand. However, one of mine was not contacting evenly, as it would drag more in some spots than others. I set both wheels to the loose end of the adjustment, readjusted the controller, and the brakes have seemed to work properly since.

Trailpixie

Wow! It is interesting to hear our observations independently confirmed. Yes, looser may be better. They definitely rubbed a bit before I adjusted them, and the rubbing was uneven--oscillating. When I loosened it, the rubbing was minimal and there was no oscillation. 

ColoradoJon

The automatic brake adjusters on trailer brakes can also tighten up considerably if you do a lot of backing up while applying the brakes enough to engage the trailer brakes.  My dealer warned me of this when I picked up my T@B Outback and told me to disconnect the 7 wire plug when backing into my camp spot.

Trailpixie

@ColoradoJon that's crazy. I wonder if the same thing could be achieved by turning down my brake controller to zero.

ColoradoJon

As long as the brakes do not actuate I would imagine it would do the same thing.

falcon1970

Are the brakes on a TAB 400 self-adjusting?  It is my understanding that they are not.  Hence, backing up will not adjust the brakes.  The pads should rub--very slightly--when the brakes are properly adjusted.  If you are feeling an "oscillation" that would indicate that the drums are out of round and need to be turned.

ScottG

@falcon1970, I agree regarding the oscillation, but so long as my brakes are engaging and not grabbing, I ain't messin' with it. I do have have my brakes dialed in pretty gently, bit I have a relatively substantial tow vehicle so all seems to work well.

Since I found the sweet spots, my braking has been very consistent and I haven't noticed any issues from engaging the brakes while backing up.