Question for 'Nuf Truck ?, UPDATE = BrakeSmart -or- MaxBrake Install on a Gen ll Volvo Options

[5th_Wheeler]

Hello Cal

Myself and a couple forum members could use you help.

I'm not sure if you read my POST in this THREAD earlier today but a new forum member "BruceBe" and another forum member "Bill B" both need some assistance on where to install the pressure sensor for their MaxBrake brake controllers which is very similar to our BrakeSmart controllers.

I seem to recall in a very old thread that has apparently drifted into never never land that you posted that your BrakeSmart pressure sensor is installed under your hood on the firewall somewhere rather than behind the instrument cluster like those of us with older VNL's do.

Could you tell us exactly where the sensor is located on your late model VNL or even better take a picture of the location so they would know where to install their pressure sensors plus it would enable me to post the picture in the Resource Guide so those who purchase newer VNL's down the road could easily access the picture in the Resource Guide.

Thanks

Jon

['Nuf Truck]

I'll answer only if you guys mount a "freedom for creative avatars" campaign...

Seriously, I do remember it being on the firewall, but I don't remember much more than that. Blue line, maybe? I'm traveling in Tennessee all this week, but will try to remember to take a look and snap a picture this weekend.

I'm surprised the threads are gone -- maybe with the change over in hosts I guess. I've never NOT found a post I remembered reading and then searched for it. That'll be a shame if this kind of stuff is gone.

Talk to you guys later,

Cal

[5th_Wheeler]

Thanks Cal,

We'll be looking for your post and hopefully a pic or three when you return home.

Have a safe one on the return trip home......

I'm surprised the threads are gone -- maybe with the change over in hosts I guess. I've never NOT found a post I remembered reading and then searched for it. That'll be a shame if this kind of stuff is gone.

Talk to you guys later,

Cal

Cal, it's my understanding that any thread on the old site that went through 18 to 24 months of inactivity "No Posts" were automatically swept into the Cyber Garbage Can due to system settings on the old site.

I have no idea if the system settings here are set up to do the same thing or not but I would presume that they are.

If anyone has any threads bookmarked that you deem important I suggest you make a post in each thread every 12 months or so to keep them from experiencing the same fate.........



That is all......

['Nuf Truck]

BrakeSmart Transducer

Here's a shot of the Brake Smart transducer tee'd into the brake line. Hope this helps,

Cal

This post has been edited by 'Nuf Truck: Oct 18 2008, 01:58 PM

[Bill B]

Thanx Cal - If you look back on a lot of the posts - you just see /quote and that is it. It's like /quote what???
In my case, I'm trying to keep everything inside the cab if I can. Electrical and weather type of thing. I may tee it in there and runn it through the bulkhead.

[ghillie]

Nice avatar Cal!!!

Sorry for the small hijack guys.

['Nuf Truck]

Nice avatar Cal!!!

Sorry for the small hijack guys.

Thanks John, I lifted it from a guy on PoliceLink (asked him if I could)... his was cool there, it was animated like some of yours. It lost the motion coming over to this forum, though. I figured I'd be in compliance with the new forum avatar rules... it does relate to RV'in'...

Cal

This post has been edited by 'Nuf Truck: Oct 18 2008, 05:08 PM

[5th_Wheeler]

Cal,

Thanks for the nice big pic...






That is all........

[5th_Wheeler]

UPDATE

Bill B just installed a MaxBrake brake controller in his VNL 630 and he sent me a Link to His Install Photos showing where he installed his pressure sensor that comes with the controller.

Bill opted to install the sensor in the interior of his truck under the dash by the steering wheel adjustment pedal rather than under the hood on the firewall as shown in the photo above of Cal's VNL 630 BrakeSmart install.

IMPO this is a better location for the sensor due to the heat generated under the hood on our trucks.

On a Side Note, be sure to read the notes that Bill included under several of his photos..........



BTW, here's a cut and paste of a note that Bill included in a 2nd e-Mail about the install.

The other thing I want to stress is the 'fineness' of the sensor wire. That is in picture 007. That is why I looped the wire and used a second loop as strain relief / support. That tie rap is a 2" 1/8 wide. That is also why I put the 90* street elbow in as shown in pic 005, so that I could do that.

See pic 007 below:



Bill, thanks again for the photos, I'll be adding a link to your photos on Page 2 Section A of the RG over the weekend.



That is All......

[J.W. Morgan]

You can tell that it is being installed by an electrician, no greasy hands or dirty fingernails!

Bill,
That looks like a professional install. Maybe when you get some free time you can "clean up" some of my work?

[Mark & Dale ...]

Using a tee by the brake light sensor in the dash is a lot easier. It just that you have to get your own 1/8" tee.

Brake Controller

[Bill B]

Pipe - It's been cold enough to freeze skin to metal. Well maybe not quite that cold. So it's called gloves. In the summer, I use a whipped soap. Rub it over the hands, nails, and it fills the cracks and splits in the calluses and the knife and bullet scars.

Mark, they sent both size fittings 1/4 and 3/8". The other item?? is that the brake light switch and the pressure transducers are on the 'air bulkhead' coming from the engine compartment to the inside of the cab. This shows the inside of the of the bulkhead with the air pressure transducers and switches. Yes, I 'followed' your and Jack's posts. This is 'one' of the changes between a 610 and 630. I have the dash apart looking for those lines. Anybody need inside the dash 630 pictures?? Speak now.

Hope this helps.

This post has been edited by Bill B: Mar 27 2009, 12:52 PM

Attached File(s)

 P1010026.JPG ( 65.68K ) Number of downloads: 23

 

[Barncats]

I've got a True Control brake controller....do I need to have it installed through a pressure tranducer also?? or is this something that you only need to do with Brake Smart.

Thanx
Mike

[Bill B]

Barncats - I don't think so. from the True Control (Hensley) website-

5. DECELERATION SENSOR – Onboard deceleration sensor that requires one time calibration. Install the controller and you’re ready to Stop! Whether you’re driving down a hill or up an incline the onboard computer compensates and delivers the required power to your trailer’s brakes.
6. DRIVER FEEDBACK – Displays braking percentage and amps required by the brakes while braking. Displays warning messages when your stop light signal disconnects or trailer is disconnected. Displays short circuit messages when required.

That looks like a takeoff of the old pendulum type controllers.

The MaxxBrake actually measures / senses the air / hydraulic pressure and is proportional to that. This is similar to the real old, run a brake line to the controller before split braking and separate front rear systems.

[Barncats]

Barncats - I don't think so. from the True Control (Hensley) website-

Thanks Bill
That's what I thought, I just needed someone with more knowledge to confirm it for me.

Mike

[Jack Mayer]

The Tru-Control uses a gyroscope to sense changes. Different/better than a pendulum. But, personally, I'd go with a Blue Dot system and avoid all the issues. Assuming I had a hydraulic brake system on the trailer.....

[DonF]

I agree with Jack

We were in a hurry on our initial install -- the TruControl has worked fine, but given the BlueDot option (with this truck), I will (eventually) upgrade to it to eliminate the delay induced by having a master cylinder in the 5'er that takes a small amount of time to energize and load-the-hydraulic-lines. When using the drum (electric) brakes on our old 5'er, the TruControl was great!

[Mark & Dale ...]

s that the brake light switch and the pressure transducers are on the 'air bulkhead' coming from the engine compartment to the inside of the cab

Any chance of unscrewing the brake sensor, putting is a fitting, stug hose and tee?

I like having the transducer and cable inside the cab.

This post has been edited by Mark & Dale Bruss: Mar 30 2009, 04:29 AM

[Mark & Dale ...]

The Tru-Control uses a gyroscope to sense changes. Different/better than a pendulum. But, personally, I'd go with a Blue Dot system and avoid all the issues. Assuming I had a hydraulic brake system on the trailer

The MaxBrake and BrakeSmart react to the brake system being activated, just like the Blue Dot does with air pressure. Its just the linkage between the truck system and the trailer hydraulics is different.

But all three systems will be applying the brakes on the trailer from the foot pedal even if the truck was in acceleration mode when the gyroscope would not..

[Scrapmaker]

Been wondering that too. Does the BluDot improve the application timing between truck and trailer? Kinda different air systems, but a semi trailer isn't the fastest thing to apply. I guess on one side you got an instant relay valve but an air signal that has to travel 10 ft of truck bed and 12ft of coiley hose vs an instant electric signal but it has to turn some motor or push some actuator. Which one wins?