8 replies to this topic

[RickS]

Hi,
I just thought I'd post a few pictures of the Maxbrake I installed in the FLSC. I received the wrong tee fittings for the hydraulic brake master cylinder but was able to find the Eaton/Weatherhead 7906 inverted tee after 3 hours of running around. I had a P3 contoller that was installed from the factory so the wiring plugged right in to the Maxbrake unit. I also had to drill a fairly large hole through the firewall to get the end of the cable out to the pressure sensor. I would like to thank Diana from Plugitright for quick delivery and taking the time to try and get me the info for the right sized tee. The Maxbrake was $349.00 plus I paid $50.00 tax and freight to Canada. Here are a few pictures.


Replaced this!



Master Cylinder before pressure sensor install.




After pressure sensor install.



Control Module installed.


Another picture.

Edited by RickS, 06 May 2012 - 08:33 PM.

[RickS]

Well we got out for the first time this season . The max brake controller works very well after a bit of tweaking used 47 for calibration and gain control at 08. The first time out had the trailer tires smoking .

[ctooraen]

Very cool! We have a Maxbrake, and they work much better than all the other controllers. The only one completes is the Brake Smart, but they are no longer available.

[TXiceman]

We ditched the Prodigy a bunch of years back and went to a Jordan 2020. When it died, I went to MaxBrake and have never regretted it. The MaxBrake is far superior to anything else on the market. It is smooth and does not require constant resetting for city or highway.

Ken

[RickS]

I used a Jordon 2020 on one of my 1 ton duallys and it worked very well. The Maxbrake is miles ahead of the P3 it replaced.

We ditched the Prodigy a bunch of years back and went to a Jordan 2020. When it died, I went to MaxBrake and have never regretted it. The MaxBrake is far superior to anything else on the market. It is smooth and does not require constant resetting for city or highway.

Ken

[NH2]

Rick, thanks for posting. I've been toying with the idea of installing a MaxBrake but have difficulty justifying the $$$. Frankly, we don't use our service brakes all that often. Our truck is equipped with a 3-position engine brake(not to be confused with an exhaust brake) and hardly ever use position #3 just because it's overkill for our relatively light-weight(21,000#) trailer. AFTER the engine brake has "done it's thing," the combination of our air brakes & Prodigy controller do a pretty good job of slowing the rig to a stop. We have elec/hyd disc brakes on the trailer. On rare occasion, we've emptied our kitchen cabinets during a panic stop but find it gentle during everyday use.

I'm not doubting your decision, just trying to understand what I'd gain.
Thanks,
Mark
BTW...thanks for the kind words re: our rig (in another thread) and back@cha! I'm sure you're proud pulling your setup down the road

[Mark & Dale Bruss]

The reason for a MaxBrake in a HDT is that inertia based controllers like Prodigy don't work well because our HDTs don't dive during a braking operation, hence the inertia based controller doesn't sense the braking action.

Since the MaxBrake senses service brake application,. the MaxBrake would apply the trailer brakes when the foot pedal was pushed even if the rig was accelerating, something a Prodigy wouldn't do.

We use our Jacobson brake extensively but there are times when rapid deceleration is necessary and I want the trailer to be doping it's part.

I would say your International has a braking profile more like my Volvo than a pickup that dives fine foe a Prodigy.

[Stanley P. Miller]

Another issue with inertial controllers is that they don't sense braking, they sense angle and deceleration and can't distinguish between the two.

First that means if you are heading downhill and apply your brakes the inertia unit will add the braking force and the downhill component and over-brake the trailer compared to the truck. The reverse applies if you are baking uphill where the grade component subtracts from the braking component and you under-brake the trailer. Second if you apply the service brakes the inertia controller adds all braking forces, hill, service brakes and engine brake, the trailer brakes proportionally to the sum of the three. That means that you can see a LOT of trailer brake applied when you just tap the service brake if you are getting a good amount of engine braking. Even without an engine brake you will see some over-braking due to the engine's slowing the truck if you downshift.

Add that all up and your trailer brakes can see a lot of braking compared to the truck brakes on a downgrade, the truck brakes will still be cool but the trailer brakes will be near their limits since they have been over-applied by the inertia controller.

I fooled with this a good bit back when I had my McCall hitch that showed you if the trailer was pulling or pushing on the truck. I'd see the trailer pulling really hard on the hitch when going downhill even if I just touched the brake pedal. That over-braking is why I switched to a controller that worked off braking pressure rather than inertia.

Still inertia controllers are pretty decent, most of the time they do a pretty good job for most people. They just get confused a bit in the above situations, the more supplemental braking you have the more confused they get.

Now a timer based controller is a piece of junk, no help for one of them and I'd suggest scrapping one if you have it. They apply the brakes based on how long your brake lights have been lit. The longer the lights have been on the harder they apply the trailer brakes. That makes trying to park where you are idling back and forth with the brake pedal being used to keep your speed down very frustrating since you have to keep lifting your foot to unlock the trailer brakes or as most folks end up doing disconnecting the silly thing when parking. Going down hill you need to be very careful to use the "stab and coast" method of braking or the trailer brakes will be way overused.

[NH2]

Mark & Stan,
You've made some very convincing points.
Though I've never felt unsafe, I have been in situations such as you've mentioned and your description(s) matches our experience.
I'll definitely rethink my situation.
Mark