CrazyCooter Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 Has anyone else found their Hayes controller to be noisy upon first brake application? Mine makes an annoying clicking noise and then it moves over to the right at a pretty fast rate. Also having a hard time modulating the trailer brakes and I think it's because it takes so little pressure to stop the truck. If I dial it down it won't even activate the trailer brakes. If I dial it up, the trailer brakes are real touchy. I upgraded the wiring in the trailer to help with the poor brakes when I first got it. Then found out they had installed 6K brakes with 7k axles on our originally tandem trailer with a 16,000 gvwr. They covered the 7K brake install and that made a bigger difference. Then I added the 3rd axle and this was almost satisfactory for stopping with a pickup! Another thing I notice is that the trailer will yank the Pete pretty hard when manually testing the brakes. It doesn't do it in the Dodge despite it having a Maxbrake installed. The only thing I can think of is that the Pete was wired with 10ga throughout the braking system and the dodge is using the factory wires. WOuldn't you think the yank would be more noticeable in a 10k pickup then a 20k truck? 1999 Peterbilt 385 C12 430/1650 13spd 2006 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4 2010 Hitchhiker Champagne 36 LKRSB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 On ours, a 1/4 turn of the knob makes a difference. I have it set so the camper leads the truck slightly, but the truck actually stops the trailer. Using just the johnson bar, there is a noticeable tug from the rv. Maybe on level ground the rv brakes would eventually stop the truck. The wiring is 12gauge on ours but I don't think that would make that big a difference. Alie & Jim + 8 paws 2017 DRV Memphis BART- 1998 Volvo 610 Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCooter Posted September 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 I'm thinking mine might have a sticky spot right at initial engagement.... Have to check that out. Miss my Maxbrake, but I think this is our best option for now and it would better serve me in the pickup. If memory serves, our brake wiring was originally only 14ga in the trailer. Dexter's own recommendation on a 4 brake system of my trailer run is 10ga min. No surprise some bean counter had a hand in that! It is now a 6 brake system and still have some in reserve. Adding an additional ground at the axles help as well. I think the bottom line is it's a challenge to feel when the trailer is doing it's fair share with the brakes these trucks have 1999 Peterbilt 385 C12 430/1650 13spd 2006 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4 2010 Hitchhiker Champagne 36 LKRSB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beyerjf Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 I installed mine at the ECR, and it does exactly the same thing, clicked and moved rapidly towards engagement. I have to adjust mine almost to full to get it to apply properly. Steve Dixon has one on his truck, I showed it to him, his doesn't do it, but my new one does. There isn't a lot of total movement so manual application is tricky. But there again we are using 1950's technology here. It does what it is supposed to do. There are not a lot of choices out there for direct proportional brake appliers. Everyone seems to favor inertia types, which don't work well in our vehicles. Jeff Beyer temporarily retired from Trailer Transit 2000 Freightliner Argosy Cabover 2008 Work and Play 34FK Homebase NW Indiana, no longer full time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCooter Posted September 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 I think the problem is peoples' budget for safety products has dropped in favor of convenience and a couple of larger corporations have either acquired and discontinued or run the "Good" brake controller manufacturers out of business. 1999 Peterbilt 385 C12 430/1650 13spd 2006 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4 2010 Hitchhiker Champagne 36 LKRSB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 If I could find a MaxBrake I would use it, but nobody is getting rid of theirs. I'm surprised that the owner of Max hasn't done a limited run, preorder only, etc. In the Dodge, I had excellent results with the P-3 from Tekosha. Expensive but was worth it. Alie & Jim + 8 paws 2017 DRV Memphis BART- 1998 Volvo 610 Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 I really like my Direct Link Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyates007 Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 My hayes reacts exactly as the others mentioned. I have gotten used to it but each Spring it catches me off guard again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdixon747 Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 Mine is smooth, but it's well broken in as I bought it used 8 years ago. Steve & Gail 2000 Volvo VNL660 Autoshift Detroit 60 12.7 "Semi Crazy" 2016 smart "Lil Crazy" 2018 Space Craft 48' TT "The Nut House" KJ4YGY & KK4CTE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 I really like my Direct Link I didn't research Direct link when I was looking for a controller. Any idea if it would integrate in a 1998 Volvo harness. the port under the left side of the dash is a round plug. Alie & Jim + 8 paws 2017 DRV Memphis BART- 1998 Volvo 610 Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 They have an adapter for that round plug. Works in my kenworth. Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSeas Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 Ron, Is you plug 6 pin or 9 pin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Mine is 6 pin Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatsnext Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Mine does the same thing at first but I dialed it back (clockwise) and it is smooth now. 2016 Volvo VNL780 D13 I-Shift 2016 DRV 44 Houston 2015 Smart Cabriolet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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