Brake controller "drift"

[SteveMM]

I have a Primus IQ brake controller that was installed by the dealer when we bought our HTT last September, and it's been a major headache. When I hook the camper to my 2015 Pathfinder and leave the driveway, I always go slow through the neighborhood and test the brake controller several times, tweaking the settings until it feels right. Invariably, though, once I get on the road, it starts to hit the camper brakes too early, jerking us to a stop. At least, that's what it feels like is going on. It's like I get the settings right, and then the settings "drift". It makes for a very nerve wracking drive when you don't know how jerky your stopping is going to be at any given time, and leads to me trying to adjust the thing at every stoplight. Does anyone else have one of these brake controllers and have the same trouble?

Here's the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/Tekonsha-9016.../dp/B001P11SCM

[RVhiker]

I think that after a trailer has not been used for a while that slight rust or moisture can be present on the drums and these conditions can cause brakes to grab or slip. When I use my brakes for the first time after such a pause, I apply the brakes slightly and drive slowly for a few hundred feet to burnish the contamination from the drums. My brakes then work the same as when I parked it. This may be the same situation you are dealing with.

It's also possible that your brakes are contaminated with oil or grease (which probably won't just go away) and can cause brakes to be grabby. If the contamination is slight, the drums and shoes can be cleaned. If it is heavy, new brake shoes are needed.

[SteveMM]

Originally Posted by RVhiker

I think that after a trailer has not been used for a while that slight rust or moisture can be present on the drums and these conditions can cause brakes to grab or slip. When I use my brakes for the first time after such a pause, I apply the brakes slightly and drive slowly for a few hundred feet to burnish the contamination from the drums. My brakes then work the same as when I parked it. This may be the same situation you are dealing with.

I don't think that's it, because this happens after the TV and camper have been hooked up and towing for a while. In fact, on our last outing, which was two weekends ago, it happened on the way home.

Originally Posted by RVhiker

It's also possible that your brakes are slightly contaminated with oil or grease (which probably won't just go away) and can cause brakes to be grabby. If the contamination is slight, the drums and shoes can be cleaned. If it is heavy, new brake shoes are needed.

This is a possibility, I suppose. Since posting this, I made a service appointment to get it looked at. My current thinking is that I got a bad brake controller. It's been doing this since we got the camper. I've only had one trip (out of four since I got it last September) where I didn't have to wrestle with the thing practically the whole way.

[Sundancer330]

I had a similar problem with a Tekonsha P3 controller. What you need to try is lower the boost setting to 1 or off, then adjust the power up or down and test it, a large parking lot works best for this. If I have the boost set at 2 or 3 it almost locks the trailer brakes no matter where the power is set. Its worse in stop and go traffic, every time I hit the brakes it would jerk the truck. I now have my boost set at 1 and power about 9 and it works great with no jerking.

[SteveMM]

Originally Posted by Sundancer330

I had a similar problem with a Tekonsha P3 controller. What you need to try is lower the boost setting to 1 or off, then adjust the power up or down and test it, a large parking lot works best for this. If I have the boost set at 2 or 3 it almost locks the trailer brakes no matter where the power is set. Its worse in stop and go traffic, every time I hit the brakes it would jerk the truck. I now have my boost set at 1 and power about 9 and it works great with no jerking.

I'll try it. Thanks! I was SO hoping I'd hear from someone who had this same problem. I currently have it set to 2 and then the power set to 2.0. That seems to work in the neighborhood, but not once I get it out into real world traffic.

The worst part about this problem is that in order to test/fix it, I have to go through the trouble of hooking up the camper. But, if I can get it fixed without having to pay for a service appointment or sit at the dealer all day, I guess it's worth it!

[Sundancer330]

Sounds like your problem, with the boost set on 2 you will feel like a crash test dummy every time you step on the brakes. The boost is set by weight of trailer, 0 to 1 is the trailer weighs less than the tow vehicle, 2 is the trailer is 25% more than TV. Since your trailer is not real heavy I would start on 0 then play with the power, if you top out the power on the 0 boost setting and the braking isn't strong enough try boost 1 then up the power until you feel even braking with the TV. I did this at the high school parking lot after hours so I didn't have to worry about any traffic.

[SteveMM]

Originally Posted by Sundancer330

Sounds like your problem, with the boost set on 2 you will feel like a crash test dummy every time you step on the brakes. The boost is set by weight of trailer, 0 to 1 is the trailer weighs less than the tow vehicle, 2 is the trailer is 25% more than TV. Since your trailer is not real heavy I would start on 0 then play with the power, if you top out the power on the 0 boost setting and the braking isn't strong enough try boost 1 then up the power until you feel even braking with the TV. I did this at the high school parking lot after hours so I didn't have to worry about any traffic.

Thanks so much. I wish the dealer had explained this when they installed it. They just set it on 2 and then told me to tinker with it until it felt right. I'll hitch it up this weekend and work on it.

[Sundancer330]

If you find it isn't working right contact Tekonsha directly since your controller has a lifetime warranty, don't bother with the dealer they will take forever to replace it. I had problems with the power buttons sticking on my P3, called service and I was surprised they shipped out a new one after a few questions, they didn't want the old one back. Its a good feeling when a company backs up their products when one has issues.

[SteveMM]

Originally Posted by Sundancer330

If you find it isn't working right contact Tekonsha directly since your controller has a lifetime warranty, don't bother with the dealer they will take forever to replace it. I had problems with the power buttons sticking on my P3, called service and I was surprised they shipped out a new one after a few questions, they didn't want the old one back. Its a good feeling when a company backs up their products when one has issues.

Good call. That will be plan b if I can't get it working properly using the information Sundancer gave me.

[M&A]

Just to relate a positive experience, I too have the same controller but a lighter trailer than yours. I've never felt I needed to use the boost feature and, once adjusted per the instructions one time, it has been a joy to use, so much I kind of forget it's there.

[hanswarner]

Running the same IQ controller with my Sienna and a 16XRB. No issues after following the calibration instructions below from E-Trailer. The trailer stops at the same rate as the van. I can not tell it's back there. Not using any boost setting.


"First,connect your trailer to the tow vehicle. Start the engine and with engine running, hold the manual override lever full left and set the power knob to indicate 6.0. Then, drive the tow vehicle and trailer on a dry level paved surface at 25 mph and fully apply manual knob.

If trailer brakes lock up, turn the power down using the power knob. If braking was not sufficient, turn the power up. Repeat this process until the power has been set to a point just below wheel lock up or at a sufficient force as to achieve maximum braking power."

[twoballscrewball]

I run the P3 controller, and the boost settings, all 3 of them, cause this behavior. I leave the boost off and just run where, as said above, full manual activation of the trailer brakes comes just short of locking the wheels on dry pavement. With the boost on, it's extremely grabby and makes stopping smoothly very difficult, and this is with a 5500 pound 23F and a 2016 Silverado up front. Boost off and properly set, smooth as silk.

When we picked the trailer up at delivery, they had the boost set at level 3, the first time I touched the brakes driving off the lot was quite a surprise

[SteveMM]

Originally Posted by twoballscrewball

I run the P3 controller, and the boost settings, all 3 of them, cause this behavior. I leave the boost off and just run where, as said above, full manual activation of the trailer brakes comes just short of locking the wheels on dry pavement. With the boost on, it's extremely grabby and makes stopping smoothly very difficult, and this is with a 5500 pound 23F and a 2016 Silverado up front. Boost off and properly set, smooth as silk.

When we picked the trailer up at delivery, they had the boost set at level 3, the first time I touched the brakes driving off the lot was quite a surprise

Thanks. I'm planning to hook up our camper this weekend and do some testing to try to get this straightened out. I'll start with the boost turned off, and see what happens. The X17Z maxes out at 3,500# and my Pathfinder weighs around 4,200#. I'm learning now that I shouldn't need the boost.

Sucks that I'm going to go through the trouble of hooking up my camper, but won't get the reward of camping in it.

[SteveMM]

It was a hassle to have to hitch up for a 30-45 minute operation, but the brakes SEEM to be set up perfectly now. Thanks to everyone for their help on this. I now have it set to zero boost, and the power is set to 5.5. That comes just short of locking up the brakes. I set it up on our neighborhood, then took the camper on a half hour tour of our town, which created a mix of country road driving and stop-and-go suburban driving. While out driving, it worked GREAT. I only tweaked it once after leaving the neighborhood, bringing the power down from 5.8 to 5.5, because it grabbed a tiny little bit at a stoplight. That grab was nowhere near what it used to do, so I could even live with that. I did have to stop a little fast for a stoplight once, and it definitely works well, albeit with a more-or-less empty camper and only me in the car.

I'm hoping I've now put this problem to bed. We're going on a three-night camping trip next week to a campground that's about 4.5 hours away, so I'll find out soon enough.

[bankr63]

From here out it is probably only minor tweaks of the gain setting. I add a little more for a heavier load, take a little off in really hot weather as my brakes seem to get "grabbier" when hot, but not much more than +- 0.5 from original setting.

[SteveMM]

Originally Posted by bankr63

From here out it is probably only minor tweaks of the gain setting. I add a little more for a heavier load, take a little off in really hot weather as my brakes seem to get "grabbier" when hot, but not much more than +- 0.5 from original setting.

Thanks. I'll continue to do the normal testing in our subdivision before leaving on a trip, and tweak as needed. It's obviously good to do, since when I did the settings yesterday, the camper was more or less empty and I was the only one in the car.