Vulcaneer
Northern New England
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Joined: 10/17/2007
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Your prodigy is just fine. What you are experiencing is operator error. But a very common one. As long as your gain is set properly. It is the way you are setting your Boost setting. I set mine for b2 for highway driving. Then for slow in town driving, I reset the boost to b1. If driving in town with b2, the trailer braking grabs too aggressively. As it leads the truck braking.
But my trailer is lighter than yours. So you might set your boost at b3 on the highway. And back off to b2 in town. But try different settings and you'll find the right combo for you.
But if you want the trailer braking before the truck, just leave the boost at b3. You might find that is not desirable. But if that is what you want, go for it.
You don't need to replace your Prodigy.
* This post was
edited 07/29/10 06:19pm by Vulcaneer *
2006 F350 V10 4X4 SC SB SRW 4.30 22,500 GCWR
2011 Open Range 393RLS 14,250 GVWR
Pullrite Super Glide 18K
Super Duty, Super Cab, SuperGlide
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ArkieVet
Fulltimer
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Joined: 05/10/2007
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Vulcaneer wrote:Your prodigy is just fine. What you are experiencing is operator error. But a very common one. As long as your gain is set properly. It is the way you are setting your Boost setting. I set mine for b2 for highway driving. Then for slow in town driving, I reset the boost to b1. If driving in town with b2, the trailer braking grabs too aggressively. As it leads the truck braking.
But my trailer is lighter than yours. So you might set your boost at b3 on the highway. And back off to b2 in town. But try different settings and you'll find the right combo for you.
But if you want the trailer braking before the truck, just leave the boost at b3. You might find that is not desirable. But if that is what you want, go for it.
You don't need to replace your Prodigy.
X2. Gain MUST be set per the instructions before changing the boost setting. With a 14,800 lb fiver, I used B3 on the highway, dropping to B2 in town, and B1 (or no boost) in the campground. New truck came with an integral controller, but I still kept my Prodigy, just in case.
Retired U.S. Army SFC ('67 - '88)
(Infantry, AG Corps)
2009 F350 Crew Cab Dually PSD Tow Boss
2009 Cameo F35SB3 w/TST TPMS
Life Member DAV and MOPH
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Chuck&Gail
In the Colorado Mountains
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Joined: 06/16/2004
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Sounds to me like you need to set it at boost 3. Try that first IMO.
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Australian Shepherd
2010 Ford Expedition TV
2010 Outback 230RS Toybox, 5390# UVW, 6800# Loaded
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
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jdog
Some Place
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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With the Prodigy towing a heavy trailer, you are always changing the settings with gain and boost. You are always trying to find the one setting that works for everything. You won't find it. When I changed my controllar that constant changing boost and gain stopped. Now I have one setting and don't have to keep changing the settings and no boost to full around with. If you like making setting changes all the time then keep the Prodigy.
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lat471
Lebanon, PA
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Joined: 06/15/2007
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dave14117. I have the same set up you do and at times felt like the Cameo wasn't stopping but after looking in the mirror and seeing some smoke I realized they work fine. It's just the feeling due to the heavy 5er. I often find I have to adjust for slow and highway settings. I haven't tried leaving it up all the way and just increasing or decreasing the boost but I will next trip. It's always a learning experience here.
07 Cameo F35FD3
The Black Cloud
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dave14117
Redmond, Wa
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Joined: 05/03/2004
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I should have also mentioned that in addition to running B2-B3 except in RV parks, I am also at max power. One thing I have now heard is that maybe you don't want the trailer to "lead" braking, so maybe setup is ok as is.
THANKS EVERYONE!
Thanks,
Dave
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Tom&Dale
Manhattan Beach, CA
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Joined: 03/08/2006
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Mapguy wrote:jdog wrote:
With the Prodigy towing a heavy trailer, you are always changing the settings with gain and boost. You are always trying to find the one setting that works for everything. You won't find it. When I changed my controllar that constant changing boost and gain stopped. Now I have one setting and don't have to keep changing the settings and no boost to full around with. If you like making setting changes all the time then keep the Prodigy.
Absolutely agree with these observations using my 14K fifth wheel. We travel on a wide variety of roads -freeway to single lane forest roads. Last week was 1500 miles including 90 miles of single lane steep forest roads.... IMO trailer brakes should be seamless in application. Not entirely possible with a Prodigy/P2/P3 class of controller as boost needs to be adjusted on the fly to match "current conditions". Forget to adjust and braking action is either none existant or too aggressive.....both a safety hazard IMO.
IMO, those that say this is operator error haven't experienced a well setup / adjusted tractor-trailer air brake / vacuum over hydraulic / air over hydraulic combination. This is my comparision and ideal -a seamless operation by stepping on the brake pedal for normal situations.
For me a MaxBrake controller is on the short list of RV/TV upgrades.
I find it interesting that many think changing settings on a brake controller to provide correct braking response for speed ranges / road conditions is acceptable. Most, I have to believe, would not tolerate that requirement in their car or pickup. Yet when towing 10,000 plus pounds it is suddenly reasonable to make these setting changes.
No doubt most drivers have had to make emergency stops at various speeds, traffic density and road conditions. When those times happen I want my controller to apply my trailer brakes in direct proportion to the pressure I apply on my pickups brake pedal. If only for those rare emergency situations the additional price of my controller has been more than worth it.
For the record I have used a Prodigy, and still keep in the trailer as a backup. The Primus is now in some landfill.
What ever choice you make I hope it works well for you,
Tom
02 Dodge 2500 CTD, Edge EZ, Goerend transmission (3.55 axle ratio), BrakeSmart, BD exhaust brake, Firestone Ride-Rite air bags & 05 Americana LC30/31 RL
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Grizzly128
N. Dakota
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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The brakes on my TS River Canyon have always seemed inadequate, to the point I even bought a new controller thinking that would help, no improvement. I finally just accepted that as the way things are. Recently installed the EZ Flex suspension kit and repacked the bearings. 2 of my seals were blown and grease was on those brakes, one magnet was not working and had to be replaced.
I bought this unit new a year ago last March, I have the ez lube hubs but had never added grease yet.
Corrected those issues, what a difference. I forgot I had the controller boost on "B3" with the old brake setup, thought I'd tore the trailer loose the first time I touched the brake...
I think you should pull your hubs and have a look.
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mapguy
Puget Sound
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Joined: 09/02/2007
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jdog wrote:With the Prodigy towing a heavy trailer, you are always changing the settings with gain and boost. You are always trying to find the one setting that works for everything. You won't find it. When I changed my controllar that constant changing boost and gain stopped. Now I have one setting and don't have to keep changing the settings and no boost to full around with. If you like making setting changes all the time then keep the Prodigy.
Absolutely agree with these observations using my 14K fifth wheel. We travel on a wide variety of roads -freeway to single lane forest roads. Last week was 1500 miles including 90 miles of single lane steep forest roads.... IMO trailer brakes should be seamless in application. Not entirely possible with a Prodigy/P2/P3 class of controller as boost needs to be adjusted on the fly to match "current conditions". Forget to adjust and braking action is either none existant or too aggressive.....both a safety hazard IMO.
IMO, those that say this is operator error haven't experienced a well setup / adjusted tractor-trailer air brake / vacuum over hydraulic / air over hydraulic combination. This is my comparision and ideal -a seamless operation by stepping on the brake pedal for normal situations.
For me a MaxBrake controller is on the short list of RV/TV upgrades.
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