how to adjust electonic brake controller

[cc rider]

can someone please explain how to adjust/set the electronic brakes on my truck. I have the towing package on my 2014 big horn. I never had electronic brakes before. Do you just get up to speed and use the slide till you get a good reaction then use that setting?

Are the buttons just a different way of setting the gain by pushing the buttons instead of sliding the lever?

I didn't see anything in the manual about how to set them.
Thanks and yes I'm clueless. 7000 pound package in the back so that is what im stopping

 

[14hemiexpress]

Ok best way to explain it, is that the gain shows how much power is going to the trailer. If your gain is set on 5 your getting half the maximum braking power. The slider allows you to control the brakes independently from the truck. The heavier the load the more gain you will need. The way I set my brake controller is I get going on a safe road and I let off the gas and cost, then I pull the slider to give it full brake on the trailer. If you feel the trailer slowing down a good amount your probably good. You will get use to using it and know about were you need to start at. I just pulled 8000+ Load pressure treated lumber is hard to est weight, but I had mine on 10 and it stopped my like there was nothing back there. But the brakes on every trailer are different if they are new, older, dual axle brakes or single axle brakes. For 7000lbs trailer I would start around 8 and see how it does. My trailer is a 16ft flat bed car hauler with single axle brake weighs around 1800-2000 empty and I pull it with the gain on 5 empty and 6-7 with 2-3000lbs on it. The other good use for the slider is keeping your trailer from getting away from you. If it starts swaying or bouncing around you can keep accelerating and grab the slider and it will straighten you right out. Happy towing hope this helps

 

[smurfs_of_war]

Yup. Good explanation.

To take the guess work out, hook up and set the gain to 5 initially- light electric likely. Accelerate to about 25mph the *only* use the trailer brakes to stop by squeezing (not too abruptly) the slider. If it seems hesitant, increase the gain. If the tires on the trailer lock up, decrease. This setting will change with load. You may find yourself getting into heavy electric.

Basically at the proper gain, the trailer by itself should stop your whole rig smoothly in a reasonable distance without locking the trailer tires up.

 

[cc rider]

ok so the slider is more of a "quicker" way to do this than to press the +/- buttons that adjust the gain? Sorry if this is a stupid question

 

[Andy578]

ok so the slider is more of a "quicker" way to do this than to press the +/- buttons that adjust the gain? Sorry if this is a stupid question

+/- is to adjust the gain which basically controls how much power it sends to the brakes. the slider is to manually apply the brakes without using your trucks brakes, basically the slider is most useful when going down hills to stop the trailer from pushing you

 

[14hemiexpress]

+/- is to adjust the gain which basically controls how much power it sends to the brakes. the slider is to manually apply the brakes without using your trucks brakes, basically the slider is most useful when going down hills to stop the trailer from pushing you

^^^ this. And another way to put it, is if you have the gain on say 7 if you use the slider you'll only get 70% even if it is max slider. The gain controls how much max power is going to your trailer. Because if you have a light load and your controller is set on 10 and you hit the brake it could send to much power to the trailer causing the brakes to lock up on the trailer causing it to slide and get out of control. So the gain is the max it will send to the trailer. The slider only manually engages the trailer brakes to the Max power the gain is set to.

 

[cc rider]

Got it. Thanks