The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts trailer brake controller

I've acquired an older Warner trailer brake controller. It looks like it's from the 40s-50s vintage. I compared the inside of it from a later warner trailer brake controller and the contacting "fingers" look thicker on the later one. By look at just this difference I was wondering if this would make that older controller a 6-volt? If so, will it hurt anything if I ran 12-volts through it to control the brakes on a 2-axle trailer?

Just being 40's to 50's probably means it was designed for six volt use. Generally anything that is not voltage sensitive that was designed for six volts will work fine with 12. Six volt bulbs can't stand 12 volts, but something like a switch (which is what the controller is) will usuallt be fine with 12 volts.

what can i use to regulate the power going to the trailer brakes? I want to use a rheastat but i'm not sure if one from a heater would be enough or not.

Hy Stoveboltkid, you used to be able to buy resistor banks especially for electric brakes, I think they were made by Wagner, and possibly others, hope that helps.

those are the ones that mounted under the hood, right? I wanted to adjust it on the fly, like the modern ones.

Stoveboltkid,

I'm 'corn-fused' on this one. The trailer brake controller IS the voltage controller..it should be a wire wound ceramic pot, just like an Ohmite rheostat. The handle moves the wiper over the windings and varies the applied voltage to be electric brakes.

Am I out to lunch on this idea!

Stuart

You know you are right about that! Maybe I just need to regulate how much travel the arm goes to regulate the voltage that goes to the trailer brakes just like the more modern, hydraulically-controlled ones do.

If you're going to be hauling a trailer much at all, PLEASE break down and buy an electronic proportional controller... I use the Teconsha Voyager in my truck (95 half-ton). It works GREAT (slows down my truck and gooseneck stock trailer, 11,420lbs), costs very little, and lasts forever (mines at least 12 years old, and my dad's is older yet....) It's small and unobtrusive, and can be pretty well hidden if necessary so as not to detract from the looks of your truck.

They have some great products out there for this now. It is inertia operated & doesn't need to be hooked up to the brake hydraulic system. The best ones have a digital readout on the amount of braking.

I'll use this one, http://www.maxbrake.com/
When I did my brake system I installed the 1/4" NPT fitting with a plug in it then later on when I buy the controller I'll switch the plug for the sending unit.

This type works much better than the inertia type.

Grigg

I've always been un-impressed with the hydraulically actuated brake controllers I've seen.... BUT, that Maxbrake unit does look pretty nice........ I'll have to keep that in mind.

Though I will say this, an inertia controller works very well (at least the Voyagers do) if set up properly. As far as the brakes in reverse thing, that's only useful if you have electric over hydraulic on your trailer as straight electric trailer brakes cannot actuate in reverse.....

The maxbrake controller is not a "hydraulically actuated" controller, it is completely electric inside, no slave cylinder or brake lines to deal with. It does however use a pressure sending unit that you install in the brake system, then electrically translates pressure to braking effort.

Look at it this way, the inertia type tries to guess how much you want to slow down by measuring how much a pendulum swings inside the box, which varies if you are on a hill. They work OK, but not perfect in all situations.
The maxbrake brake applies trailer brakes in direct relation to how much you step on the pedal, and the ratio is adjustable for a light or heavy trailer, this should result in more consistent application of the trailer brakes in most situations.

Again, I haven't tried one yet, but I like the idea.
I've used the inertia type, and they work but aren't anything to brag about.
Most recently I've used the integral brake controller in a newer ford pickup, which works very similar if not the same as the maxbrake controller. The ford controller is quite nice, very steady, predictable, and adjustable, I hope the max brake controller is as nice or better.

Grigg