Tekonsha voyager - brake issue

[chrisinkanata]

Looking for a bit of assistance in troubleshooting my trailer brakes. Two axle Fleetwood trailer with poor braking. The brakes activate but just not firmly enough. Troubleshooting info is scarse. I can't seem to locate how the brake controller actually works in terms of how it supplies voltage to the magnets.

I get battery voltage at the blue trailer brake wire at the trailer connector on my truck. This remains the same when you activate the manual brake slider on the controller. I would have thought there would be no voltage until the brakes are activated and then the voltage would increase until you had full battery voltage and the wheels lock. I can hear the magnets humming when activated.

I'm certain that the controller is ok, as when I tow our other trailer, a 5th wheel, it works fine.

I guess when the slider is fully engaged, I should be getting full battery voltage at the magnets. If that's not happening, there is a wiring issue. If I am getting full battery voltage, then the issue is with the magnets. I struggle with the notion that all four magnets would go south at once though. That leads me to a wiring issue. If I could get an understanding of how the voltage application goes, it would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Chris

[rustyk]

I don't have one anymore, but IIRC, the Voyager has a motion sensor and uses pulse-width modulation on the brakes. This is a WAG, but I suspect there is a special testing tool, because if the motion sensor doesn't detect deceleration, nothing happens, and it can't be tested not in motion.

[convert2diesel]

Chris:

If you are getting battery voltage at the blue wire with brakes off and no slider, then I would suspect contoller problems. The slider will bring voltage up to whatever voltage you have set for max braking (dial on left side of unit), but with no brake signal and no slider, you should not be getting any voltage at the blue wire. Most trailer places will have a plug in tester that duplicates your trailer wiring or you can buy one cheap enough at CTC or a Reese dealer. U-Haul has them too.

Bill

[CoyleJR]

Chris,

Just checking the basics. What is the condition of the brake lining and brake adjustment? If they are both OK, you could have the same problem that I had with my 2006, 3500. There is a separate fuse for the third brake light. When that fuse blows out the trailer brakes will not operate with the foot brake. Although, they will still operate by hand with the manual controller. So, make sure the third brake light is operational.

Good Luck
John

[Mark Rinker]

...also, pull hubs and verify that bearing grease hasn't made its way past the seal, into the brake surface/pads.

Greased linings don't stop well. :D

[convert2diesel]

Another thing to consider is that the magnets are wired in series. If one fails then they all go. Prevents application of just one side (interesting ramifications :D). Some applications do this seperately on each axle. Don't know about yours.

Do a continuity test between the blue (brake) wire and ground. It will show an open if any one of the magnets are bad. Another way is to give the circuit 12 volts throught the same wires. You should hear a definite click from all four wheels as the magnets attach themselves to the drums.

Bill

[chrisinkanata]

Many thanks to all of you....very quick response. The brakes are adjusted properly and the shoes are clean and dry....just re-packed the bearings so I know that's good.

I was surprised to see full voltage at the blue wire regadless of where the slider was positioned. I would have thought that the voltage would increase as the slider is further engaged until it's full voltage at full engagement.

I'm going to stop a local trailer shop and have them test the controller. When I was under the trailer yesterday, I did notice that a lot of the wiring seems pretty punky. Nothing obvious in terms of breaks etc, but alot of the connections are completely exposed to the elements and that kind of has me wondering...? All four brakes actually work (I can hear each magnet humming) but they are not very effective. I'm going to pull the breakaway switch with a fully charged battery in place and see what voltage I'm getting at the magnets. I will not be surprised to find less than 12v based on the wiring. A high resistance corroded connection somewhere. If that's the case, I see you can purchase the double wire trailer wiring for $35 on the internet. I think it'l be easier to just replace it than spend hours looking for a bad connection....

Anyway, thanks again!

Chris

[Kennedy]

When I adjust brakes I typically crank them unitl I can no longer rotate the wheel, then back off until it rotates freely.

The controller should have a gain or level dial or both if memory serves. Isn't there a green light that goes red in varying shades?

Basicaly you activate the brakes with light pedal and adjust the level dial until full green, then creep up on where it turns red.

I moved up to the Prodigy several years ago and have not looked back. Instead of a pendulum they use an accelerometer like a Gtech. No more leveling. Now I am looking to test the new P3 and see how that does.

One more thing for trailer brake service. It's been a while since I bought parts, but loaded backing plates (all the guts mounted just bolt on and splice wires) was generally in the $75ea range and not a bad idea to just start fresh.

Check the ground(s) very thoroughly too.

Gotta run the Fighter jets are ripping by today on training missions. I love to watch them streak over...

[Mark Rinker]

The P3 is technically an improvement, offers more features and adjustability, but has digital gain in place of the more familiar thumb wheel or slider found on other models.

When you have 17K# of boat and trailer bearing down on you, and its time for some more brakes (without taking your eyes of the road) the digital +/- arrows are hard to find, and impossible to know what you are dialing in, until you investigate the digital readout.

More than once I have reached down and rotated the thumb wheel up 50%, lifted off the brake pedal, and re-applied to get MAX trailer braking happening in an emergency braking situation - eyes never leaving the road/situation in front of me.

P3 = Great unit - with one seriously bad 'feature' for use in an emergency braking situation.

[convert2diesel]

When we got the new trailer last year, we spent the bucks for the Prodigy and am I ever glad we did. Probably the best controller I have ever used, and I have used alot of them. If the Gods of financial benevelance shine upon us, I am thinking of converting the trailer to four wheel disks. As I tow with a car, we can use all the brakes we can get.

That of course will dictate that we go to the P3 or equivalent as the Prodigy can't control the newer electric over hydraulics system required for the disks. One interesting unit that I have seen is the new digital rf controller. Everything goes on the trailer and the control panel is essentially a wireless portable unit. Would allow you to use multiple tow vehicles without re-wiring them. All the wiring is on the trailer side.

Chris, if you want some help with this, I would be more then willing. I'm just down the road from you in Manotick. PM me with your co-ordinates.

Bill

[chrisinkanata]

Thanks...I just got some very detailed technical info from Dexter Axle. I'll give you a shout if I need to.

C.

[Kennedy]

The P3 is technically an improvement, offers more features and adjustability, but has digital gain in place of the more familiar thumb wheel or slider found on other models.

When you have 17K# of boat and trailer bearing down on you, and its time for some more brakes (without taking your eyes of the road) the digital +/- arrows are hard to find, and impossible to know what you are dialing in, until you investigate the digital readout.

More than once I have reached down and rotated the thumb wheel up 50%, lifted off the brake pedal, and re-applied to get MAX trailer braking happening in an emergency braking situation - eyes never leaving the road/situation in front of me.

P3 = Great unit - with one seriously bad 'feature' for use in an emergency braking situation.

That's about what I saw when installing. Thankfullly it plugs into the same harness and fits in the same no tools mounting cubby so I'll take the Prodigy along in case I don't like it. I too have high praises for the Prodigy.

[Subzilla]

The Prodigy is a cool tool! Once hooked up and pulled the horse trailer a short distance down the road. Kept getting a wierd symbol on the Prodigy readout as I was moving down the road and knew something was up with the brakes. Wasn't too worried about stopping the trailer without its brakes as it was empty and my destination was close. Pulled out the quick reference manual and found the wierd symbol was an error code telling me I had a bad ground connection. Sure enough, my trailer ground wire had broken and it was getting a partial on-and-off ground through the hitch ball.

I like it for my occassional use!