[jimmy]

The hydraulic line model like you describe has a very small cylinder and it has a pin that pushes a metal strip across a resistor. IF it pushes it all the way down due to high enough hydraulic pressure then you have full brake current. There is a preload spring adjustment to regulate the hudraulic pressure needed to get full braking on trailer.
When ABS was introduced on trucks these were discontinued and the reason widely touted was use of these with ABS would instantly condemn you to HELL. I used them for years on ABS equipped trucks and purposely braked to get ABS active and observed no ill effects. I got electronic units and scrapped them and went back with the hydraulic type until an electronic style with a pressure sensor that mimics this old style was introduced.
Keep using it until leaks. It even works with electric over hydraulic trailer brakes, something many electronic controllers, even factory fitted, can't claim.

 

[garywolfer2]

Thanks

It apparently is wired to the trailer plug because it lights up red when you step on the brake pedal tomorrow I will check the back plug for power with the pedal held down. Thanks to both of you.

 

[calamityj]

My F-350 4x4 dually let me down....

The brake controller said "trailer unhooked" and beeped constantly, then, after checking it out every time, we lost brakes while hauling our LQ with two horses on board. Luckily, we got it stopped by shifting down and putting ER brake on...

Fast forward.... dealer says nothing wrong with brakes. Sold truck back to them. Bought a small Kenworth to pull with. Done.

 

[navistar45]

Likely you had an issue on the trailer with the wiring, probably the ground.. My 11' an 15' both are fairly sensitive to the issue, and will act as you describe.. I finally figured the issue out, the more i towed.. Hook the same trailer to my 99' gmc or the 03' ford, i had no issue.. Hook it to the 02' ford, it would act the same as the 11' and now the 15'.. One min you would have brakes, a mile down the road you wouldnt.. Simply attaching a set of jumper cables from the trucks bed to the trailer cured the issue.. Cleaning the ground wire for the trailers brakes was the fix..

 

[RodneyRussel]

How much weight did this Ford diesel trucks/van can carry? I am an factory owner and have purchased some machinery and want to ship them to my factory location at Melbourne, Fl. I am thinking of hiring a truck or van for hauling from an auto transport company.

 

[Brian Donoghue]

I really like my Tekonsha P3 Brake Controller. I never had an issue. It has told me when there no trailer brakes working. I can adjust the boost level depending on the trailer I'm towing. I have the lowest boost level when towing an empty trailer. Then when I have a a heavy trailer like a dump trailer full of firewood or a car hauler trailer towing 6500+ truck. It does 1-4 axle brakes.

I have a trailer that one of my buddy's tried borrowing it and saying that it doesn't have brakes and when I drive the trailer I feel the brakes working. He's a big rig driver and he's trying to tow with F250 on a different controller.

 

[mulescj8]

Time to replace my 20 year old controller and looks like it maybe the Tekonsha P3 Brake Controller. Really wanted to go with the Maxbrake but apparently Maxbrake is out of business as well as brakesmart, I can not find any current links or info on forums about them. Anything else that is comparably to the maxbrake on the market? I have been reading and researching different forums and threads and there have been a few I've never heard of so not sure about them. Often I find the same info when I research the other companies, either not much info or all the threads are old and I cant find any info on them.

Truck is a 97 F350 dually crewcab, 7.3 with a few minor mods, 4:10 rear with a manual 5 speed.

trailer weighs 5000lbs empty and it usably tips the scales around 11000lbs loaded. tandem axles with 4 brakes.

I'm open for suggestions. Thanks guys!