It goes without saying that the number of road accidents involving trailers has been on the rise. These accidents have been attributed to having the wrong brake controllers. Having the right brake controllers is very crucial as it determines your safety and that of other motorists on the road. Simply put, brake controllers are the link between the brake pedal of the truck and those of the towed trailer. This simply concept is however not known by many. If you happen to have just bought a new trailer and are probably wondering how to choose best trailer brake controller, the most important thing to understand is your trailer brake system and the trailer brake controls. The basic knowledge of these two areas will guide you in choosing the right trailer brake controller solutions.
Types Of Trailer Brakes
It is important to understand that not all trailer brakes require the use of controllers. The need for the right controllers is purely to improve trailer sway control and towing safety in general. Currently, there are two main types of trailer brake controller solutions. The first type is the surge brakes. Surge brakes operate under an automatic hydraulic braking system. The surge brakes operate by using the trailer’s own weight and its momentum to push against the hydraulic cylinder every time you step on the brake pedals of the towing vehicle. This means that surge brakes do not require trailer brake controller solutions to operate. The other type of trailer brakes is the electric trailer brakes. Just as the name suggests, electric trailer brakes require electric power to operate. This electric power is from the towing vehicle to the trailer through the electromagnetic brake drums. What this means is that electric trailer brakes require the use of trailer brake controller solutions.
Types of Brake Controllers
When it comes to trailer brake controller solutions, it is important to understand that these controllers are classified based on their activation methods. In this case, there are two major types of trailer brake controller solutions. There are the proportional brake controllers and the time-based controllers. For the proportional trailer brake controller solutions, this controller uses an electric accelerometer to sense the resistance or the inertia of the tow vehicle. This means that when you step on the brake pedal, the same power on the pedal is proportionate to the vehicle’s momentum. One of the main advantages of having proportionate trailer brake controller solutions is that they provide a smoother halt of the vehicle. This results to an even better braking system especially if your trailer is moving along steep terrains. If you are moving downhill, more power will be required on the brake pedal as opposed to when you are moving uphill. This means that proportionate braking systems can sense the momentum of the trailer accordingly allowing you to apply the right power. Time-based trailer brake controller solutions are not very different from the proportionate type. However, these controllers have pre-set braking system as soon as the towing vehicle’s driver steps on the brakes. Despite their ease of use, they are not as flexible as proportionate brake controllers.
Which is The Best Trailer Brake Controllers?
Knowing what kind of trailer brake controller solutions is best for you depends on a number of factors. For example, you need to know the type and purpose of your trailer. Even before you get to the point of searching for brake controller reviews, the type of trailer you will be operating and the frequency of travel matters a lot. If your trailer will be dealing with very heavy cargo such as construction materials and livestock, go for the proportionate brake controllers. The same also applies for fragile cargo. The idea when transporting heavy or fragile cargo is to have smoother stops with minimal effect to the cargo. For light-weight cargo such as pontoon boats, a time-based brake controller will do just fine. Time based controllers are also the ideal choice if you are not frequent a traveler. Apart from being the best for lightweight cargo, these controllers are also affordable. With this information, choosing the right trailer brake controller solutions should not be a challenge.
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