Part 1 - STOPPING IS NOT OPTIONAL

Part 2 - THE BRAKE CONTROLLER

Part 3 - Myth #1: Brake controllers that tap into the brake line or cable to the brake pedal are the only type that can stop ahead of the trailer

Brake controller manufacturers have been attempting to line up your tow-vehicle brakes to your trailer brakes for decades. The theory is that if both sets of brakes are applied at precisely the same time, smooth braking will be accomplished.

Here's the problem: the hydraulic disc brakes in your tow-vehicle do not function the same as the electric drum brakes in your trailer. Thus the recent popularity of hydraulic trailer brakes, a very expensive "cure" for the problem. The fact is, electric drum brakes are more efficient at low speeds and hydraulic disc brakes are more efficient at high speeds. Therefore, applying the same amount of braking to both sets of brakes actually exacerbates the problem. It would be like putting a distance runner and a sprinter on the starting line together and expecting them to always finish together, no matter the distance.

To date, the best solution to this problem has been electric/hydraulic disc brakes for the trailer, an option that runs into thousands of dollars. Hydraulic brakes, however, have their own problems, the biggest being the inherent delay, as much as a half second, between pressing the brake pedal and the activation of the hydraulic actuator. Ironically, the best brake controllers for this type of system have always been the low cost timer or pendulum based controllers, which don't allow for every condition and are still limited by the gain setting.

• Part 5 - Myth #3: RVers are simply stuck with inadequate trailer braking.

• Part 6 - Ease of use and functionality 

• Part 7 - Conclusions and recommendation