Hill descent control for caravans?

[KeithB]

I have a WiTi blutooth interface on my build, which replaces the need for a trailer plug. WiTi has just announced a hill descent control mod, which you can add. Here's what they say:

Integrated Brake Controller with Hill Descent Control

WiTi now offers an integrated brake controller with ground breaking Hill Descent Control. The WiTi Brake Controller connects to the Vehicle Unit with a dash mounted dial for gain adjustment and manual override. The WiTi Brake Controller offers two significant safety innovations, Hill Descent Control and Brake Smoothing.

Hill Descent Control improves safety and control when descending steep hills. All proportional brake controllers use inertia to determine the braking force applied to the brakes. The firmer the braking the more inertia is generated and braking is applied on the caravan or trailer proportionally. However, when descending steep hills the driver of the tow vehicle typically feathers the brakes to maintain speed - this generates no inertia as there is no deceleration. As a result there is no braking applied to the caravan or trailer and the tow vehicle is being pushed down the hill. WiTi Hill Descent Control eliminates this by measuring the angle of descent and applying the brakes relative to the gain setting on the dash mounted dial. The steeper the descent the more braking is applied resulting in a safer more controlled descent.

No other brake controller offers Hill Descent Control - another global innovation for WiTi.

Brake Smoothing eliminates the sharp and annoying jerking that may occur with other brake controllers. With WiTi the output to the electric brakes on the caravan or trailer is measured and smoothed electronically to provide a more comfortable and safer towing experience and eliminating harsh jerking under firm braking.

I always control descents with engine braking and wonder if a system like this might be a quick way to burn out your trailer brakes. I also wonder if it might be a quick way to get the trailer out of control in a slippery off road descent. I realise that you can adjust the gain control, but that seems a bit messy.

I am interested in any opinions on this.
https://www.witi.com.au/

Keith

[GBC]

Do they mean like a pendulum moving forward further because the car is pointing down hill, mimicking braking, and thus automatically increasing the trailer braking force as the hill gets steeper? Gee I wonder where I've heard that before....
Vehicle manufacturers all recommend a harsh on and off the brakes method to allow them to cool rather than keeping them gently applied in long downhill sections - along with any engine braking you can muster up.

[HKB Electronics]

I'm with you Keith, use gears to hold speed on long hills, riding the brakes is just going to result in smoke!

[boobook]

Great, a pair of 10" drum brakes trying to pull up 4-5 tons of vehicle and trailer down a steep hill by them selves.

Make sure you have the fire extinguisher in an accessible spot.

[Bigfish]

Like most I use wi-fi and bluetooth gadgets. Never have been 100% reliable.  Trusting my car, my van, my passengers and my own life to one of these gadgets would not be on my radar.

[Steffo1]

I may be wrong here but, the way I read it, is that the driver has the capacity to govern the amount of descent braking to the van, the same as they can regulate the braking when towing on the road.
If this is the case, wouldn't the driver then set the van braking to match the descent of the tug, be it compression, tug brakes or a fancy "Descent Control" setup?
It might even be helpful in the case of a big, downhill compression lockup.
Someone may have to give one a crack.

[Bird]

I'm with you Keith, use gears to hold speed on long hills, riding the brakes is just going to result in smoke!

x eleventy

Do they still make the 4b Exhaust brake setup LMAO!!!!!!!!!! that was funnY!

[tomo]

hi
If u must use braking upon slow crawl decent differing from going down blacktop. Better off to have a Prodigy or P3  Teknosha controller . Why because u can control ""initial brake punch "". Of course this only helps, because in a down hill creep situation the van wheels have no ABS feeding brake input to a computer that's looking for lockup .

[achjimmy]

Like most I use wi-fi and bluetooth gadgets. Never have been 100% reliable.  Trusting my car, my van, my passengers and my own life to one of these gadgets would not be on my radar.

Yeah I am with you great WiFi devices work 99% of the time , what happens on the 1% ?

[Steffo1]

From the "Trips, Tracks, Touring" section.

"Here is our rough itinerary, I have about 4-5 nights up my sleeve to stop when we really like a spot. My main concerns are towing through Palm Creek and obviously Gunshot. The Mrs. will be shi..ing herself being only a few k's in and hitting Palm Creek. - We did the Cape July last year towing a Soft Floor camper and I felt the trailer actually help going down Palm Creek as I turned the trailer brakes up high and it helped slow the car while sliding down."

[Steffo1]

x eleventy

Do they still make the 4b Exhaust brake setup LMAO!!!!!!!!!! that was funnY!

Standard equipment on the "Toyota Tonka P" model.

[Steffo1]

x eleventy

Do they still make the 4b Exhaust brake setup LMAO!!!!!!!!!! that was funnY!

Standard equipment on the "Toyota Tonka"!

[Troopy_03]

We heard ya the first time Steffo 

Love how the huge mudflaps don't actually cover the wheels too.

[Bird]

I didnt think any of the old ****s towing caravans mobile roadblocks ever went fast enough to need brakes... downhill or not.

[Paddler Ed]

You've driven around a university that has a strong agricultural background then?

[Redback]

I dunno what all the fuss is about, if it help when used in conjunction with the tow vehicle to help keep things in control then why not, would be especially helpful if the tow vehicle doesn't have ABS or any other electronic aids.

Stop sticking your head in the sand, embrace the future ya pack of dinosaurs

[Merts]

I dunno what all the fuss is about, if it help when used in conjunction with the tow vehicle to help keep things in control then why not, would be especially helpful if the tow vehicle doesn't have ABS or any other electronic aids.

Stop sticking your head in the sand, embrace the future ya pack of dinosaurs

It's been explained in detail why it's a bad idea.
Having trailer brakes constantly dragging on a long downhill stretch rather than relying on the engine breaking of the tug will result in the brakes overheating.

[KeithB]

It's been explained in detail why it's a bad idea.
Having trailer brakes constantly dragging on a long downhill stretch rather than relying on the engine breaking of the tug will result in the brakes overheating.

I agree. Was just wondering if i'd missed something.
Keith

[KingBilly]

Some appear to be assuming this device applies the caravan brakes automatically when descending a hill. I don’t think so.

My take is that this controller determines when a caravan is going down a hill and applies a proportionally braking force (on the caravan brakes) dependent upon the downhill grade.  A steeper grade, more braking force applied.  Exactly the same as a normal proportional brake controller applies more braking force at faster speeds.  I don’t think the controller drags the van brakes automatically.  I think the caravan brakes are still only applied when the driver brakes the vehicle, like every other proportional brake controller on the market currently.

Current proportional brake controllers only apply a small braking force to the caravan brakes at slow speeds.  This new controller overcomes the lack of braking force at slow speeds which is needed going down a steep hill, otherwise the vehicle is doing all the braking.

Sounds like a good solution to me 

KB

[KeithB]

KB, just re-reading the guff, I think you might be right.
Keith

[#jonesy]

I read as hill decent control like only some 4wd have. which is a button you push and the car controls your downhill decent, on steep tracks (not sealed roads)
In that scenario the trailer is not braking using conventional proportional controllers. With this controller as you decend a hill , with your foot on the brake the controller also slows the van.

[GBC]

First, an old pendulum controller, when going downhill, automatically increases the trailer bias at any speed anyway - kind on the reason they used a ‘pendulum’ in the system. As the rig goes out of level it has the same effect on the pendulum as braking - simple....
Second, anybody who has actually tried towing downhill with HDC engaged, especially off-road will tell you just how hot the brakes get. Mine have started leaking melted grease past the axle caps after the hill down main range to Goomburra towing the old trakshak. It is sealed so low range wasn’t an option. I’ve seen plastic wheel nut indicators literally melt off a Ranger’s front wheels. There is no substitute for gearing and engine braking and if it isn’t enough you probably have the wrong driver or the wrong vehicle.

[Redback]

This the same hoohah assumptions that were argued when hill decent, traction control and ABS was introduced in 4WDs(and cars) all those years ago and look now, just about every 4WD in the world has them.

I reckon until it has been used you can't really assume it will fail, technology has come a long way in electronic gadgets.

[Bird]

embrace the future ya pack of dinosaurs

said the bloke with the '73 H2

[Redback]

said the bloke with the '73 H2

Hahahaha I do have ABS on the GS.