Although I have not yet bought my van, which will be used rather than new, I expect that it will not have ESC fitted but consider it a necessity. I have come across the Dexter system which is, I believe, the most common system fitted in the USA. It seems to operate slightly differently from the AL-KO system and, unlike that system, it is powered from the caravan battery and automatically switches off if travelling on very rough tracks so that the brakes are not constantly grabbing .
Does anyone have any experience with this system
Phil C said
12:42 PM Jun 27, 2015
Hi nimrod and welcome to the forum.
I am going to stick out my neck here and say a system that shuts down when on rough roads and is powered from the van (although that may be fraught with issues) may be just the go, I wish I had the options when I purchased our van.
My experience with AL-KO recently (read my posts on AL-KO) has not been a good one, so maybe dexter may be different. The AL-KO was an extra $1300 for us when we have the van built, I would be interested in the price of the dexter.
Cheers and happy hunting.
Gundog said
03:14 PM Jun 27, 2015
Phil C wrote:
Hi nimrod and welcome to the forum.
I am going to stick out my neck here and say a system that shuts down when on rough roads and is powered from the van (although that may be fraught with issues) may be just the go, I wish I had the options when I purchased our van.
My experience with AL-KO recently (read my posts on AL-KO) has not been a good one, so maybe dexter may be different. The AL-KO was an extra $1300 for us when we have the van built, I would be interested in the price of the dexter.
Cheers and happy hunting.
From what I can understand and I'm happy to be proven wrong, the AL-KO ESC requires 8g of side movement before it will activate this worries me because rather than activate at a lower g rating and be true stability control, it has no function for pig r--ting. I also have an issue with the indicator lights on the drawbar, you cannot see them whilst driving how do you know its functioning, you rely on bling faith.
I need to read up more about the Dexter system, but I think they have pitch and roll and yaw control as you suggested Dexter turns off on the corrergrated roads, I don't see an issue with the unit acquiring power from the caravans battery, in fact I see that as a plus, how many times have we had a poor trailer plug connection without knowing, with the dexter there is an option for indicator lights in the car.
The was ALKO is powered is my biggest concern, they either want to pick up power from Pin 2 on the 7 pin plug or 1 of the 8 to 12 pins in a 12 pin plug, the standard wiring for pin 2 is reverse lights and that's how it should be, heaven forbid if you breakdown and someone else tows you van with standard wiring the only time ESC will work when you select reverse.
Thanks guys. I had seen the You tube video and I must admit that I like the look of the system. I guess I just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this fit. I was quoted $1500 to supply and fit but have not gone out and looked for other quotes yet.
I have attached the brochures for anyone that is interested
Hi Phil. I did read your ALKO posts and was more than a little disturbed by the responses that you have, or not, received as the case may be. I also spent many years in aviation so safety is ingrained and worry when a manufacturer of a safety product does not seem to take the matter seriously.
Phil C said
05:53 PM Jun 27, 2015
nimrod wrote:
Hi Phil. I did read your ALKO posts and was more than a little disturbed by the responses that you have, or not, received as the case may be. I also spent many years in aviation so safety is ingrained and worry when a manufacturer of a safety product does not seem to take the matter seriously.
Cheers David, Ive read some of the posts on this thread, and it still bemuses me why the positive feed is on pin 2 of a 12 pin plug. I have changed mine to the auxil pin which works off the ignition so its off when the key is out.
Im very keen on the dexter as well, 8G is a fair bit of sway, there is no section in the AL-KO handbook telling me what the G rate is to actuate the brakes.. but 8G???? Geeezzzz
PeterD said
03:57 PM Jun 28, 2015
nimrod wrote:
Hi Phil. I did read your ALKO posts and was more than a little disturbed by the responses that you have, or not, received as the case may be. I also spent many years in aviation so safety is ingrained and worry when a manufacturer of a safety product does not seem to take the matter seriously.
David, please explain yourself. If it's the system shutting down bit that worries you then your worries are unfounded. The type or roads that close it down are the rough ones where you definitely will not be travelling fast. These are the type of road that will rock you van from side to side and if the system does not close down then the rocking motion will cause unnecessary grabbing of your brakes. With the Al-Ko system a lot of installers will only power the system through a red Anderson plug. They do that and tell you to pull the plug when travelling on rough roads. That's probably more of a worry as you are likely to forget to re-plug it on the next good stretch.
nimrod said
05:59 PM Jun 28, 2015
Hi Peter
No I was not worried about the unit switching off on rough roads as I fully understand that the brakes would constantly grab if this was not the case. I was only wondering if anyone had experience of the Dexter system as it seems to be fairly new to Australia
PeterD said
07:55 PM Jun 28, 2015
I have the Dexter unit fitted. We are on our first trip, 2100 km. I have not felt anything when on Qld bitumen outback roads. I don't expect to feel any reactions from the unit as my rig has been stable and has more than 10% weight on the ball.
peterwm said
06:36 PM Jun 29, 2015
David,
ESC ALKO system on sway engages brakes on all wheels on the van, must be manually disengaged and re-engaged for off-road.
DEXTER system only engages left hand side on left hand sway and same when there is right hand sway, only right hand side, thus bringing the van into check quicker, engages and disengages automatically on off road thru micro sensors, a superior system, and will fit most current electric brake systems.
A few hundred dollars dearer.
Peter
nimrod said
07:27 PM Jun 29, 2015
Thanks Peterwm and PeterD. I was leaning towards the Dexter system and it looks as tho that is the way that I shall go. Thanks to everyone for their help
x_pac said
05:09 PM Nov 16, 2017
Gundog wrote:
Phil C wrote:
Hi nimrod and welcome to the forum.
I am going to stick out my neck here and say a system that shuts down when on rough roads and is powered from the van (although that may be fraught with issues) may be just the go, I wish I had the options when I purchased our van.
My experience with AL-KO recently (read my posts on AL-KO) has not been a good one, so maybe dexter may be different. The AL-KO was an extra $1300 for us when we have the van built, I would be interested in the price of the dexter.
Cheers and happy hunting.
From what I can understand and I'm happy to be proven wrong, the AL-KO ESC requires 8g of side movement before it will activate this worries me because rather than activate at a lower g rating and be true stability control, it has no function for pig r--ting. I also have an issue with the indicator lights on the drawbar, you cannot see them whilst driving how do you know its functioning, you rely on bling faith.
I need to read up more about the Dexter system, but I think they have pitch and roll and yaw control as you suggested Dexter turns off on the corrergrated roads, I don't see an issue with the unit acquiring power from the caravans battery, in fact I see that as a plus, how many times have we had a poor trailer plug connection without knowing, with the dexter there is an option for indicator lights in the car.
The was ALKO is powered is my biggest concern, they either want to pick up power from Pin 2 on the 7 pin plug or 1 of the 8 to 12 pins in a 12 pin plug, the standard wiring for pin 2 is reverse lights and that's how it should be, heaven forbid if you breakdown and someone else tows you van with standard wiring the only time ESC will work when you select reverse.
We have just had Al-ko ESC retro fitted to out Manta Ray 19er S/E power is provided by the RED andersen plug not via the 12 pin plug..
Hi everyone.
Although I have not yet bought my van, which will be used rather than new, I expect that it will not have ESC fitted but consider it a necessity. I have come across the Dexter system which is, I believe, the most common system fitted in the USA. It seems to operate slightly differently from the AL-KO system and, unlike that system, it is powered from the caravan battery and automatically switches off if travelling on very rough tracks so that the brakes are not constantly grabbing .
Does anyone have any experience with this system
I am going to stick out my neck here and say a system that shuts down when on rough roads and is powered from the van (although that may be fraught with issues) may be just the go, I wish I had the options when I purchased our van.
My experience with AL-KO recently (read my posts on AL-KO) has not been a good one, so maybe dexter may be different. The AL-KO was an extra $1300 for us when we have the van built, I would be interested in the price of the dexter.
Cheers and happy hunting.
From what I can understand and I'm happy to be proven wrong, the AL-KO ESC requires 8g of side movement before it will activate this worries me because rather than activate at a lower g rating and be true stability control, it has no function for pig r--ting. I also have an issue with the indicator lights on the drawbar, you cannot see them whilst driving how do you know its functioning, you rely on bling faith.
I need to read up more about the Dexter system, but I think they have pitch and roll and yaw control as you suggested Dexter turns off on the corrergrated roads, I don't see an issue with the unit acquiring power from the caravans battery, in fact I see that as a plus, how many times have we had a poor trailer plug connection without knowing, with the dexter there is an option for indicator lights in the car.
The was ALKO is powered is my biggest concern, they either want to pick up power from Pin 2 on the 7 pin plug or 1 of the 8 to 12 pins in a 12 pin plug, the standard wiring for pin 2 is reverse lights and that's how it should be, heaven forbid if you breakdown and someone else tows you van with standard wiring the only time ESC will work when you select reverse.
Check out the Dexter Video info here
Thanks guys. I had seen the You tube video and I must admit that I like the look of the system. I guess I just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this fit. I was quoted $1500 to supply and fit but have not gone out and looked for other quotes yet.
I have attached the brochures for anyone that is interested
Hi Phil. I did read your ALKO posts and was more than a little disturbed by the responses that you have, or not, received as the case may be. I also spent many years in aviation so safety is ingrained and worry when a manufacturer of a safety product does not seem to take the matter seriously.
Cheers David, Ive read some of the posts on this thread, and it still bemuses me why the positive feed is on pin 2 of a 12 pin plug. I have changed mine to the auxil pin which works off the ignition so its off when the key is out.
Im very keen on the dexter as well, 8G is a fair bit of sway, there is no section in the AL-KO handbook telling me what the G rate is to actuate the brakes.. but 8G???? Geeezzzz
David, please explain yourself. If it's the system shutting down bit that worries you then your worries are unfounded. The type or roads that close it down are the rough ones where you definitely will not be travelling fast. These are the type of road that will rock you van from side to side and if the system does not close down then the rocking motion will cause unnecessary grabbing of your brakes. With the Al-Ko system a lot of installers will only power the system through a red Anderson plug. They do that and tell you to pull the plug when travelling on rough roads. That's probably more of a worry as you are likely to forget to re-plug it on the next good stretch.
Hi Peter
No I was not worried about the unit switching off on rough roads as I fully understand that the brakes would constantly grab if this was not the case. I was only wondering if anyone had experience of the Dexter system as it seems to be fairly new to Australia
David,
ESC ALKO system on sway engages brakes on all wheels on the van, must be manually disengaged and re-engaged for off-road.
DEXTER system only engages left hand side on left hand sway and same when there is right hand sway, only right hand side, thus bringing the van into check quicker, engages and disengages automatically on off road thru micro sensors, a superior system, and will fit most current electric brake systems.
A few hundred dollars dearer.
Peter
Thanks Peterwm and PeterD. I was leaning towards the Dexter system and it looks as tho that is the way that I shall go. Thanks to everyone for their help