Anyone using a Curt Echo brake controller?

Mike134 wrote:

noteven wrote:




Since having a trailer brake failure on a miles long western downgrade towing an 18,000lb 3 axle with a 2006 won ton I’ve pretty much quit towing with setups where my tow mobile cannot brake the whole rig for miles on a 6 to 8% grade.

What are you using for a tow vehicle one of those Kenworth tractor conversions?

On the big trailer - yes a 33k GVWR 80k GCWR KW.

The Curt would be used on an older Tundra that tows 3 or 4 different trailers…. it has factory prewire for a dash control so I might go to DirecLink.

Lynnmor wrote:

noteven wrote:


Anyways I forgot to ask is the Curt Echo is nice and proportional or is it jerky like $50 plug in controllers.

Since it is just another controller that uses an accelerometer, it is in the JerkaMatic class.

My Prodigy had a accelerometer. It was VERY smooth. In fact you couldn't even feel it come on, or go off. But it did. And worked great. If you set it correcty. the truck, and trailer stopped as one. Maybe you just never had a good one.

The only reason I'm not still using it. My newer truck has a factory controler.

Mike134 wrote:
I have trouble with my bluetooth radio staying connected on some days.

that's just my 2 cents

This is my concern. I don't lose my BT connection to my truck too often but it does happen. BT uses 2.4 ghz, which a lot of other things do as well. Too many things can interfere with a wireless signal and trailer brakes are too critical for me to ever be comfortable with BT.

Campfire Time wrote:

Mike134 wrote:
I have trouble with my bluetooth radio staying connected on some days.

that's just my 2 cents

This is my concern. I don't lose my BT connection to my truck too often but it does happen. BT uses 2.4 ghz, which a lot of other things do as well. Too many things can interfere with a wireless signal and trailer brakes are too critical for me to ever be comfortable with BT.

Agree. And a Prodigy, or P3 is plug, and play. Takes about 5 min to install

$280. yikes. for a jerk-n-go controller? No. Are you the worlds laziest, or the worlds less mechanical driver?

Is this for a small trailer that if you lost the brakes it won't matter?

For $220 at etrailer you can get a really really nice proportional wired brake controller that you absolutely will never feel. It brakes as hard or as soft as the truck does. AND it is wired in.

How hard is it going to be to wire your vehicle for brakes? How much does the local Uhaul guy charge to do the labor? How often do you buy/sell tow vehicles?

Im not here to advise you on this product, but to advise you to get a proportional controller instead.

Campfire Time wrote:

Mike134 wrote:
I have trouble with my bluetooth radio staying connected on some days.

that's just my 2 cents

This is my concern. I don't lose my BT connection to my truck too often but it does happen. BT uses 2.4 ghz, which a lot of other things do as well. Too many things can interfere with a wireless signal and trailer brakes are too critical for me to ever be comfortable with BT.

I have an ECHO, and it works fine with my Iphone, BUT, I can leave my Iphone at home, and still tow my trailer, and it works fine, with NO blue tooth at all! Losing the BT connection would be a total non-event.

larry cad wrote:

Campfire Time wrote:

Mike134 wrote:
I have trouble with my bluetooth radio staying connected on some days.

that's just my 2 cents

This is my concern. I don't lose my BT connection to my truck too often but it does happen. BT uses 2.4 ghz, which a lot of other things do as well. Too many things can interfere with a wireless signal and trailer brakes are too critical for me to ever be comfortable with BT.

I have an ECHO, and it works fine with my Iphone, BUT, I can leave my Iphone at home, and still tow my trailer, and it works fine, with NO blue tooth at all! Losing the BT connection would be a total non-event.

Our point is wireless connections can and do fail.

safe travels and stay in front of me.

mr_andyj wrote:
$280. yikes. for a jerk-n-go controller? No. Are you the worlds laziest, or the worlds less mechanical driver?

Is this for a small trailer that if you lost the brakes it won't matter?

For $220 at etrailer you can get a really really nice proportional wired brake controller that you absolutely will never feel. It brakes as hard or as soft as the truck does. AND it is wired in.

How hard is it going to be to wire your vehicle for brakes? How much does the local Uhaul guy charge to do the labor? How often do you buy/sell tow vehicles?

Im not here to advise you on this product, but to advise you to get a proportional controller instead.

I have 3 vehicles I use to tow. 1 X $280 vs 3 X $220 ? ECHO really makes sense for me! Glad I bought it! Oh, and it works perfectly!

Mike134 wrote:
Our point is wireless connections can and do fail.

safe travels and stay in front of me.

Good thing that a wireless connection is not required for the brake controller to function. Do you really think manufacturers would be that short sighted?

and no, you stay out in front of me.

mkirsch wrote:

Mike134 wrote:
Our point is wireless connections can and do fail.

safe travels and stay in front of me.

Good thing that a wireless connection is not required for the brake controller to function. Do you really think manufacturers would be that short sighted?

and no, you stay out in front of me.

Just a follow-up question, if you hard wire a controller under your dash there is typically a 25A or 30A dedicated circuit just to apply the brakes ( that's why the Blue wire is so thick).
Where do these magic wireless controllers get power to apply the brakes? Piggyback from the charging circuit? or the lights? Do you add a jumper under the dash to use the OEM trailer brake circuit? How do you apply just the trailer brakes if you needed them in a hurry?

I think I'll stay behind you after further review.