What do I need for initial set up? Tranny cooler and?

bikendan wrote:

Ron3rd wrote:
Good idea to add the trans cooler. As to the Prodigy, yes that's a good controller. If you pick up the Tekonsha pigtail adapter for your Tahoe, it will be plug and play.

there is no plug and play adapter for the 2007 and up Tahoe, Avalanche or Suburban.
when GM went to the GM900, that all 3 are based on, they discontinues the plug and play plug and only supply a bundle of wires for installing a brake controller to.
when i got my Prodigy for my '07 Avy, i just used the OEM harness that came with it and spliced it into the bundle.

Did not know that. Thanks for the info.

Just transferred our P2 to a 2012 Tahoe. Not plug and play had blunt wires just above the brake pedal. I just had to splice in the P2 and connect the wires up under to hood. Took about 30 minutes.
I used this for the instructions on installing the P2.

How do you install a prodigy trailer brake controller on a 2011 Tahoe

Ours also does not have the Aux tranny cooler, we are gong to have one installed in 2 weeks by the dealer.

Ron3rd wrote:
Good idea to add the trans cooler. As to the Prodigy, yes that's a good controller. If you pick up the Tekonsha pigtail adapter for your Tahoe, it will be plug and play.

there is no plug and play adapter for the 2007 and up Tahoe, Avalanche or Suburban.
when GM went to the GM900, that all 3 are based on, they discontinues the plug and play plug and only supply a bundle of wires for installing a brake controller to.
when i got my Prodigy for my '07 Avy, i just used the OEM harness that came with it and spliced it into the bundle.

GordonThree wrote:

ScottG wrote:
Just a note; Your Prodigy doesn't use a pendulum, it's solid state and uses an accelerometer. So no moving parts!

There's a pendulum in there, it just happens to be microscopic ... a MEMS accelerometer

It's really a matter of semantics. The movement is microscopic - a few millionths of an inch and it's more of a deflection that results in a change of capacitance. There isn't a part that actually swings back and forth. This type of technology suffers from none of the issues that older, true pendulum type controller suffer from.
The industry refers to these as solid state.

sheripoms wrote:
.... We just got this 2008 Tahoe 5.3 with v8 flexfuel and it does have the basic tow pkg which is just the 7 prong hook up and basic hitch. We checked and we do not have the tranny cooler on the front of the radiator just the basic one inside it I believe...

Find out exactly what your Tahoe has, your existing cooler may just be fine, considering yours came with the hitch and connections. Any dealership will be happy to sell and install a "heavy duty" cooler, whether or not you actually need it.

Also, what are you planning on towing? (I will now go back and reread the thread to see if I missed that... lol!)

ScottG wrote:
Just a note; Your Prodigy doesn't use a pendulum, it's solid state and uses an accelerometer. So no moving parts!

There's a pendulum in there, it just happens to be microscopic ... a MEMS accelerometer

Good idea to add the trans cooler. As to the Prodigy, yes that's a good controller. If you pick up the Tekonsha pigtail adapter for your Tahoe, it will be plug and play. The Tekonsha website will have the model number of the pigtail which your can pick up at any RV store or Amazon, Ebay, etc. They're under $15.

Wow hmknightmc you are the Tahoe king! :)

We just got this 2008 Tahoe 5.3 with v8 flexfuel and it does have the basic tow pkg which is just the 7 prong hook up and basic hitch. We checked and we do not have the tranny cooler on the front of the radiator just the basic one inside it I believe.
I have heard good things about the B&M 70268 tranny cooler. I was going to get that and have mechanic install. Its only 60.00 and compared to what the dealership would ding me for I think it would be cheaper.
Also, what do you think about a engine oil cooler? Did you put any on your other Tahoes?

sheripoms wrote:
I do know that my Tahoe has a basic tranny cooler in the radiator but I was told I need another one.
Also what is the difference in a tranny cooler and a oil cooler?

So do you think the prodigy 2 brake would be a good brake to get?

If your Tahoe has the factory tow package then it will have both the aux transmission cooler and the aux engine oil cooler. If it is not factory equipped you can have your local chevy dealer install these as they are offered as a dealer add-on, my recommendation would be to do this. Yes, the prodigy brake controller is a great controller (I have 4 of them on different tow vehicles 2 of which are Tahoes, and never a hint of problem from any of them).

BTW, I have 3 Tahoes all used for various tow duties (05 factory tow package, 11 non-tow package but does pull a boat, and just received a new 15 with factory tow package). They are outstanding vehicles, the 05 has spent it life towing 6k#, has 172k miles on it and still runs like new.

I do know that my Tahoe has a basic tranny cooler in the radiator but I was told I need another one.
Also what is the difference in a tranny cooler and a oil cooler?

So do you think the prodigy 2 brake would be a good brake to get?