Forum Discussion

rob37dawn's avatar
rob37dawn
Explorer
Mar 14, 2014

Brake controller advice, what do i need?

I searched brake controller in the forms and did not come up with much. Do most new TT come with electric brakes? If so any advice on a good controller (not a cheap one)? I like the sound of the proportional ones over timed. Do the controllers come with everything needed to hook it up? I have no problems wiring something in. Looking at a Trail runner SLE SLE 23 5000lbs.

98 chevy 3door short bed c1500 5.7 4l60 3.42 (going to 4.11 before getting a TT) 31s on the back 200k miles but still runs good.
Tow Vehicles
  • p220sigman's avatar
    p220sigman
    Explorer
    Mar 14, 2014
    I have the Tekonsha Prodigy P2 in both my vehicles and have been very happy with it. It is a proportional controller. For me, it has basically been set it and forget it. You may also be able to get the wiring harness for your truck if it didn't come with one to make installation even easier.
  • ChooChooMan74's avatar
    ChooChooMan74
    Explorer
    Mar 14, 2014
    Avoid time based controllers. Those slowly increase the braking power the longer you keep your foot on the brakes. Get one made by Tekonsha, like the Prodigy. They use accelerometers to add more braking or decrease braking. I use an old school Tekonsha from the 90s. Still works for me.
  • Shadow_Catcher's avatar
    Shadow_Catcher
    Explorer
    Mar 14, 2014
    X4 Prodigy
    And to answer the original question, depending on the state any trailer weighing 1500# (the lowest number) requires brakes and you really do NOT one with out them.
  • Me_Again's avatar
    Me_Again
    Explorer III
    Mar 14, 2014
    There is only one remaining higher end controller with MaxBrake out of production. It is http://www.brakecontroller.com/direclink.htm.

    If you can find a used MaxBrake and work with Dutch and Di to get the brake line fitting for your vehicle, you will have the best controller available in recent years.

    Hundreds of thousand's of people tow with Prodigy's and think they are fine. I never liked mine, having to play with Boost settings, and city vs highway was always a compromise.

    With the MaxBrake the truck and trailer always just stop like a single unit, as it measures brake fluid pressure with a load cell in the brake line.

    Controllers like the Prodigy require the tow vehicle to slow down first. So they add boost settings that start applying part of the braking current to the trailer to minute you touch the brake pedal.

    So I would set this for highway use and in the city we would get the trailer jerking on the truck. Turn down Boost for city drive and forget to turn it back up for highway driving and you can come up short when you really need your brakes.

    Chris
  • memgrove's avatar
    memgrove
    Explorer
    Mar 14, 2014
    I just replaced a digital timer model controller I had with a plug and play Direclink controller and love it! I have had the pendulum/ accelarometer type controllers before and never liked any of them. The Direclink controller is more money but for me it is well worth it.
  • BenK's avatar
    BenK
    Explorer
    Mar 14, 2014
    My personal preferences:

    P3 here and would not touch any that requires tapping into my brake's hydraulics

    Many have stated that the MC pressure switch will never fail, but there is another
    recent thread where a guy has had his fail.

    As for the TV bus sensed, not going to be as good as my P3

    IMHO, most who do not like their P2/P3's do NOT have their system adjusted
    correctly or optimised. Jerking, banging, being pushed by their trailer, etc.

    Mine does none of that and my adjustment has the trailer brakes lead my TV's
    brakes. To the point that I can modulate the TV's brake pedal to have ONLY trailer
    brakes and the TV brakes NEVER come on...if I wish

    Also do NOT like these 'Highly integrated' OEM brake controllers. Attune to all
    in one copier/FAX/printer/scanner. One breaks and the whole thing has to be
    replaced. On that other thread, the OP also says he gets a code each time he
    starts it and that is going to be tough to diag...as it is 'Highly integrated',
    meaning it is tied to many other functions and the problem maybe 'over there' and
    not at the brake controller

    Highly integrated is okay for some applications, but INMO not for a brake controller
  • Me_Again's avatar
    Me_Again
    Explorer III
    Mar 14, 2014
    BenK wrote:
    My personal preferences:

    P3 here and would not touch any that requires tapping into my brake's hydraulics

    Many have stated that the MC pressure switch will never fail, but there is another
    recent thread where a guy has had his fail.

    As for the TV bus sensed, not going to be as good as my P3

    IMHO, most who do not like their P2/P3's do NOT have their system adjusted
    correctly or optimised. Jerking, banging, being pushed by their trailer, etc.

    Mine does none of that and my adjustment has the trailer brakes lead my TV's
    brakes. To the point that I can modulate the TV's brake pedal to have ONLY trailer
    brakes and the TV brakes NEVER come on...if I wish

    Also do NOT like these 'Highly integrated' OEM brake controllers. Attune to all
    in one copier/FAX/printer/scanner. One breaks and the whole thing has to be
    replaced. On that other thread, the OP also says he gets a code each time he
    starts it and that is going to be tough to diag...as it is 'Highly integrated',
    meaning it is tied to many other functions and the problem maybe 'over there' and
    not at the brake controller

    Highly integrated is okay for some applications, but INMO not for a brake controller


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