GM Trailer Brake Control: Left or Right of steering wheel
A few years ago, GM broke tradition and installed their integrated factory trailer brake controller on the Left hand side of the steering wheel.
Traditionally, both aftermarket (Tekonsha, Kelsey Hayes, BrakeSmart, etc) and OEM factory (Ford IBC, Ram) trailer brake controllers are positioned on the Right hand of the steering wheel.
Recently, GM abandoned their "odd man out" Left hand OEM trailer brake controller, and moved it to the Right hand side, like everyone else. This can be seen now in the new 2019 1/2 ton pickups, and will be seen shortly in the newer 2020 3/4 and 1 ton pickups.
This design reversal is very interesting on several fronts, not the least of which are ergonomics, operational safety (human reaction response), operational ability when multi tasking in brake emergency, as well as on fronts that don't really effect us as RV'ers, but might be of interest to some here as brand loyalists.
By moving the trailer brake control back over to the right hand side of the steering wheel, GM is essentially admitting design defeat. A distinguishing design element distinct from other brands was summarily extinguished. Is this a good thing, in your opinion?
I'll stick my neck out and start by saying yes, I'm glad to see the brake controller back over on the right hand side. While I can appreciate that GM tried to make the brake controller more visible by placing it higher up on the dash by the heating register on the left, and while it was likely possible to rest one's arm on the door and still operate the brake controller slider... the fact is, in situations were that slider would need to be activated, it isn't like my arm is going to be resting easy on the door. It means that all arms and hands are in active duty mode, managing or mitigating against a pending emergency unfolding.
And that pending emergency is really the problem with a left hand brake control position. The brake controller isn't the only supplemental hand operated tool to manage supplemental braking. The TRANSMISSION lever (or stick) is another tool, as well as the exhaust brake switch (if equipped).
So if I am steering for dear life to maintain directional control of the combination of vehicle with one hand, and using the other hand to engage/disengage, shift, or change positions of the other three tools in the cab to mitigate a pending disaster... I had better not have to switch hands on the steering wheel back and forth during the scant few milliseconds available to avoid disaster.
If my left hand is clutching the steering wheel, I can use my right hand to operate all three other tools: down shift transmission, engage the exhaust brake, and feather the brake controller slider.
If the brake control slider is on the left hand side of the steering wheel, then I'd have to switch hands on the steering wheel while trying to steer straight and think straight while engaging all the other tools to mitigate the sudden disaster (deer crossing, sudden lane change and brake check of another motorist, whatever the case may be that unfolds suddenly).
Now, with that all being said, the exposure I've had to emergency braking situations while pulling has been limited. I have used the sliding controls on my Tekonsha Sentinel, Prodigy P2, and DrawTite Activator, plus one more brand of brake controller whose name escapes me... from time to time when descending grades when I felt the weight of the trailer pushing the tow vehicle a little. On these easy situations, it probably wouldn't matter which side of the steering wheel the trailer brake controller was on, although by now my habit formed reach impulse would still favor the right side.
Which leads me to you, and your opinion. If you happened to own a GM truck that had the integrated brake controller on the left, were you able to easily break your right hand habit? And even if/when you did get used to the brake controller being on the left, have you ever experienced an emergency management session where you wished the darn thing was on the right, so you could use the same hand to downshift, switch on the exhaust brake, and hang on to your dear wife for dear life, all while keeping your left hand firmly fixed on the steering wheel?
Please talk about your experiences with GM's left hand trailer brake controller, and share what you think about GM getting back in line with the rest of the industry and moving the integrated brake controller back over to the right hand side of the vehicle in the center stack.
Thank you in advance for your in depth thoughts on the matter. One of my reasons for the question is due to the new Silverado 4500/5500/6500 series that Navistar is manufacturing for GM using GM's now "old" and "outdated" 2015 cab style which still has the integrated brake controller on the left hand side of the steering wheel, along with the identical International branded CV Series. I am considering this platform as a replacement to my current medium duty truck, but the left hand brake controller position appears bothersome, even though I have no personal experience with it. The fact that GM quickly changed the brake controller's position over to the right after one brief design cycle in their new pickups is telling me my hunch is correct. The left hand side was a bad idea.
But what do you think, given all the aspects already raised, plus any new talking points you can think of with respect to trailer brake control position and operation?
Traditionally, both aftermarket (Tekonsha, Kelsey Hayes, BrakeSmart, etc) and OEM factory (Ford IBC, Ram) trailer brake controllers are positioned on the Right hand of the steering wheel.
Recently, GM abandoned their "odd man out" Left hand OEM trailer brake controller, and moved it to the Right hand side, like everyone else. This can be seen now in the new 2019 1/2 ton pickups, and will be seen shortly in the newer 2020 3/4 and 1 ton pickups.
This design reversal is very interesting on several fronts, not the least of which are ergonomics, operational safety (human reaction response), operational ability when multi tasking in brake emergency, as well as on fronts that don't really effect us as RV'ers, but might be of interest to some here as brand loyalists.
By moving the trailer brake control back over to the right hand side of the steering wheel, GM is essentially admitting design defeat. A distinguishing design element distinct from other brands was summarily extinguished. Is this a good thing, in your opinion?
I'll stick my neck out and start by saying yes, I'm glad to see the brake controller back over on the right hand side. While I can appreciate that GM tried to make the brake controller more visible by placing it higher up on the dash by the heating register on the left, and while it was likely possible to rest one's arm on the door and still operate the brake controller slider... the fact is, in situations were that slider would need to be activated, it isn't like my arm is going to be resting easy on the door. It means that all arms and hands are in active duty mode, managing or mitigating against a pending emergency unfolding.
And that pending emergency is really the problem with a left hand brake control position. The brake controller isn't the only supplemental hand operated tool to manage supplemental braking. The TRANSMISSION lever (or stick) is another tool, as well as the exhaust brake switch (if equipped).
So if I am steering for dear life to maintain directional control of the combination of vehicle with one hand, and using the other hand to engage/disengage, shift, or change positions of the other three tools in the cab to mitigate a pending disaster... I had better not have to switch hands on the steering wheel back and forth during the scant few milliseconds available to avoid disaster.
If my left hand is clutching the steering wheel, I can use my right hand to operate all three other tools: down shift transmission, engage the exhaust brake, and feather the brake controller slider.
If the brake control slider is on the left hand side of the steering wheel, then I'd have to switch hands on the steering wheel while trying to steer straight and think straight while engaging all the other tools to mitigate the sudden disaster (deer crossing, sudden lane change and brake check of another motorist, whatever the case may be that unfolds suddenly).
Now, with that all being said, the exposure I've had to emergency braking situations while pulling has been limited. I have used the sliding controls on my Tekonsha Sentinel, Prodigy P2, and DrawTite Activator, plus one more brand of brake controller whose name escapes me... from time to time when descending grades when I felt the weight of the trailer pushing the tow vehicle a little. On these easy situations, it probably wouldn't matter which side of the steering wheel the trailer brake controller was on, although by now my habit formed reach impulse would still favor the right side.
Which leads me to you, and your opinion. If you happened to own a GM truck that had the integrated brake controller on the left, were you able to easily break your right hand habit? And even if/when you did get used to the brake controller being on the left, have you ever experienced an emergency management session where you wished the darn thing was on the right, so you could use the same hand to downshift, switch on the exhaust brake, and hang on to your dear wife for dear life, all while keeping your left hand firmly fixed on the steering wheel?
Please talk about your experiences with GM's left hand trailer brake controller, and share what you think about GM getting back in line with the rest of the industry and moving the integrated brake controller back over to the right hand side of the vehicle in the center stack.
Thank you in advance for your in depth thoughts on the matter. One of my reasons for the question is due to the new Silverado 4500/5500/6500 series that Navistar is manufacturing for GM using GM's now "old" and "outdated" 2015 cab style which still has the integrated brake controller on the left hand side of the steering wheel, along with the identical International branded CV Series. I am considering this platform as a replacement to my current medium duty truck, but the left hand brake controller position appears bothersome, even though I have no personal experience with it. The fact that GM quickly changed the brake controller's position over to the right after one brief design cycle in their new pickups is telling me my hunch is correct. The left hand side was a bad idea.
But what do you think, given all the aspects already raised, plus any new talking points you can think of with respect to trailer brake control position and operation?
