Wireless proportional brake controllers

Bumpyroad wrote:
so do you plug the "receiver" part into the standard connector 7 pin on the TV and plug the trailer cord into that? is that what you mean by inline? and you can easily move both halves to any trailer/TV combination?
bumpy

Yes, that is exactly what it means. Your tow vehicle 7 pin connector only requires the traditional 4 pin connector wiring (left turn, right turn, ground, running lights) and an additional 12 volt power wire. There is no need for a brake trigger wire from a traditional brake controller.

Yes, you could unbolt the "receiver" from one trailer and install it on another trailer.

Also, when I tow my buddy's trailer with my truck, which has an integrated brake controller, I can bypass the RF controller and just use my integrated controller. Its actually quite a nice system if you don't have the ability to install a less expensive hard wired system. For people that aren't mechanically minded and would have to pay a couple hundred dollars to have an aftermarket brake controller installed anyways... this might be cheaper and easier technology due to the fact that literally no installation is required.

24v wrote:
It removes the need to install a trailer brake controller inside the vehicle. So you install the controller on the trailer and it plugs inline with the trailer connector.

I like it because I didn't have to screw a controller to the dash on my nice new truck, and I can put it away when not using it. It involves literally zero modifications to the truck.

Bumpyroad wrote:
so do you plug the "receiver" part into the standard connector 7 pin on the TV and plug the trailer cord into that? is that what you mean by inline? and you can easily move both halves to any trailer/TV combination?

What you're referring to as the "receiver" Tekonsha calls the Power Module which mounts on the trailer tongue. It's cable plugs into the TV and the trailer cable plugs into it. The only other part is the small remote control which you have with you in the cab of the tow vehicle and plug into a cigarette lighter power source. You can use any vehicle you want as a TV and should you want to tow a different trailer you just move the tongue mounted box to the that trailer. About the only downside I can think of to a Prodigy RF might be the cost which is significantly more than say a Prodigy P3. However, if one's particular TV isn't plug and play then the cost to have a tech install a wired controller may offset the higher cost of the Prodigy RF.



Details on setting up a Prodigy RF can be found here.

24v wrote:

It removes the need to install a trailer brake controller inside the vehicle. So you install the controller on the trailer and it plugs inline with the trailer connector.

I like it because I didn't have to screw a controller to the dash on my nice new truck, and I can put it away when not using it. It involves literally zero modifications to the truck.

so do you plug the "receiver" part into the standard connector 7 pin on the TV and plug the trailer cord into that? is that what you mean by inline? and you can easily move both halves to any trailer/TV combination?
bumpy

SoundGuy wrote:
Customers of course don't understand why this is so difficult and are unwilling to pay beyond a normal shop charge for brake controller installation so the only solution from the dealer's point of view is to refuse work on any Mercedes.

My comments were somewhat tongue-in-cheek. My friends brother-in-law owns his own authorized Mercedes mechanic and body shop. They still weren't able to figure it out. The brake unit is completely sealed and the wiring is epoxied in the unit. There is no exposed wiring harness or conventional way to tap into any wire, even if you could figure out which was the correct wire.

We chased it around for several weeks, did plenty of research, asked other Mercedes mechanics... nothing. The only option for my friend was no brakes (only a 3500 lbs travel trailer) or the RF braking system. I'm not entirely sure what weight requires brakes for the Mercedes, I am of the opinion that 3500 lbs behind the SUV is enough that brakes would be a good idea. As such, I recommended the RF brake controller for my friend and we are very pleased with the results.

As you and others have stated, we are getting ignorant opinions from people who know not to what they are referring. The only "wireless" portion of this system is the manual override feature and the initial setup of brake boost. Everything else is the EXACT SAME as a surge brake system, only it is more sensitive and has smoother engagement than surge brakes.

The power module mounted on the trailer senses momentum and adjusts accordingly to power the brakes on the trailer, just as a traditional brake controller senses line voltage from the brake trigger wire and adjusts power to the trailer brakes. Wire or no wire makes ZERO difference as you hurtle down the road at 55mph. The brains and functionality of the brake controller have nothing to do with the wireless handheld receiver.

I'm sure the same uneducated nay-sayers on here said the same thing about drive-by-wire pedals, vacuum assisted brake boosters, air bags, power locks, power windows, radial tires or any other feature that didn't initially appear on a Model A that first rolled off the line. They probably said the same thing about cellular telephones and not trusting them over the corded phone... and their grandfathers probably said the said thing about the telephone and not trusting that over the telegraph... and their grandfathers probably didn't trust anything other than the Pony Express.

Look, I get that some people are afraid of new technology, thats cool. What is annoying and unhelpful is people that have NO CLUE what they are talking about giving opinions about a piece of technology.

I don't know a darn thing about how a turbo works, other than it crams more air into an engine, allowing for more fuel and more power. If someone asked about one turbo as opposed to the other, I wouldn't have anything of value to add to the discussion. If I were like some of the goofballs on this thread, I would argue until my face turned blue that the older turbo was obviously the best and that I would NEVER trust the new turbo and would ask (in a very snarky tone, nonetheless) the OP to tell me what roads he will drive on because I would never want to be on the same road as him because his new turbo would cause a catastrophic collision and likely impregnate my daughter... at the same time.

Please, for the sake of an educated argument, if you don't know about which you are speaking... don't give an opinion...

spoon059 wrote:
While I was initially opposed to using wireless, it is the only system that we could install that would allow him to have brakes. I'm sure if we spent thousands of dollars at a dealer they could have eventually tracked down a trigger wire for us and we could have installed a traditional controller.

I wouldn't count on it. My own local dealer who does hundreds of trailer wiring installations each year, including brake controllers, now turns down any Mercedes because of the difficulty of getting any brake controller, wired or wireless, to work properly. They did two years ago manage to finally get a Prodigy RF to work with a customer's Mercedes but it took an entire day, communicating countless times with Mercedes about the issues, only finally achieved success by using the shop truck to sync the Prodigy RF modules. Customers of course don't understand why this is so difficult and are unwilling to pay beyond a normal shop charge for brake controller installation so the only solution from the dealer's point of view is to refuse work on any Mercedes.

24v wrote:
I like it because I didn't have to screw a controller to the dash on my nice new truck, ... It involves literally zero modifications to the truck.

IBC, same same.

Love the IBC in my Chevy. Way better braking than an add-on aftermarket controller

Nicholsfamily05 wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
There are very few wireless things that I trust and brakes are one of them! why wireless when there is a plug under the dash and a plug at the hitch!

X2

x3

Bumpyroad wrote:

24v wrote:

It still plugs into the truck at the back bumper. You just don't have to wire the controller into the truck at the dash.

I assume that the TV has to have a standard 4 or 7 pin outlet for the trailer turn signals/brakes/etc. so it would have to be plugged into theTV so what does the wireless unit do? sandwich it between TV and trailer plug?
bumpy

It removes the need to install a trailer brake controller inside the vehicle. So you install the controller on the trailer and it plugs inline with the trailer connector.

The people who complain about RF and wireless have just not tried it and are worried for nothing. As long as the wire is plugged in at the trailer, it will work, no different than any other style of controller.

I like it because I didn't have to screw a controller to the dash on my nice new truck, and I can put it away when not using it. It involves literally zero modifications to the truck.

Like Jeremiah said, some vehicles make it almost impossible to wire brakes in. My friend has a Mercedes ML550, rated to tow 7500 lbs. They designed this truck to work with European trailers, which apparently tend to use surge style braking systems. As a result, the Mercedes has no brake trigger wire anywhere... Nothing under or around the brake pedal, no trigger wires available anywhere that is accessible.

In order for my friend to be able to tow his Coachman trailer and use the braking system, the only available option was a wireless system. We installed the Tekonsha Prodigy RF. It requires a traditional 7 pin plug, but we didn't need to feed the brake line wire.

Once set up, the brakes work with or without the handheld module being connected. The system works similar to a surge brake system, but it is much more sensitive. Initially on our test drive the brakes felt a little clunky, but after a couple of miles they became super smooth and everything felt normal.

While I was initially opposed to using wireless, it is the only system that we could install that would allow him to have brakes. I'm sure if we spent thousands of dollars at a dealer they could have eventually tracked down a trigger wire for us and we could have installed a traditional controller.

Bumpyroad wrote:

24v wrote:

It still plugs into the truck at the back bumper. You just don't have to wire the controller into the truck at the dash.

I assume that the TV has to have a standard 4 or 7 pin outlet for the trailer turn signals/brakes/etc. so it would have to be plugged into theTV so what does the wireless unit do? sandwich it between TV and trailer plug?
bumpy

So like I said the only difference is not plugging something in under the dash, an easily accessible plug! this is a solution looking for a problem. like I said......wireless is OK for a system that you`re not dependent on TPMS, big deal, you don't get a reading from a tire. keyless start, car wont start not dangerous just very inconvenient. wireless camera no biggie no image. wireless brake controller... no brakes! UMMM not acceptable. and we all no RF interference is a real problem. no thank you! I`ll stick with wired. I know the system operates in a fail safe mode but I`de rather not rely on that type of system!