Anyone Experienced with Hopkins Insight Brake Controller?

[TeryT]

Has anyone had experience with the Hopkins Insight controller? It is a proportional type and gets pretty good reviews on Amazon and other places. The main thing with it is that it comes in three separate units, instead of the traditional one unit design (like the Tekonsha P3 et.al.). This allows the display to be mounted on the dash and the controls to be mounted in a more accessible place, instead of where you have to reach down to access. (the unit's brains are mounted under the dash) The cost is currently $72 on Amazon, which seems really cheap, as it used to list for $139. I like the idea of the functionality with the three separate pieces, but wonder why it's so much cheaper than the P3 . . . (cheaper is always better, right? L:)L)

I'm especially curious if anyone with a Hensley hitch has used this controller and how it worked to soften the infamous "Hensley bump." I've used a couple Jordan 2020 controllers (true proportional as it hooks to the brake pedal via cable), but my last Jordan just went south on me. I know everyone seems to love the Tekonsha P3, but I like to at least try to be a little different . . .

[jerem0621]

Lol...your posts remind me of me 8 years ago. Sorry for the side bar.

Prodigy for the Win for me. Love them and will have no other unless there is an IBC in my future. (There is not, I’m too broke for such a modern tug)

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[TeryT]

Oh decisions, decisions . . .

[BarneyS]

Yep, I think you justified it quite well. :B
Now, doing a bit more thinking on this subject (overthinking?) I feel it would really be a good thing if you did purchase and use that controller - that is what I would do anyway.

I, as of the end of this winters trip to Texas and back to Michigan, have quit traveling via RV and will use our trailer for a "summer place" in my son's beautiful family campground in the woods in northern Michigan. I have one more tow to do and that is take our trailer from the lower part of Michigan up to his campground, then that is it for us.

If I were going to continue towing, I would purchase one of those controllers and give it a try. Craigslist is my friend in case it didn't workout well! :B

Did I do ok on my over-thinkingness ? :W
Barney

[TeryT]

BarneyS wrote:
Teri,

I kind of think you might be trying to overthink this. The Prodigy will do the job and do it well. If you have some money to burn then perhaps the other controller would be a good choice too. I know what I did for many years and was completely satisfied. If I were going to tow a lot again (I'm not ) I think I would purchase one to try it out. Kind of did the same thing with the Hensley years ago. :R

Actually, truth be told, I would like to see you get the other controller, use it, and report your impressions on this forum. We could all use a bit of educating.:)
Barney

Overthink it!? No way! L;)L Yeah, that's me . . . The only thing about the Hopkins Insight is I haven't been able to read much about the boost feature on it and this seems like the main thing, considering the Hensley.

Problem with us "over-thinkers" (aka paralysis of analysis) is that it does pay-off in some situations. For instance, when I contemplated towing a 25' TT with the 4Runner many years ago. Many, many on here thought that it was flat-out crazy, but after hundreds of posts and detailed conversations with a wide-range of people (including engineers and Hensley pros), it was pretty well established that the Hensley would allow the V8 4Runner to pull it fine. So that's the route I took, and after 12 years and tens of thousands of miles up and down all terrains, it works quite well!

So do you like how I justified my over-thinkingness? 😄

[BarneyS]

Teri,
Well, it really doesn't HAVE to be adjusted in city driving but if you have it set on boost #3 (most boost) which I did because my trailer is quite heavy, then when you drive in the city that much boost is too much and makes for a jerky stop when you lightly touch the brakes to come up to light. The boost comes on strong, the trailer brakes come on strong and then almost immediately back off to the rate of deceleration. If you don't mind that initial jerk then there is no need to change the boost. Keep in mind that to change the boost you just push a button once or twice. No big deal.

I kind of think you might be trying to overthink this. The Prodigy will do the job and do it well. If you have some money to burn then perhaps the other controller would be a good choice too. I know what I did for many years and was completely satisfied. If I were going to tow a lot again (I'm not ) I think I would purchase one to try it out. Kind of did the same thing with the Hensley years ago. :R

Actually, truth be told, I would like to see you get the other controller, use it, and report your impressions on this forum. We could all use a bit of educating.:)
Barney

[TeryT]

BarneyS wrote:

TeryT wrote:
Snip...

For me, the bottom line would be how well it helps to eliminate the "Hensley bump." A few who have the Hensley hitch have said the P3 does real well with this. (Others with a Hensley hitch claim the P3 is just a sophisticated pendulum controller that will never come close to matching the smoothness of a true proportional control, which is in some way is connected directly to the braking system.)

I have already replied to your other post asking about this but take issue with your statement above that says "A few who have the Hensley hitch have said the P3 does real well with this." There are a whole lot more than a "few" of us using that hitch with a Prodigy.

In addition, I now tow with a vehicle that has the integrated controller and find it to be totally seamless in braking. However, the only really different part from the Prodigy is in slow speed maneuvering. With the Prodigy, you would have to change the boost in slow speed driving/braking to avoid jerks because of the boost from the highway setting. All that amounted to was pushing a single button on the controller. It was not difficult to do BUT you had to remember to do it and to push it again when you got back up to highway speed. That was about the only thing I found much different between braking with the Prodigy and my present trucks integrated controller. They both worked equally well with the Hensley hitch that I have been using for about 12 years. Both provide smooth sure stops as long as the trailer brakes are properly adjusted.
Barney

OK, that is additional information I don't think I had - that the boost on the P3 has to be adjusted between city and highway. Hmmmm, I suppose that is something just inherent in all accelerometer type proportional controllers, right?

[BarneyS]

TeryT wrote:
Snip...

For me, the bottom line would be how well it helps to eliminate the "Hensley bump." A few who have the Hensley hitch have said the P3 does real well with this. (Others with a Hensley hitch claim the P3 is just a sophisticated pendulum controller that will never come close to matching the smoothness of a true proportional control, which is in some way is connected directly to the braking system.)

I have already replied to your other post asking about this but take issue with your statement above that says "A few who have the Hensley hitch have said the P3 does real well with this." There are a whole lot more than a "few" of us using that hitch with a Prodigy.

In addition, I now tow with a vehicle that has the integrated controller and find it to be totally seamless in braking. However, the only really different part from the Prodigy is in slow speed maneuvering. With the Prodigy, you would have to change the boost in slow speed driving/braking to avoid jerks because of the boost from the highway setting. All that amounted to was pushing a single button on the controller. It was not difficult to do BUT you had to remember to do it and to push it again when you got back up to highway speed. That was about the only thing I found much different between braking with the Prodigy and my present trucks integrated controller. They both worked equally well with the Hensley hitch that I have been using for about 12 years. Both provide smooth sure stops as long as the trailer brakes are properly adjusted.
Barney

[TeryT]

Lynnmor wrote:
I believe you will find that the Hopkins works about the same way as the P2 & P3. That is there is a preset amount of braking in conjunction with the brake lights. Then the pendulum effect takes place according to your tow vehicles ability to slow the combination. In my opinion, choose the one that mounts like you want it.

With brake controllers being controlled by brake lights and accelerometers, is there any wonder that hitch play might be annoying? My preference is brakes controlled by the operators foot pressure, like factory units.

Agreed! That certainly is a big advantage of newer vehicles, in that they come with a direct-link proportional braking system! The fact that auto manufacturers are including these now is likely why the aftermarket true proportional (direct linkage) controllers are falling by the wayside . . .

From what Barney (forum moderator) said the P3 has a boost you can set that comes on with the brake light, which basically takes care of the bump. I just don't know for sure if the Hopkins Insight has that feature.

[Lynnmor]

I believe you will find that the Hopkins works about the same way as the P2 & P3. That is there is a preset amount of braking in conjunction with the brake lights. Then the pendulum effect takes place according to your tow vehicles ability to slow the combination. In my opinion, choose the one that mounts like you want it.

With brake controllers being controlled by brake lights and accelerometers, is there any wonder that hitch play might be annoying? My preference is brakes controlled by the operators foot pressure, like factory units.

[TeryT]

Well I'm surprised no one's said they've had experience with this controller! It gets a 76% 5 star over on Amazon with 116 reviews, and very good reviews on various towing websites. (FYI - The Tekonsha P3 does better with 89% 5 star with over 1400 reviewers.)

The downsides I've read on this controller are that the display is not always bright enough and running extra cables & holes in your dash to mount the two dash units. Some reviews said they liked it just as well as the P3 in terms of overall braking. Most everyone liked the ability to mount the panic button in a more accessible place. But it doesn't have the nice readout and diagnostics of the P3.

For me, the bottom line would be how well it helps to eliminate the "Hensley bump." A few who have the Hensley hitch have said the P3 does real well with this. (Others with a Hensley hitch claim the P3 is just a sophisticated pendulum controller that will never come close to matching the smoothness of a true proportional control, which is in some way is connected directly to the braking system.)