Tow rig brake controller
 

My experience with electric trailer brakes is pretty limited. Will be installing a controller in my light duty truck to help slow down a loaded car hauler. Truck is an Explorer, with V8, tow pack, and class IV receiver. Trailer will be a tandem with brakes on single or both axles--yet to be purchased. Truck is currently wired for 4 pin. It's not wired for 7 pin or brake controller yet, so I have a blank slate.

I'm looking for a recommendation on a brake controller. Timed? Progressive?
And if it has a single axis accelerometer, can I mount it vertically on the center console? Based on my reading so far, I think I want a progressive controller that can be mounted approx vertically, off the side of the center console--assuming such a creature exists.

If you have feedback or recommendations on a specific model, please share.

Why not the mechanical ones built into the tongue? I'm very limited on my trailer knowledge, but I do know about those. Just don't know any pros/cons of them.

If you have electric brakes on the trailer already get a TEKONSHA PRODIGY for the brake controller. After much research that is what I bought and it works great. It will compensate for being slightly off of level on the mounting. I have towed a dual-axle 20 foot loaded enclosed car hauler with it a few times already with no problem.

You will have to wire the truck for the 7-pin connector but it is not that big a deal. I did this myself last year on my Tundra because before 2003 they were not prewired for electric brakes. If you go to etrailer.com they have what you need and also have instructions on how to do the wiring. Their prices are pretty good too. You need the 7-pin connector, wiring, and a couple of self-resetting relays.

For others, if your truck is already wired for a 7-pin brake connector (most of the new ones are) then just get the adapter plug for the Prodigy, mount it, and plug it in to your factory harness. Done.

Electric trailer brakes are fantastic.

Not sure about the Explorer but the F series come prewired for a 7-pin and brake controller if you get the towing package. There is a kit to replace the 4-pin plug with a 7-pin plug.

If you plan on going to VIR get a trailer with brakes on both axles, it's required in NC (and a lot of other states).

This is NC's law.

A LOT of trailers are sold with only one braking axle.

I haven't started towing yet but I've already bought my controller and have a trailer on order. What I saw most controllers were okay with being at an angle but they still had to be in line with the direction of travel. So you could angle it up to see the display while driving.

http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Contro...sha/90195.html

Was what I got. Likely overkill for my little Miata on an open trailer but it's a safety item. I'd rather have something better than I need than jackknife when my surge brakes don't work.

This is what I use in the truck. Excellent controller. Spend the extra bucks for it - having a crappy controller really sucks. You'll get poor braking on the highway and really touchy brakes around town.

My trailer has brakes on rear axle only, our other flatbed has them on both. The upside to both is that you won't flatspot the trailer tires as easily, but I've never noticed a stability problem with only 1 axle braked.

Surge brakes SUCK.

I also use that controller in my truck and bus. Works great, is predictable, and is super easy to wire up.

Another +1 for the prodigy. Pay a little more for one, cause it's an area you don't want to cheap out on, and it's a one time expense.

They have a limited utility for boat trailers that are going to be immersed in salt water, but absolutely no place on a race car trailer.

+1 on the Prodigy. I have one, came with the truck, works great.

--Ian

Thanks guys.

The truck is definitely not prewired for the trailer brake controller, but I can take care of the wiring. I will be picking up one of the Tekonsha controllers. Looks like it has to be mounted parallel to the direction of travel, which is too bad. Vertically off the side of the center console would have been a more convenient position (easier to reach and more visible) than under the dash, but so be it.

If anyone has a trailer for sale in the Atlanta area, let me know. Preferably with brakes on both axles.

Man - thats a nice controller. I have single axle brakes on my dual axle shark tank. Only gripe about it (some Pilot brand) is as progressive goes - when I have to brake check b/c of some moron cut me off, the truck does the brunt of the braking as the trailer is not at full brake yet. I wish I also had dual braking axles...

Those yank controllers are so good I'm even rocking one in my tow rig here in Australia; Prodigy P3.

I had an original Prodigy, and now have a Prodigy 3 (P3). The original Pridigy, and P2 are still on the market (along side the P3. I'd go for the P3.

I've also towed with a Miata with a V8 Explorer. Suggest you look into a bigger truck for towing a car trailer.

I like the original prodigy,

While I don't disagree with you and would love a 3/4 ton turbo diesel, getting a bigger truck is not a reality for me right now.

Besides I've put a lot into the Explorer within the year--new Michelins, new 4 wheel brakes (rotors, pads, rebuilt front calipers, wheel bearings), rear shocks and overload springs, class IV receiver, plus other normal maintenance.

I am pulling my 20' enclosed car hauler with a 1/2 ton Tundra (V8) and although it is not ideal it works and I am within its towing capacity. Every time I calculate the ROI on selling the Tundra and getting a larger diesel it just does not make sense.

People in the US are kinda funny about towing with anything other than a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. Hell Tacomas are rated to handle 7500lbs if propely equipped. Given with a smaller tow vehicle, you have less room for error, but it can still be perfectly safe.

If you look at it like an accountant, no the math won't work. But if you have the finances, a heavier, long wheelbase truck with a ton of torque takes a lot of the stress out of long haul tows. A turbo diesel will also get better mileage, especially unloaded--but the up front is easily $20k used with 100k miles or more. I can't justify that and do not want a car payment.

We bought the 2000 explorer in 2002 with 30k on it. It now has 205k. It's been a great truck, and I have the title.

I have already installed overload springs in the back. I hate airbags and hope to not need them. I also plan on getting a weight distributing hitch.
The truck is rated for the load I plan to pull, and should be ok with the weight distribution and trailer brakes so long as I don't need to cross mountains.

I have never used the weight distribution hitch, but I know people who swear by them. I havn't taken the time to truly understand how they work, it just does. Kinda like a posi track on a plymouth.

+1 on TEKONSHA PRODIGY.

I've had one in my last two trucks, and I've given two as gifts to friends that already had brake controllers in their trucks, but changed them out for the Prodigy.

The WDH works by limiting the downward angle of the trailer tongue, preventing the trailer from being able to push the rear of your vehicle down too far. The weight is still on the tow vehicle, but is better spread through the chassis instead of straight down on the rear. With more weight transferred to the front tires, you will have better control steering and braking.

3/4 ton turbo diesel with tekonsha prodigy here. Very easy to setup. This is my first truck and the track car was the first time towing anything. No drama on my 500 mile round trip tow.

I agree that you'll be able to get around town fine with the Explorer. The issue is that you don't want the tail to wag the dog. That happened to me a few times with the Explorer...and it wasn't fun. My next tow vehicle was an FJ Cruiser. Though it was taller than the Explorer, it was wider and quite a bit more powerful & efficient. My current tow vehicle is a Tundra.

I ran a WD hitch and it was a huge help. The weight distribution will help out the truck's rear axle, and will also prevent the trailer from swaying. Short trips (a few hours) were fine, the longer trips were more stressful. Mountains? Big stress. I'd take advantage of gravity as much as possible. Even with brakes on both axles (the only way to go), stopping distances are greatly increased.

I would strongly recommend a transmission cooler, if you don't have one already. Also take a good look at your cooling system. Mine was under stress (i could watch the needle raise while climbing).

If you haven't towed before, you'll quickly find out that towing to/from track events is usually much more dangerous than actually running at the event. Some drivers are clueless and will continue to make dumb-ass moves on you, as if you were driving a smaller car.

Sounds like you are doing a good job outfitting the Explorer.

- Will

Surge brakes suck, and are illegal (at least in Florida) for commercial use. One of the reasons I like a controller, is that you can activate it with your hand if you get in an emergency situation, and you need to apply more braking power to the trailer.

We are pretty much out of the trailer business, but when we were, we sold mostly Tekonsha controllers. Redneck Trailers is the big distributor, and is in many states.

Don't get a weight distribution hitch. They can be dangerous if all hell does break loose, and most are not setup correctly anyway. With decent brakes on the truck/trailer and the prodigy controller setup, you should have zero issues towing a go-kart around with the Explorer. Just watch your tongue weight when loading the car and adjust as needed.

Single axle trailers have huge issues walking back and fourth, but we've had very little issues with tandem and triple axle trailers staying stable.

I think one of the big reason for trailer sway is people get the wrong tires for their trailers. You should run special duty trailer tires with stiff sidewalls. People cheap out and get regular car tires, which are too mushy and bounce around.

Truck has trans cooling through the radiator, then has a secondary trans cooler (factory) in the grill. Radiator was replaced a couple years ago. I run 70% water in it. I can run a higher water concentration in the summer if need be. I hope it doesn't need anything more than that as I don't have a lot of free time as it is, but I'll address it if necessary.

I have a 17' boat on a single axle steel trailer that the Explorer hauls to the lake with ease. Does not wag at 75 mph, though I usually keep it no faster than 65 on the highway. I think it's in the 3500 lb range. I think the race car on a tandem will be in the range of 4000-4500 depending on what if any extra crap I take with me (tools, jacks, wheels/tires, pit bike, fuel, etc).

I've pulled cars a couple of times with the Explorer, once was a Miata on a dolly. The other was a different Miata on a tandem a couple weeks ago. I ran it up to see how well it would pull at speed. Got a little wag at 70 and backed it down to 60 again. Trip was fine except I did not have the trailer brakes hooked up as I don't have a controller yet. I knew the trailer was back there, but it ran smooth. The only drama was when a guy pulling a stock trailer in the lane next to me slammed on his brakes and a pig riding in the trailer flew into a cow. The cow let out a loud MMMMMOOOOOO! and kicked the pig. It was both absolutely hysterical and depressingly sad at the same time.

I've pulled trailers up to 15,000 lbs, 8.5x20, through the city of Atlanta. Pulling a trailer that wide through downtown is no joke. Tow vehicle was a Dodge Ram Hemi 2500 4x4 (work vehicle).

Basically what I'm trying to say is I understand a bigger tow vehicle is better, but I have what I have. I don't want to have to drive a Suburban every day and don't have the budget for a PowerStroke.

I have the load distributing hitch in hand since it was included with the trailer when I bought it (used). I have not tried it out yet but I plan to.

The trailer is a tandem axle (brakes on both axles) with the high load rating (12 ply?) Maxxis trailer tires. Sway even in a crosswind has been fine so far. Last trip for whatever reason I noticed I had a lot of tongue weight even with the car as far back in the trailer as I could place it. I need to get bumpers/springs/air bags and/or try the load distributing hitch.

Chpmnsws6 you are one of the few I have heard advise against a load distributing hitch. If they are installed correctly, how do they cause a problem say in an emergency maneuver? I am not being argumentative, I just want to hear what you know.

BTW the Tundra with the towing package (what I have) came with a transmission cooler.

I am assuming it is OK to jack this thread at this point since it is pretty clear the OP question has been answered.

Its just second hand info I received from a veteran who did a lot of horse trailer hauling "back in the day". He said that it was used as a crutch when you had too small a truck and that now instead of just the trailer getting squirrely, it could now take the truck with it. I just think they are a PITA to take on and off. The last person I saw (well, worked for) with them ended up finally just upgrading her truck (1500 5.3 pulling 3-4 race horses, 2 carts, and a small tack room).

If you have the option when buying the trailer, disc brakes are also FAR nicer then the drums. Easier to work on and more consistent stopping power (plus they seem to have a bit more stopping power)

Driving skill/experience dictates mostly the size of the vehicle you have to have. One other reason for the tail wagging can be light tounge weight or real short wheel base truck aka a "OJ Bronco". On any vehicle you should limit the amount of kicking in and out of OD when going up hills by helping it in advance to prolong trans life. I have a cheap manual brake controller and it works fine once I test set it before I hit a busy road. I will say its touchy in town, not dangerous but jerky.

I paid $15K for mine last year, but yeah, that was twice the price of the gas Suburban 2500s with the 454 that I was also looking at.

--Ian

Since this thread seems to attract the proper audience for this question--Do you guys carry a rider on your trailer? I called my ins co (allstate) this morning to arrange comp, thinking it would be an easy task--but apparently there are hoops to jump through. I dunno.

I went over budget and got an aluminum trailer for the weight savings, and I really can't afford to have it stolen.

People should never ride on the trailer going down the road, that's just not safe. Come on man!

I don't carry a theft policy on my trailers because it was a fairly large pain in the ass to setup. I did make sure in the even of an accident, the liability of anything heppening from the trailer was covered though through my normal insurance.

In my state, the trailer carries liability automatically when hitched on the tow vehicle. However, comprehensive and collision are added as a rider or separate policy. I am most concerned over what could happen when the trailer is unattended. I do plan to secure the trailer to the extent possible (multiple locks and chains, tack weld the coupler bolts, lock the breakaway chains, etc). But I fully understand that if someone wants to steal it, they will.

I googled trailer insurance last night and found that people were reporting premiums in the range of $50/year, which seems perfectly reasonable to me. Some policies also cover items stored on/in the trailer against theft. My track car is not going to be registered or insured otherwise, so I was thinking of storing it on the trailer and letting it fall under the trailer's policy (and I would purchase enough coverage to make sure).

I have coverage on my boat trailer. It was included with my boat policy. It was pretty cheap and covers if I wreck it in transit or if someone steals it. I was able to set it up easily over the phone. For some reason, the car trailer is harder to insure. I'm waiting on a return call from AllState.

1. Modern Proportional Controller. Curt / Prodigy etc. For Prodigy, the P2 is actually the newer design and nicer imo. General wiring kits from many places for 7 wire with controller. Some vehicles had an option package you can install later.
2. Equalizer hitch for wd & sway control. Adventurerv.net has this for half what I paid and half normal price now.
3. Backup camera is nice if your truck is so equipped. Otherwise, tennis ball method.
4. Sealed, self-lubing marine bearings for trailer & e-brake maintenance.
5. Mirrors, a helper to learn to park, patience and practice.

I wish the tacoma was 7500lbs towing. The max package with the max engine is 6400 lbs for towing capacity. GCWR is 7500 lbs for the smaller engine but that is not the towing capacity.

Sway isn't so much an issue on an open hauler or small trailer. I pulled a closed 7x16 I used to use for motorcycles that barely fits my Miata. It would move around a lot behind my small Ranger then larger Tacoma as it is a giant air brake. Windy days and passing trucks wasn't a lot of fun. The Equalizer hitch made towing a lot simpler and when setup just made the trip to the track more relaxing. As it is a friction system, it will tend to reduce sway due to friction but when you command a turn, it moves... so the quick reaction issue mentioned isn't relevant with this design anyway.

I don't, but then I bought about the cheapest car hauling trailer I could find, steel frame, wood deck, brakes on just one axle. One nice thing about having overbought on the tow vehicle is that some extra weight on the trailer isn't a problem.

--Ian

FWIW I just used the weight distributing hitch for the first time this weekend and it is definitely an improvement. I adjusted it during installation per the usual procedure because apparently the previous owner of the trailer was clueless. The feel of the vehicle is much more solid, and there is less rear axle bounce going over bumps.

Check out BrakeSmart, imo, a better brake controller. It uses the hydraulic pressure in your brake line to determine the braking for the trailer. I used to tow trailers between 2500 lbs to 20000 lbs using the same controller with my cummins 2500 truck, the controller work flawlessly with all the trailers. If you truck is undersized, investment in the best brake controller is cheap compared to the alternatives.

ROI on a diesel depends entirely on how much you drive. The mistake people make is weighing the initial cost tpo heavily in their decision. A half-ton Chevy gasser is around 8-10k - a diesel equivalent with equivalent miles is 15-17k. No coincidence that the Diesel option was about 7k when the truck was new.

Figure out how much you drive, figure out the savings, and decide whether you're better off having 7k in the truck enjoying the extra power and fuel economy, or 7k in the bank making interest.

Figure you'll get around 15% better mileage all around with a diesel (I get 19+ unloaded, 14mpg towing the flatbed at 70, 12mpg towing the 2-car at 65mph). I drive 35,000 miles a year at ~15mpg average, which works out to around 2330 gallons, or $10.5k/yr in diesel. (jesus christ.) Figure my average would be 12mpg with a gasser, which means ~$13k/yr in gas. $3k/year savings for me. or ~$750 per 10k miles you drive. YMMV, depending on the cost split between 87 and diesel in your area. I try to time my fuel stops so I fill at truck stops on interstates (~$4.35/gal) instead of in town ($4.70/gal).

There are other factors (maintenance of a diesel is a little more expensive, each oil change costs around $40-45, fuel filters are $40), but if you've got the extra 7k to spend, there's not much reason to NOT go with a diesel truck.

In my case I only drive the truck I am towing with about 3K-5K tops since it is not my DD. So for me the ROI is not favorable. Or put another way, with the money I would spend obtaining a used Diesel truck, I have a used gas truck and a fun daily driver that gets 22+ mpg.

But if I towed as much as Sav I would definitely be looking at Diesels. That is a lot of driving.

Looks awesome, but that's too much money to spend. Thanks for the info though. Next (bigger) truck, I'll look more into it. I already blew the metaphorical wad on the aluminum trailer.

I've been eyeballing the diesel excursions with the 7.3. Need to find some money first though. ;)

I know someone at work that has one. It is really nice, and surprisingly quick for a huge Diesel vehicle. He bought it used at a good price but had to cast a very wide net to find it.

FYI on buying a diesel.

Buy pre-07. They started adding smog stuff to the trucks in that year. The EGR is killing modern diesels, not to mention the MPG's really suffer with the regen. It's so bad, we are pretty close to throwing away our 100K warranty to pull it all off.

What a waste of money. The P2 Prodigy is $120 and works perfectly fine.

I like em a lot, but for grins I looked up gassers. They're $10k less, so I might lean that way. $10K buy A LOT of gas.

I had a curt reflex proportional controller on a Ranger and a P2 Prodigy in my Tacoma. They both worked and they operate on the basis of the brake signal from the car with an initial programmable boost then accelerometer based braking whose power is also programmable. This works well but a signal from the brake pressure line on a car would work better. Much better. The current generation of heavy duty trucks have this as an option and it is unquestionably better as the brakes will be modulated based on your commanded pressure with your foot.

It is more effort to install, potential leaks, etc. I wouldn't bother unless I had a ton of money to pay someone to do it or were hauling every week. If it were a factory option I would definitely get it.

P2 Prodigy is a good product. It has worked for a lot of folks. BrakeSmart costs a lot more and does not fit into everyone's budget, I get that. However, to call it waste of money, you are wrong, my friend. Unless you have towed with both in various different conditions, you don't know the difference.

Picked up the new trailer. Even managed to get one with an awesome history (it's FM's old trailer). Here's the rig:

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/5...2922edited.jpg

Haven't installed the brake controller yet because we were extremely busy with the MegaMeet and Mitty and Road Atlanta. The truck doesn't have any issues stopping it unloaded as it's a light trailer, but I'll get the controller installed before I pull it loaded.

Didn't buy a controller yet, and well, procrastination pays once again!
The DIYAutoTune.com tow rig is being upgraded, and Jerry gave me the Prodigy P2 out of his old truck before he traded it in. :)

I've only pulled this trailer a couple of times, and only while dark. It's always been a bit rough. Today I pulled it in the day for the first time, and I could see the pass front tire bouncing off the street like a dang basketball. I immediately investigated. Here is the cause. :(

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/8...0518204345.jpg

DOH! Looks like a broken lower leaf spring.

Fortunately not a real expensive fix if you can do it yourself. A new spring can be had at either a local trailer shop or something like etrailer.com for $35 to $45. And for load support, I suggest adding air bags to manage the extra weight as another option. Counters the future spring sag and levels when loaded with bags as well.

Yeah it's a broken leaf. The part isn't expensive, but the time and hassle factor is. I can't use the trailer until this is fixed, and have you ever tried turning a wrench with a broken rib? Yeah, no too much fun.

The trailer is only a few years old, but I'm inclined to go ahead and do all of the springs to start with a fresh set with equal wear. Bags won't be necessary--they just add complication and failure points. This thing is only hauling around Miatas.

Yeah the ribs put a whole different aspect on life. They say hello a few times and we start analyzing every move. I certainly feel for ya there. Doing all new springs is wise of course. Take a close look at the bushings while you are there.

I only mentioned bags because every explorer I have seen has sagging rear and needed assist with just passengers added. Anyway, good luck with it, looks like a nice trailer. The miata will look really small on that thing. lol

I just eyeballed that last night, and it was already dusk. What bushings are there?

Yes the Miata is small on it, but a 18' trailer is easier to resale than a 14' trailer, and there's really not much of a weight penalty. Besides that also gives me enough room to carry extras like a pit bike and what not.

My Explorer has the stiffest of the factory suspension setups, and I've added progressive rate springs in the back to help with hauling loads. I like the idea of the airbags, but don't want to deal with them. I also don't want to keep putting extra stuff on the Explorer--I'd rather save that money towards a bigger truck.

Anyway, all done, replaced the 4 springs. There were no bushings other than the ones that came pre-pressed in the eyes of the springs. Did it at work so I could use the forklift to raise the trailer up--which by the way is epic win. Really wasn't a big deal except nursing my (healing) fractured rib.

Sorry, been away. there are bushing in the spring eyes as you noted and also in the link that ties the two axle springs together. Since you are done I would not worry bout it.

Brought this home this evening. I think it might be a little bit better of a tow vehicle than the Explorer. It's also GVWR 8800 lbs. Over 8500 lbs = no emissions in GA. :) http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/1...310reduced.jpg

It was hard to find a good condition 3/4 ton, especially with a reasonable price.

What does the front badge say?

Standard Ford emblem.

Unless you meant the front license plate, which is a G for UGA (and will be coming off shortly).

No I meant more like what's it say above V8? Powerstroke or Triton...

Triton, 5.4. I could not find a nice 7.3 PowerStroke, especially at a reasonable price. I looked a some, and they were just beat up, and often way expensive.
This truck was obviously used for commuting and not work, hasn't been towed to death, and is presentable to where I can park it in my driveway without aggravating neighbors. It was also $5-6K less than what the diesels are going for.

I would love to buy a 7.3 Excursion 4x4 if I could find one worth having and a reasonable price ($20K or more is not reasonable!).

Just took this one to lunch. It's a nice truck! Hooked up to a trailer, and everything is fine. The back barely comes down with the ~5k lb enclosed trailer on it, unlike the Explorer which got crushed (I only moved the big trailer around in the parking lot with the Explorer, before anyone jumps on me for that). The brake controller is a Hayes or Hughes or something. Seems to suck. I'll put my Prodigy in there.