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First Time Brake Controller Questions

colbythekid

colbythekid

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Location
Fullerton, CA
Hello
I am looking at renting a trailer for a long thanksgiving weekend this year. The place that I am looking at requires the tow vehicle to have a brake controller. I can rent one from them for $89 or they will install one for $285. I was thinking that I could find and install one for at or just above the price of the rental. However I know nothing of brake controllers.

Are some break controllers better than others? Are there any features that I should avoid or seek out? I am not looking for the best most expensive one but I also don't want some cheap POS from China either.

Depending on how this trip goes we might be looking into purchasing a trailer of our own. The only other trailer that I tow is a 1985 Army trailer that has no breaks on it. If it matters I live in Southern California and will be towing through mountains and hills when I do tow.

I have a 1995 K2500 GMC Suburban. I currently have the four wire tow light set up. I have two extra wires I think they are blue and Orange or maybe red. Are these wires used for the electronic brakes? How does the controller connect to the truck and know when to apply the trailer brakes?

Thanks for your help

Colby
 
Get a proportional controller.

I've got a tekonsha P3. Great little rig. Lots of additional features. (not so much towing related; display color and brightness, braking boost, troubleshooting, voltmeter, etc)

A tekonsha prodigy P2 can be had for around 100 bucks (rv wholesalers.com has them on sale) and has all the technology of thier more expensive models, just a few less "hoochie gootchie" features. I think it will do electric and electric over hydraulic just like the more expensive P3.

Tekonsha also sells some plug in harnesses depending on your truck so you may even get away without hacking up the wiring. Even if not, it's easy to wire in a controller.

A tekonsha voyager can be had for around 65 bucks if you shop around but it's built on older technology. Still works, still good but spend a couple bucks more and get something a little better.

INstalled for 285 is a bit high IMO. but, labor is more expensive these days. If they're charging you 150 bucks for a controller, that's 135 in labor and taxes.

Meh, maybe that's not that bad after all.

I'd rather install it myself and save the 135 bucks......
 
I have the Tekonsha Prodigy and love it...I guess thats the same one GW refers to as the P2...the P3 came out not long after I got mine...but the Produgy can be had cheap with the new P3 out...and it is a dang good controller...installation is a snap if your truck came with a harness for one laying in the glove box when purchased...Probably not on your 6.5 but they are relatively simple to install even without a factory harness...
 
colbythekid said:
Hello


I have a 1995 K2500 GMC Suburban. I currently have the four wire tow light set up. I have two extra wires I think they are blue and Orange or maybe red. Are these wires used for the electronic brakes? How does the controller connect to the truck and know when to apply the trailer brakes?

Thanks for your help

Colby
Click to expand...

The blue wire is for your brake controller and controls how much voltage should be appied to your brakes. The second wire should actually be yellow and is used for charging the battery on an RV type trailer. The wires in the front are taped below the brake reservoir next to the firewall. The type of brake controllers mentioned above use a type of decelerameter to determine how much braking force is being applied. The more the decel, the more voltage that is applied to the brakes of the trailer.
 
Wiring diagram for 7 way plug.

Below is a link to a pdf showing you how to wire each part of the trailer plug. This is the standard 7 way plug wiring in pdf format.

7wayplug.pdf
 
Thanks imadtchmn for that link. That's the best diagram I've ever seen for the 7 pin connector. Printed that and put it in my notebook of diagrams/info for my pickup.

Don
 
imadtchmn said:
The blue wire is for your brake controller and controls how much voltage should be appied to your brakes. The second wire should actually be yellow and is used for charging the battery on an RV type trailer. The wires in the front are taped below the brake reservoir next to the firewall. The type of brake controllers mentioned above use a type of decelerameter to determine how much braking force is being applied. The more the decel, the more voltage that is applied to the brakes of the trailer.
Click to expand...

Correction on the Yellow wire, from 94 to 2001 the color was orange that connects at the fusebox in the engine compartment and goes to the center post on the pigtail connector.
 
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