Electric brake controller

Junior437t · April 20, 2005, 09:13:09 PM

I am looking at putting a trailer brake controller on my truck. I have been told that it makes it better when pulling a trailer. Seems like there are a million to pick from. Mainly it looks like there are Solid state and pendulum styles. The only trailer I would be pulling with electric brakes is my Woodmizer. Looking for suggestions. Pros and cons of each. I searched the archive and could not find anything on this. Thank

bitternut · April 20, 2005, 09:51:04 PM

I did some research on them and ended up buying a tekonsha prodigy. I have a 2002 chevy 2500HD and it plugged right in to a socket under the dash. It was one of the easiest hook ups I have ever done. If you have a later model truck I am sure they have a plug for your truck or suv.

I built a 6 x 12 single axle trailer for hauling firewood home and the first load with it showed me I needed brakes on the trailer. When I got home with the load the first thing I did was order 10" electric brakes, backer plates, new hubs and a brake controller. The brakes work great. Stopping is real easy and the controller is real simple to use.

I am like everyone else with a trailer. You always seem to pile a little more on and pretty soon you are way overloaded. It handles a full cord of split green beech, sugar maple, ironwood and black birch like the trailer is empty.

Stump Jumper · April 20, 2005, 10:09:18 PM

i have the prodigy as well and it is great it has 3boost levels and a gain control for adjusting to different trailers and loads

Brucer · April 21, 2005, 12:58:09 AM

Solid state:

Trailer brakes are applied whenever you step on the brake pedal.
If you touch the brake pedal lightly, you can apply the trailer brake without applying the truck brakes. Nice if your trailer starts to sway, but that's not likely with a Wood-Mizer.
Trailer brakes work even if your truck loses its brakes.
Simple to wire up.
If your brake light switch fails, or the brake light circuit fuse blows, you've got no trailer brakes.

Pendulum/inertia:

Trailer brakes are applied whenever your truck is pointed downhill.
Trailer brakes are applied whenever your truck slows down.
If your truck's brake light circuit fails, the trailer brakes will still work.
Even simpler to wire up.
You have to make sure the controller is mounted level (or make adjustments).
If your truck's brakes fail, the trailer brakes won't come on except when you're going downhill.
If you're trying to back your trailer up hill, the trailer brakes will come on ('cause the trucks pointed downhill). You might find a controller that will disable the trailer brakes when the truck is in reverse, but that complicates the wiring.

Personally I chose the solid state design because I want the trailer brakes to come on when I actually press the brake pedal. I bought a very basic generic unit from a well-know auto parts chain. I figured they wouldn't be selling trash.