Choosing A Trailer Brake Controller

If you’ve ever felt the sheer panic of fishtailing a vehicle or trailer in inclement weather, then you know the importance of a brake controller. Trailer brake controllers can mean the difference between making a safe stop and losing control.

Most trailers have electric brakes, which require a brake controller with the correct connections from the tow vehicle to the trailer to work properly. In fact, if a trailer is more than 50 feet long or 4,000 pounds, it is not safe to tow without trailer brakes.

“Trailer brake controllers are important to ensure the towed trailer remains stable when braking,” explains Erich Ross, Regional Sales Manager for REDARC. “It acts in unison with the tow vehicle, preventing the trailer from pushing and/or overtaking the towing vehicle when coming to a stop, which could cause an accident.”

Ready for smooth and effortless braking? With the right brake controller, the towing experience can feel like there is not even a trailer attached.

To learn more about the importance of brake controllers (and what’s new at REDARC), The Engine Block recently sat down with Ross. Keep reading for his insider opinion on how these important towing accessories have evolved in recent years, how customer needs are driving the innovation, and what kind of cool features you can expect to find in today’s offerings. In addition to REDARC, we’ll also take a peek at two other players in the segment, CURT and Tekonsha, to see what they have to offer customers seeking a little additional stopping power.

How Does a Trailer Brake Controller Work?

Early brake controllers functioned on a timed delay. They gradually applied an increasingly stronger braking signal to the trailer, based on the amount of time the brake pedal pushed on the towing vehicle. The drawback to this method was that the amount of braking was always the same, despite the rate of deceleration.

Modern brake controllers utilize an internal accelerometer to proportionally apply braking based on the momentum of the deceleration. This type of braking is not only more precise, but also more efficient – not to mention smoother. Newer proportional trailer brake controllers also provide an override function. When activated, it sends a moderate braking signal just to the trailer to assist in overcoming sway.

REDARC

For years, the worst part of a brake controller has been its location in the vehicle.

“We are still mounting little black boxes underneath our dash and hitting them with our knees every time we get into the tow vehicle,” says Ross.

While many drivers felt this constant knee knocking was a small price to pay for safety, Ross points out the placement is actually becoming a hazard. “Many newer trucks today incorporate a knee protecting airbag located on the lower dash, right where we traditionally mount brake controllers.”

However, he says REDARC solved this problem with its Tow-Pro range of brake controllers.

“The Tow Pro brake controllers are one of the very few on the market that have rejected the old style of under-dash mounting and designed a unit to mount unseen behind the dash, with only the small control head visible,” says Ross. “The simplistic design of the control head differs greatly from the many units that are screwed into the lower dash and are becoming increasingly complicated to program.”

The Tow-Pro lineup offers options for everyday towing (Tow-Pro Liberty) and off-road towing (Tow-Pro Elite). The latter allows users to switch between proportional braking for highway conditions and a user-controlled mode for off-road towing. This manual mode deactivates the proportional control supplied by the accelerometer and allows the user to set the desired braking force on the control knob, independent of deceleration forces. Ross says the functionality makes Tow Pro Elite the only brake controller on the market designed to operate in harsh conditions.

Electronics Experts

“REDARC has been manufacturing automotive electronics in-house for over 40 years,” stresses Ross. The company’s portable electronic solutions are renowned for their innovation, and near-indestructability.

“With an important part of our business being focused on off-road and overlanding electronic systems utilized in the Australian outback, our products are built with quality in mind to ensure they are going to operate when you need them the most,” says Ross.

To learn more about the Tow Pro range, as well as REDARC’s diverse lineup of power conversion and storage products, head over to www.redarcelectronics.com.

CURT

While CURT may not boast REDARC’s prowess in electronics, it more than makes up for it in towing know-how. Hitches are the company’s bread and butter, but the CURT product line also includes many towing accessories. This includes a smartphone/Bluetooth brake controller that takes a high-tech approach to the towing experience.

Meet the CURT Echo mobile trailer brake controller.

The controller syncs with an Apple or Android phone, turning it into a wireless brake controller interface. It sports a compact, portable design, and allows for intuitive, app-enabled functionality. Transfer from one vehicle to another with no headache, and enjoy convenient storage when not in use. Bonus? Installation is tool-free! Simply insert the controller in between your vehicle’s 7-way socket and the trailer’s 7-way connector, then pair it to the smartphone app and get towing.

Designed for a modern towing experience, the Echo has a Bluetooth connection up to 50 feet and can store multiple vehicle-trailer profiles in its complementary app. It also has smart safety settings. This way, if the Bluetooth connection is lost, the device will simply use the most recently programmed settings. Echo also notifies users with error messages if the trailer disconnects or overloads during travel.

To support hands-free driving, a manual override button is also available to complement the Echo. This wireless, Bluetooth button works with the Smart Control app to enable manual activation of the trailer brakes.

Making things even simpler, CURT’s website provides shopping guides, complete articles, and more on how to properly use a brake controller. From towing accessories to towing electrical, CURT’s knowledgebase ensures a person has everything they need to tow with confidence.

To learn more about the Echo wireless brake controller, head to www.curtmfg.com.

Tekonsha

Cutting its teeth on RV accessories in the 1960s, Tekonsha steadily transitioned to towing safety. Today, it maintains a strong focus on brake controllers, electrical wiring, and trailer brakes.

The company’s newest offering is the Prodigy iD Brake Controller. Reiterating the problem with traditional “knee-knocker” brake controllers, Tekonsha aims to solve the issue with an in-dash mounted trailer brake controller option. Prodigy iD is for trailers with two, four, six, and eight brakes (1-4 axles).

The Prodigy iD brake controller can easily be set up and controlled with an Apple or Android smartphone using Tekonsha’s EDGE mobile app. Users can control and monitor their brake controllers’ settings including power output and boost right from the mobile device. Save multiple trailer and driver settings so whoever is towing, Prodigy iD intuitively knows their style.

Depending on the type of towing you’re doing, you may want a different type of braking experience. The Prodigy iD allows for both proportional or time braking with a simple tap or turn of the dial. The manual knob is spring-loaded to easily set brake controller settings or manually apply trailer brakes. It also includes an LED display with easy-to-read diagnostics and brake controller settings displayed in real-time. If a fault occurs in the trailer braking system, a real-time alert notification is sent to your mobile device, along with troubleshooting options, so you’re not left alone to fix the issue.

Not ready for a next-gen, tech-oriented controller?

Tekonsha has something for everyone when it comes to brake controller options. The under-dash P3 Trailer Brake Controller features a dash-hugging design with a snap-in mounting clip. Other features include an easy-to-read LCD display with multiple screen color options, five storable setting options, and upfront controls.

Meanwhile, the Prodigy RF Trailer Brake Controller is wireless and moves between vehicles. So, if you hit the road with multiple vehicles, all you have to do is secure a wireless brake control unit onto your trailer and go. It utilizes a standard sealed seven-way connector and works with up to three braking axles.

To learn more about Tekonsha’s brake controller line up, head over to www.tekonsha.com.

Customer is King

It seems clear that customers want easy-to-use, non-knee-knocking brake controllers that are dependable. (Ross says a failed brake controller can cause a serious accident if the weight of the trailer pushes the tow vehicle into an unsafe condition). Manufacturers are answering the call with new tech and dash-mounted controllers.

“Brake controller manufacturers are starting to look at ways to break the mold of the black boxes mounted under the dash,” says Ross. “More factory-looking controllers are being developed and put to market. REDARC is far ahead of the curve and has been the trend setter in aesthetics and quality of brake controllers for several years.”