difference in brake controllers ?

[damon]

I am wondering what the difference is between the various electronic brake controllers on the market. There is a big price range on these controllers, and I am wondering if I should be using this basic Tekonsha Voyager unit that I have, or upgrading to something better.



For the last 6 years I have towed a 5k# gross 5'er, and the Voyager seems to work fine, although I have no other means of comparison. I just bought a new 5'er toyhouse that weighs twice as much, and I am getting a new hitch, so I am wondering if it is worth the $ now to upgrade the controller as well.



Thanks,



Damon

 

[BigMike]

Run a search and you'll find lots of discussion about this. The debate is always between the Jordan and the Tekonsha Prodigy. I have the Prodigy and it is just fantastic. Jordan owners say the same thing. They work differently, so make sure you understand what you're buying. I think they're both the about the same cost.



Good luck!

 

[RustyJC]

Brake controllers generally fall into three (3) categories (ignoring the hydraulic controllers that are extremely rare today): ramped time-based, inertial and proportional.



The ramped time-based controllers put out a signal that increases over time up to a preset maximum. These are the simplest, cheapest and least satisfactory in service - an example is the Reese Brakeman II such as I had. The main problem with them is that you can get them set to work for one set of conditions (e. g. , dry pavement at highway speeds), but the settings aren't right for any other conditions, so you wind up always twiddling with the output and gain settings. If it's set for the highway, it delivers too much braking in town; conversely, if it's set for town, it doesn't deliver enough braking at highway speeds.



The inertial controller uses an accelerometer to determine the rate of deceleration of the truck, and from this it sends a signal to the trailer brakes. If you don't mind an electronic gizmo trying to figure out what you want, some of the newer ones with boost settings, etc. work OK. The simpler ones (such as the Tekonsha Sentinel I had) have their own set of problems. I about put our truck and 5ver in a ditch during a sudden rainstorm - I hadn't changed the settings on the controller, and the truck's brakes couldn't generate enough deceleration to activate the trailer brakes without locking up the front wheels of the truck (1996 3500 with RWAL) on the flooded pavement (can you say jacknife! )



The Jordan Ultima 2020 controller I use now is proportional. It uses a variable resistor connected to the brake pedal arm via a control cable. The amount of trailer braking is determined by how hard I push on the brake pedal (really, how far the pedal travels). With this controller, I can feather the trailer brakes or control them however I want with my right foot. Once the controller is set up and initial adjustments are made, you can just about forget it. The Jordan is far and away superior to any other controller I've ever used. I'm towing a 36' triple slide 5th wheel that puts the truck at 10,380 GVW (10,500 GVWR) and 21,180 GCW (21,500 GCWR).



JM2CW



Rusty

 

[Prairie Dog]

If what you have has been working then I suggest you give it a try on the new rig. It should operate the same as it did on your other truck.

 

[RustyJC]

I think the key is that his new trailer "... weighs twice as much. " The Tekonsha Sentinel that worked "sorta OK" on our 30' 5ver didn't work nearly as well on our 36' 5ver that is 2600 lbs heavier. As the trailer gets heavier, proper function of the trailer brakes becomes more critical.



Rusty

 

[BigMike]

I'd put in the best brake controller I could find if it were me. Small price to pay to protect your investment and your life. Rusty makes a great case for the Jordan. Others will weigh in and tell you the Prodigy is best. I think you can't go wrong with either and I wouldn't settle for anything else.

 

[BGDUMMY]

I have a prodigy and I can't believe I waited as long as I did to switch from a "perfectly" good brake controller to it.

Like the rest said, I'm sure you can't go wrong with either.

 

[damon]

Thanks guys, I always end up leaving this site knowing more than when I enter.



For the price tag of only $100 or so, I think that I will upgrade to the Jordan or Prodigy. Seems a small price to pay for any level of assurance and comfort that I have an adequate braking system.



From what I have read, it sounds like the Prodigy is a simple plug in and go, where the Jordan requires a cable to the brake pedal. That may sway me toward the Prodigy since I already have a Tekonsha voyager hooked up, and hopefully the Prodigy will plug in the same way.



Damon

 

[greendragon]

brakes

You wont have any trouble installing a Jorden. I put mine down between the ash tray and the steering post. Works great, better than the cheaper ones. easy to adjust and gives amps draw read out. Can tell if all 4 breaks are working

 

[CKimball]

Damon... i see you are over here too!!. . well since you and I have the same trailer and almost the same truck I have the prodigy and it works AWESOME with our trailer... it doesnt grab in traffic and it stops perfect in a flash. . IE travlin thru Hemet and a old lady blow a light or a stop sign (both times on the same trip I might add)... get the prodigy AND the facty harnass ($8. 00 for harnass and 124. 00 for the controller delivered purchased at southwestern wheel) from Teknosha and it is a breeze to set up. . plug it in and set it up as the instructions say and set the boost at 6. 1 if you are empty and 6. 2 if you haul the load I haul (Jeep inside)... and enjoy the drive... that controller took most of the stress of hauling and stoppin away!

Cameron

p. s... . if they havent cut a hole in your bed yet dont... . I have the pigtail connected in the facty 7 pin plug at the rear bumper and hang the cord under the frame via springs (like a big rig) and it doesnt rub on the gate... full turning radius and NO SPLICES so less chance of a short... and no ugly connector in the bed (i have a bed rug beliner in my truck. . loooks real clean)

 

[pdolan]

Damon:



If you really want the best, then you need something that will actually know what you want for braking effort. The Jordan does this with a link, and that was fine when that was all that was available.



Rusty's comment on hydraulic-controlled controllers was appropriate until very recently. The old versions of this used a brake line from the master to a hydraulic cylinder in the controller, using a fair bit of brake fluid and displacement. There was a lot of worry on weather on not the extra displacement would bother brake pressure differential switches (sometimes it would) and later ABS systems, or more to the point, liability on the corporate insurance policy for cutting into the brake system in the field.



Finally, someone has the brains and the bawls to use modern electronics to measure the brake pressure at the master cylinder and feed it digitally to a controller. This is the new "Brakesmart" controller from Master Brake Systems (www.masterbrake.com). It can be adjusted to give ANY amount of trailer brake in a variable proportion to the tow vehicle's actual brake application pressure. When used with electric brakes, it will identify the number of axles on the trailer, display its choice, and put out the amperage needed for that much brake. It can also be boosted to double voltage for very heavy trailers with electric brakes.



It was desinged to go with their electric over hydraulic, and now air over hydraulic brake systems. It will control them, air suspension and air jacks, as well as take air suspension pressure information from the trailer and compensate for load by varying the brake pressure in their actuators. Of course, if you really want the full meal deal, you would want to go with disc brakes and a Master actuator, which can then be upgraded to full ABS!



None of this stuff is cheap, but if you are at all serious about safety, it will be the best dollars you have ever spent. I have had the Brakesmart unit for a few months (including one solid month in the Rockies), and it has been impressive so far (reserved final opinion until an actuator fault has been cleared).



Pat

 

[RMcCulloch]

Somehow, I seem to remember that there's a proscription against tapping into the hydraulic system on ABS-equipped braking systems such as those on the '03s.



IIRC, there's even something in the Owner's Manual about it.



Of course, if the trailer isn't using Air/Electric-over-Hydraulic brakes (optional on Newmar RVs), then the question is academic.