How to install brake controller

[CMcDonald]

My truck has the seven pin harness. How do I wire up a brake controller to it? I have seen the wire above the pedals that connects to it. I am handy but have never had to install one before. I had a used 98 1500 with one but it was on there when I got it. Any suggestions on which one is good? I have seen Reese and Drawtite. Thanks.

 

[bpenrod]

Somewhere inside the truck (Mine was under the rear storage) there should be an adapter harness. If not it is probably easiest to get one from the dealer. This harness will plug into the connector under the dash and have wire leads coming off of it. I soldered and shrink wrapped them to the wires coming off the controller I bought then mounted it up and plugged it in.

 

[DSutton]

If the adapter is not in the truck you can buy one from the dealer for about $30. Or you can go to your local RV/Accessory shop and pick one up for about $10.

 

[InThinAir]

Well, there are now 3 camps of Brake controllers. First one is Brake Smart, Second is Jordan Ultima, and the third is Tekonisha Prodigy.



Brake Smart is the best, directly hooks to the brake lines. Also the most pricey, but worth the money if you haul heavy.



Jordan hooks to your brake pedal, excellent system. Proportional system. A long time standard around here.



Prodigy is the easiest to hook up and set up, takes about 1 minute. Takes longer to decide where to put it. Set it and forget it. Also cen be purchased with the Dodge adaptor for even easier install.



As far as how... It depends on the what...



I would also say that if you actually want your trailer brakes to work, then I would get one of the above. The ones that you mention... I think you might be better off having your "significant other" in the trailer and you yell for them to drag a foot to stop



---Doug

 

[jelag]

I heavy hall a 2 axle trailer with duals... . 12K axles with hyd, disc brakes..... I'm inpressed with the brake smart and now have towed about 5K miles with it... . I think I'm going to order a second one for my 04 truck... . the one I currently have is for the 05... .



What I like most is the ability to program the brakes to surge to full voltage to pump the system up..... getting it up to pressure and than have the ability to program for the weight of the trailer and load with the gain control... .



This and the fact that the brake smart uses a pressure transducer so that the harder I press the brake pedal the more trailer brake I get... ... rather than based on other factors... ... really works fine... .



Jim

 

[DHalbrooks]

I to am looking into a trailer brake. Thr prodigy looks like the one that I may go with. Has anyone compared the brake smart with the prodigy that is inertia driven. Good or bad. Thanks

 

[InThinAir]

The Prodigy is certainly the best of the simple plug-n-play controllers. I have one and it is head a shoulders over the over simple inertia brake controllers. But I think that comparing it to a brake smart, the brake smart is a better system. I thought long and hard about it before buying the prodigy. But for me I don't haul too heavy in the trailer, I have a 3 horse trailer. But I also have a slide in camper hooked up which the brake smart wouldn't help with. So i save my money so that I could get a Exhaust Brake if I ever need the extra braking. I think that if you hauling a GN or 5th wheel big heavy trailer the Brake Smart is a must, it starts braking the instant you start braking. And it brakes as hard as you do, no calculation or delays. But if you have a boat or bump pull trailer something like that then a prodigy will certainly do the trick.



---Doug

 

[Jengle]

REally depends on what weight your trailer is. If its a heavy one, over 10k all the time or more, I might look harder at the Brakesmart. I have the Prodigy, since I tow infrequently, and so far the most I have had on it, is a flat bed trailer with about 7 or 8 large round bales of hay, about 9k with the trailer weight. I set the Prodigy up according to the directions on it, and never had a problem with that trailer at all. Braking, never tried to push the truck at all, even on some hard stops.

 

[JEsterline]

Word of warning. The Pordagy does not work properly with trailers that have electric over hydraulic brakes.