Prodigy P3

[MGreer]

I just got off the phone with one of the distrbutors for the Brakesmart controllers. After about two weeks of the run around I finally got somewhat of an answer for the difficulty in Brakesmart availability.

I was told that improvements are being made to the transducer. There are plenty of controllers available, but no harness kits. They stopped making the old harness kits, so when the kits on the shelves run out their out.

I was told the new harness kits should be available in the next month or two. I would say anybody still interested in the Brakesmart should probably get on the list they mention. I'm going to call the distributor and see about getting on the list.



Hope this info helps

 

[BHuebner]

I swapped my P3 for the MaxBrake today and gave it a trial run with my toy hauler. The P3 does a decent job, but does not compare to the MaxBrake.

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[HBarlow]

Another vote for precisely modulated trailer brakes recorded. Thanks Brian for your report.

Aren't you the TDR member who lost a Dodge-Cummins and big fifth wheel on the ice a couple years ago?

 

[BHuebner]

Yeah that was me Harvey. hard to believe its almost been a year. i learned alot from that little ordeal! i tried to find a dually this time, but to no avail. so i stayed away from the "big" trailers. (i use to travel for work so i needed something big to live in) Now its just for fun. There is alot of mountain grade out here (up to 10%) so i do not want to take a chance with the inertia based controller.

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Big Horn Mountains (Bear Lodge)

 

[HBarlow]

A wise decision. The more you tow with the MaxBrake the better you'll like it.

 

[Carlacee]

Listen to Harvey, you can't go wrong with that.



I have a MaxBrake and I'll be installing electric over hyd Disc Brakes as well.



Thanks Harvey for doing such a good job in laying it all out.



Cee

 

[jhenderson]

My vote goes to MaxBrake. I have been towing 15,000lb dump trailers in my business for almost 15 years. I have used a number of different controllers in this time. None have even come close to MaxBrake. Another reason I like this controller is their service. I had an intermittent brake problem and called the number in their paper work. I asked for tech help and got a fellow on the line. He spent a lot of time trouble shooting with me, on the phone, then came to the conclusion that I needed a new pressure transducer. He said one would be sent right out, and I got it 2 days later, no charge. Great cust. service. By the way, I asked his name in case I needed more help, he told me what it was and added I OWN THE COMPANY. It does not get any better than that!

 

[KLauber]

Prodigy is very effective.

My vote goes to the Prodigy (which I have) as it an excellent brake controller using the latest technology (nary a pendulum either!) to make you swear you have all-wheel ABS. I'm sure the early 90's electric controller which Harvey remembers with regret compares poorly to today's products. If you have not actually experienced how the latest electronic proportional brake controller works, you can't speak to its remarkable effectiveness and ease of use. Likewise those of us who haven't used a controller which uses a pressure transducer can't speak to its remarkable effectiveness. There are so many variables (brake condition, weight of vehicles, etc) at play as to make a side by side comparison very difficult. My 2 cents...



Ken

 

[BHuebner]

Well if anyone wants my Prodigy P3 its for sale... cheap. less than a year old, just needs a harness.

 

[HBarlow]

My vote goes to the Prodigy (which I have) as it an excellent brake controller using the latest technology (nary a pendulum either!) to make you swear you have all-wheel ABS. I'm sure the early 90's electric controller which Harvey remembers with regret compares poorly to today's products. If you have not actually experienced how the latest electronic proportional brake controller works, you can't speak to its remarkable effectiveness and ease of use. Likewise those of us who haven't used a controller which uses a pressure transducer can't speak to its remarkable effectiveness. There are so many variables (brake condition, weight of vehicles, etc) at play as to make a side by side comparison very difficult. My 2 cents...

Ken

I find it odd how you can overlook and completely deny the several posts that started this thread and attempt to explain away all the problems reported with the identical inertia-sensing controller you use and claim yours works great.

The P3 you brag about may not actually have a pendulum but it uses an electronic method of sensing deceleration (very similar to the junk Tekonsha Voyagers I used) which cannot be adequately generated when a light truck is towing a heavy trailer.

I have not actually experienced one and wouldn't experience one if you sent me a brand new one in the box for free and paid for the installation. I don't have to experience one. The posts that began this thread did and reported the identical experiences I had with a Tekinsha inertia controller.

"Remarkeable effectiveness and ease of use" my rearmost part! The P3 is junk.

 

[KLauber]

Prodigy is not a P3

Clean off your glasses Harvey, I didn't deny anything, just stated the obvious which is I know what I have experienced and you know what you have experienced. Besides, I have a Prodigy which is different from the P3. They have lots of different controllers for different towing applications including your latest model of the Voyager. Probably works better than the 90s model, just like my 03 works better than my son's 98. 5 (in some, but not all aspects).



What's really ironic (?) is the vehicle they show on the install DVD is a Furd 250 pulling a huge triple axle travel trailer on a gooseneck. I swear the vanity plate on the front said "HB"... ... . :-laf:-laf



Cheers,

Ken

 

[HBarlow]

Quote from the Tekonsha website:

"It is equipped with a sensor that detects the tow vehicle's rate of deceleration, applies proportional braking to the trailer and features an exclusive "BoostSM" feature that gives users the ability to apply more initial trailer braking power (especially when towing heavier trailers). "

When I wrote you "deny" (now past tense, denied) the facts reported by other Tekonsha brake controller owners posted in this thread I mean you pretended they weren't there or denied their existence in your rush to fool yourself and to pretend that you actually purchased an effective brake controller.

It makes no difference whether you own a Voyager, P3, Prodigy, or other brand brake controller, if it is inertia-activated, it is a lousy brake controller for towing a heavy trailer behind and ordinary hydraulic brake equipped light truck.

As the quote from the Tekonsha website for the Prodigy, the controller you own indicates, the controller is inertia-activated and is not activated by pressure placed on the tow vehicle's brake pedal but by deceleration. As I have explained many times, your tow vehicle must be capable of producing significant deceleration in order to activate the brake controller and trailer brakes. Anyone who has used an inertia controller and a BrakeSmart or MaxBrake knows there is no comparison. Stated another way, you like the Prodigy because you don't know any better.

When you can show me a quote from an owner who has replaced his BrakeSmart or MaxBrake pressure activated brake controller with an inertia activated controller and claims it is better I'll begin to pay attention to your claimed results.

 

[KLauber]

I've yet to deny any ones opinion or experience. In fact I agreed with several other happy Tekonsha owners on this thread. Besides our little pendulum meters still work just as smoothly and effectively and for half the cost of your controller and as an added plus I didn't have to compromise my hydraulic brake system. Must roil your innards that you had to modify your truck to get it to work as you want.

Cheers,
Ken

 

[HBarlow]

All the details and superfluous claims aside you are trying to make the case that an inertia sensing brake controller is equivalent to the BrakeSmart and MaxBrake which tap into the truck's hydraulic brake system and sense actual brake line pressure.

You are sadly mistaken or misinformed. They are not equivalent.

Only someone who has very limited towing experience and understanding of the fundamental concepts involved could attempt to make that argument.

I don't care which brake controller you choose but for the benefit of members who are experiencing the problems posted by the original poster of this thread or are new to towing heavy trailers and perhaps considering the purchase of a first brake controller I make this clear: ONLY brake controllers that tap into and sense brake line pressure are capable of providing precisely modulated trailer braking that matches tow vehicle braking and provides exactly the amount of braking the driver calls for. A controller that must rely on deceleration created by the tow vehicle is a poor substitute because the tow vehicle must be capable of creating negative acceleration before trailer braking can be initiated. At best this system can only provide trailer braking that very roughly responds to tow vehicle braking.

No, I'm not the slightest bit concerned about installing a transducer in my brake line. Tow vehicles since the '50s have used a brake controller that tapped into a brake line to create proper trailer braking. I have never heard of any negative consequences resulting from tapping into the brake line.

 

[richardcoxid]

My parents had a pull trailer back in the early/mid 50’s. The brake controller was a pressure operated variable 6V (or maybe it was 12V, I can’t remember which) resister pad about brake pedal size and 1/2in thick. It was clipped to the brake pedal. This was truly a PROPROTIONAL controller i. e. Pressing the brake pedal compressed the controller and the voltage to the Rv brakes would increase. No computer or anything, just a pressure operated high amperage variable resister.



The next generation of brake controllers tapped a small hydraulic line into a brake line at the master cylinder and a small hydraulic line was snaked into the cab and connected to a small slave cylinder in the controller body. The slave cylinder was connected to a variable 12V resister. There again a truly proportional system.



When Anti-Lock brakes were introduced the vehicle manufactures wouldn’t allow you to tap into the brake hydraulic systems. The controller manufactures came up with the problematic pendulum type controllers.



The MaxBrake with a pressure transducer tapped into a Hyd. Brake line and a small computer does the same thing! Press the brake pedal and the voltage to the brakes increases even when you are stopped or are backing. The small volume of brake fluid displaced by the transducer is “OK” for use with Anti-lock brakes. I just discovered that I have to change my signature!



BTW- I am under the impression that the Brake Smart (very similar in operation to the MaxBrake) is either no longer business or are almost out of business.

 

[MGreer]

I talked with Dr Performance about a week ago and was told they have no idea what is happening with brakesmart. He said brakesmart might consider doing something in June or early July. That would make it at least six months without any brakesmart units being available. I placed my order for a MaxBrake yesterday.

I will use my two Tekonsha controllers for target practice.

 

[richardcoxid]

I just thought of something to add to my posting above-

At the time of the introduction of Anti-Lock brakes some companies made time constant operated brake controllers. I also had one of these death traps! When you applied the TV brakes the controller slowly ramped up to max in applying the RV brakes. This means that when you were gradually slowing down the longer you had the TV brakes applied the harder the RV brakes were applied, then release the brakes and apply them again. Conversely under a panic stop the TV brakes were doing most of the stopping while the RV brakes were gradually increasing.



I removed my Prodigy and replaced it with a Max Brake before we left for AZ for the winter.



I did make a change to the instillation instructions- Max Brake supplied a steel brake line that went between the adapter “T” and the Transducer. To me that presented two potential problems, A- bending the steel line without kinking it, B- vibration of the relative heavy transducer could cause the 8 inch long steel line to work harden with the potential of a resulting fracture. I had a local hydraulic hose company make me a length of brake hose with the proper end fittings. I then attached a small piece of 1/8”aluminum to the firewall pinch weld the used a small “U” bolt to attach the transducer to the bracket. On my truck there are two power brake lines that the transducer could also be attached to using cable ties.

 

[HBarlow]

I agree with your opinion of the ramp style brake controller. They are better than no trailer brakes at all . . . by a small amount.

IIRC my BrakeSmart came with a short length of brake hose between the T fitting and the transducer. It avoided the vibration and potential stress fracture you spoke of and allowed using a zip tie to attach the brake line and transducer to plumbing alongside the master cylinder.

 

[Carlacee]

I will use my two Tekonsha controllers for target practice.

hehehee:-laf

 

[RVTRKN]

Clean off your glasses Harvey, I didn't deny anything, just stated the obvious which is I know what I have experienced and you know what you have experienced. Besides, I have a Prodigy which is different from the P3. They have lots of different controllers for different towing applications including your latest model of the Voyager. Probably works better than the 90s model, just like my 03 works better than my son's 98. 5 (in some, but not all aspects).



What's really ironic (?) is the vehicle they show on the install DVD is a Furd 250 pulling a huge triple axle travel trailer on a gooseneck. I swear the vanity plate on the front said "HB"... ... . :-laf:-laf



Cheers,

Ken

Your wrong about the Prodigy, although it is effective enough for an RV'er who tows on a week vacation once a year, full timers throw them away for a reason, and I own one. Just tow with my C&C for any serious trips. I know from personal experience, Harvey can be harsh about his opinion, but he is right, and as many miles as he has driven with, over Dodges (not DOT) GCVWR, through good and bad weather, is experience we all can learn from.