Short brake controller tutorial

[Belchos]

Why Tekonsha Prodigy?

I am going to have to wean myself from my 92 pretty soon and put a fifth wheel hitch on the new truck for my stock trailer. I will be looking at controllers. Can I ask why you chose the Tekonsha Prodigy?

 

[RustyJC]

I am going to have to wean myself from my 92 pretty soon and put a fifth wheel hitch on the new truck for my stock trailer. I will be looking at controllers. Can I ask why you chose the Tekonsha Prodigy?

The Prodigy is adequate but not the most capable controller. I'd suggest looking at the Brakesmart or the Jordan Ultima 2020.



Rusty

 

[GWDiesel]

Great post and a job well done, now I will try that install

in my 03! Thanks

Jerry

 

[EEdmondson]

I did mine the same way except I didn't unplug the big connector. I also mounted it as high as possible on the panel.



The Prodigy works very well... probably the best for the money. I like the idea of the Brakesmart working from hydraulic pressure if I remember right. But isn't it a bit pricey? Of course, a crash is more pricey.

 

[JHardwick]

I've had 2 inertia style brake controllers on Dodge trucks ... ... ..... 1 on my '99 and the 2nd on my '03.



For $100 and 1/2 hour of time for install, they work just fine for me towing weekends and some weekdays. If I was a contract hauler and on the road daily with a load, I may reconsider.

 

[PHX ATC]

Funny... I just installed that exact same model on my wife's 2004 yesterday and put it about 2 inches lower than where you installed your's. That's weird.



Now how come you didn't let me know this was on here, BEFORE I did that little project?

 

[RustyJC]

If I was a contract hauler and on the road daily with a load, I may reconsider.

You might also reconsider if, as I did, you had an inertial controller fail to engage the trailer brakes because of rain-slicked roads, jack-knife the 5th wheel and almost put the whole rig into a ditch. An inertial controller depends on deceleration generated by the truck to determine how much braking to send the trailer. If the truck doesn't generate enough deceleration because of slick pavement, the trailer (at least with a non-boosted inertial controller such as the Tekonsha Sentinel I had at the time) doesn't get braked. Things go downhill quickly when that happens.



Ya pays yore money and ya takes yore choice. It's always amazed me to see an individual buy a $35K truck, a $55K 5th wheel and then select a brake controller based on saving $50-$200 rather than protecting a $90K investment, not to mention one's family and others on the roads!



Rusty

 

[The Sequel]

Since I'm in the market for a new truck I also must buy a new brake controller. I was thinking of the Prodigy for it's reputation. How do the Jordan and Brakesmart differ form the Prodigy and what is the typical cost difference?

 

[RustyJC]

How do the Jordan and Brakesmart differ form the Prodigy and what is the typical cost difference?

Both the Jordan and Brakesmart connect directly to the truck's braking system; therefore, whatever you do with the truck's brake pedal is converted directly into proportional braking of the trailer. The Jordan accomplishes this with a mechanical (sheathed cable) attachment to the brake pedal arm; the Brakesmart uses a hydraulic pressure transducer to measure brake system pressure.



The Prodigy is an inertial controller. Ignoring its time-based boost function, it ultimately controls trailer braking based on deceleration rate of the truck. Therefore, your "input" is factored through the friction between the brake pads & rotors, the tire to pavement friction and ultimately the deceleration rate of the rig which it measures with an internal accelerometer (hence, the term "inertial"). Based on this rate of deceleration, it calculates the amount of trailer braking it thinks you need. Sort of a long way around the horn, and (as in my case) a lot can happen before adequate deceleration is generated.



Off the top of my head, the Jordan Ultima 2020 is around $150 and the Brakesmart is around $350. These prices certainly aren't exact - they're only offered for comparison.



Rusty

 

[JHardwick]

You might also reconsider if, as I did, you had an inertial controller fail to engage the trailer brakes because of rain-slicked roads, jack-knife the 5th wheel and almost put the whole rig into a ditch. An inertial controller depends on deceleration generated by the truck to determine how much braking to send the trailer. If the truck doesn't generate enough deceleration because of slick pavement, the trailer (at least with a non-boosted inertial controller such as the Tekonsha Sentinel I had at the time) doesn't get braked. Things go downhill quickly when that happens.



Ya pays yore money and ya takes yore choice. It's always amazed me to see an individual buy a $35K truck, a $55K 5th wheel and then select a brake controller based on saving $50-$200 rather than protecting a $90K investment, not to mention one's family and others on the roads!



Rusty

I've never had a problem, especially with the ABS. There are a couple things to consider, "speed for condition" comes to mind initially, and there is always an over ride as well.



Your last paragraph sounds sarcastic if not condescending, but by your own admission you used an inertia controller yourself. So why shake your head in disgust because I use one? Guess I'll roll my eyes here too, lol.

 

[RustyJC]

I've never had a problem, especially with the ABS. There are a couple things to consider, "speed for condition" comes to mind initially, and there is always an over ride as well.

When someone pulls into one's path, any speed is excessive for conditions. It's not a perfect world - one doesn't always have time to be fumbling around reaching for a manual control. If the brake controller works as it should, manually applying trailer brakes should not be required in an emergency stop. By the way, my 1996 Ram 3500 (the truck in which the inertial controller was installed) only had rear wheel ABS - not much help.

Your last paragraph sounds sarcastic if not condescending, but by your own admission you used an inertia controller yourself. So why shake your head in disgust because I use one? Guess I'll roll my eyes here too, lol.

Sorry you took it that way - I'm as serious as a heart attack about what I said. I'm just offering others the opportunity to learn from my experiences without having to pay tuition at the school of hard knocks. Selection of a brake controller isn't the place to decide to "cheap out". I used a time-based controller before I used an inertial controller (I've been at this for awhile). When I bought the Tekonsha Sentinel, the Brakesmart wasn't even on the market, and I had never heard of a Jordan. If you disagree with my recommendations, you're certainly free to ignore them, right?



Rusty

 

[EEdmondson]

Has anyone tried a Brakesmart?

I was wondering if anyone is using a Brakesmart. It really seems like the way to go since it modulates from the truck's hydraulic pressure.

My Prodigy seems to work flawlessly even though the theory seems a little flawed.

I would think that the Jordan would be hard to keep adjusted.

 

[RustyJC]

I would think that the Jordan would be hard to keep adjusted.

You would be wrong if you did. Once initialized for my trailer (previous or this one), I've never touched it since.



Rusty

 

[PHX ATC]

Did I mention I just put a Prodigy on, the day before this post(war) was started?



I do like that Prodigy thingy, it seems to work very well for the horsey trailer and it makes me feel a bit more comfy knowing my wife will have some braking help when she stops.



Any help is better than none... or get a 2x4 and drag it alongside.....

 

[Dean Upson]

Very nice pictures



Dean

 

[SSage]

Yep, good pics. The Prodigy is a great controller and very easy to install. I wish I had upgraded when it first came out.



Mine is lower on the panel, up higher, my knee hits even with the seat back. I'm about 6'4" though.



#ad