Trailer Brake Controller location?

[Prairie Dog]

Has anybody found a nice place to mount a trailer brake controller on an 03?

I started to mount mine in the catch-all compartment just forward of the manual shifter - not crazy about this arrangement though as it ain't gonna be easy!

 

[Parshal]

I put my Tekonsha Prodigy just under the steering wheel above my knees. The only time I've hit it with my knee is when I was stopped and literally climbing into the back seat. I can't read the numbers on the controller unless I move my head to the side, though, but I can certainly reach down and manually apply the brake. I'm very happy with this location; it's out of the way.

 

[DIESELMAN]

Its actually not bad in the cubby

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[Parshal]

Originally posted by DIESELMAN

Its actually not bad in the cubby

I like the way it fits in there with the gauges. Did they fit right in the cubby without a lot of modification?

 

[Snow man]

My buddy has an 02 1500,we put his on the lower panel under under the steering wheel. We put it in the right,uppermost corner.

 

[Fireman]

I was considering the pocket below the one Dieselman had his mounted in. Got plenty of time, no hitch mounts yet



Fireman

 

[dmurdock]

Damit ya'll quit postin' pictures of those new trucks! I'm trying to resist ya know?

 

[DIESELMAN]

There was a lot of mod, and when I put a A-Pillar mount, I'll do it again, only the brake and a couple of switches will be there.



Heres the pictures from the gauge install

 

[kbarlow]

I was going to mount the brake controller on the panel by the drivers right knee. Before I do that I am trying to find reference to the "Knee Bolster" in the manual. Anybody know what it is and where to find it in the Service Manual. ?



Thanks Ken

 

[Dean Upson]

Ken,



Could that "knee bolster" be the steering column opening cover? If so it on page 23-61 Fig. 21.



Dean

 

[Casey Balvert]

I mounted mine on the new truck by using industrial strenth velcro and attached it to the right edge of the plastic panel (knee bolster?) below the steering wheel. When I removed it from my old truck I carefully peeled the velcro off the dash panel. No holes to hide and if you need to remove the panel for service it is easy to remove the controller. Just be sure the surface is clean prior to applying the velcro and leave it sit for 24 hours before attaching the controller.



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[kbarlow]

Thanks Guys,

Dean, sorry I should have said in reference to the Air Bag it is supposed to have a knee bolster. I was wondering if it is part of the bag in the steering wheel or some other smaller bag around the knees. I was going to do the velcro trick but didn't want some bag jamming the controller into my knees. I don't handle pain well.



Cheers Ken

 

[Casey Balvert]

Knee bolster

Ken,



The knee bolster is passive. The panel in front of your knees (the one I have my controller attached to) has styrofoam on the back face of it. Your knees hit that and it has a cushioning effect on your upper legs so the hip joints don't snap, and your pelvis isn't busted into a million pieces, and you bleed to death. Anyway it is like an energy absorber for the knees in the event of a collision. My right knee however will probably hit that controller in the event of a heavy frontal impact. To answer your question, the knee bolster does not move like the airbag. You simply move into the knee bolster. I bet that was clear as mud.



Cheers, Casey

 

[kbarlow]

Thanks Casey,

It sounds like it is really going to hurt if I'm in an accident.

I think I had best have some medicinal Scotch & Ice now to prepare.



Cheers Ken

 

[Prairie Dog]

DIESELMAN - Great job on your install - It looks like it could have come that way! I have to wonder why Dodge doesn't provide a place to mount these things. Or better yet a factory unit built into the dash.

Thanks for the great ideas everybody.

 

[Frmrdug]

Where we 'pose to put that stuff?

I like the look of Dieselman's install. How much to do mine?



I just put my prodigy on the lower left part under the dash. If I shove the seat forward, my knee eventually hits it, but I haven't kicked it off getting out yet. The prodigy has a mount that lets you unplug it and slide it out and comes with a nifty bag to chunk it in the glove box in.



Now, I'll be putting a two way radio in eventually, soon a cell phone install kit, and a power box and guages. In shopping around, I'm thinking I'll wait for TST to update their box that has the remote display with digital guage readouts. That will save a bunch of space !



TO THE MODERATOR: How about getting the word out to these truck companies to cut us some slack - they could easily accommodate us with a blank space to safely mount all our toys! I agree, they are dangerous just to put under the steering wheel.

 

[Frmrdug]

But truthfully...

I haven't seen all the boxes on the market. Is there another that has the features that TST has?



What are the favorite power boxes?

 

[thejeepdude]

Mounting locations?!?

I too plan on getting the TST with the integrated gauges, and an electric brake controller, but have no idea where I'm going to mount either of them. Has anyone successfully mounted the brake controller in place of the ashtray in '98-'02 models? I'm note sure it would fit, but it looks close, just a matter of making it look nice and OEM-ish. As for the TST, I emailed them for dimensions and mounting ideas, but they won't reply to my email. Ideas?? Better yet, PICTURES??!?!



Josh

 

[Frmrdug]

Without having a box in hand, I've been pondering mounting it against the front side of the 4wd moulding between it and the dash. There's not much else going on in that 4 inch space, and it would point up at me fairly well.