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01-20-2021, 11:49 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 4
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Brake Controller
Hello all! brand new RVer here and brand new to these forums.
I have been tent camping forever but am now retired and waiting for delivery of a new RW A122s. I will be towing with a 2017 Toyota 4runner, 4.0 V6. Just found out that I need a Brake controller, something that I was not familiar with. The vehicle is pre-wired for a controller. Any recommendations of what kind to get with regard to performance, ease of installation etc?
Thanks, and looking forward to seeing you on the road!
Greg Q
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01-20-2021, 11:57 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Southern Virginia
Posts: 107
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Howdy! I'm sure you'll get plenty of recommendations of everyone's favorite brake controller. I bought a 4,000 lb trailer last year and got a Reese Towpower Brake-EVN controller. Been very satisfied with it. It fits right in my dash location for the factory brake controller.
There are timed brake controllers and proportional brake controllers. Proportional is the way to go.
__________________
2019 Wolf Pup 16FQ - bought new 3/2020
2013 F150 5.0 STX SCab 4x4 SB/3.55 rear/tow pkg./36 gal. tank/1695 Payload/7350 GVWR
Andersen Hitch
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01-21-2021, 12:10 AM
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#3
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Heatpad/Recliner Tester
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Surprise, AZ
Posts: 22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gregq291
Hello all! brand new RVer here and brand new to these forums.
I have been tent camping forever but am now retired and waiting for delivery of a new RW A122s. I will be towing with a 2017 Toyota 4runner, 4.0 V6. Just found out that I need a Brake controller, something that I was not familiar with. The vehicle is pre-wired for a controller. Any recommendations of what kind to get with regard to performance, ease of installation etc?
Thanks, and looking forward to seeing you on the road!
Greg Q
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I have a Prodigy 2 brake controller on my Tacoma TRD Sport. A simple setup for most people, me not mechanically inclined, so I had it installed at the Gander RV dealer in Mesa.
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Chris, Harriette & Riley, our Basenji mix
"rolling down Life's Highway"
2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport
2020 Flagstaff Micro Lite 21FBRS(the Hut)
2020-34 nights 2021-???
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01-21-2021, 12:11 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1,831
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With an open question like that, you’ll probably get a recommendation for every brand of brake controller made. My recommendation is for the Tekonsha brand. They have products in various price ranges, but they all work well. I use a Primus IQ (actually have 3, one in each vehicle), but the Prodigy P2 model seems to be very popular.
Get a wiring harness specific for you vehicle and it’s probably a plug and play installation.
https://www.tekonsha.com/products/br...al-controllers
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2020 Sunseeker 2440DS on 2019 Ford E-450, Trekker cap, Topaz paint
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01-21-2021, 12:57 AM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Camano Island, Washington
Posts: 24,315
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher J
I have a Prodigy 2 brake controller on my Tacoma TRD Sport. A simple setup for most people, me not mechanically inclined, so I had it installed at the Gander RV dealer in Mesa.
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x2! I still have mine, even though I don't need it.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.) 
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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01-21-2021, 10:09 AM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 36
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Tekonsha, P2 or P3. I use the P3. You'll most likely have to get adapter cable to fit your specific vehicle and year. Can easily remove it to store away when not using it. Shopped around and got a deal under a hundred on mine.
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2017 T19QBHW
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01-21-2021, 10:51 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 439
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Im a P3 guy . Have had them all but this one is smooooth
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TV:GMC 2500HD Duramax
TT: 2015 Wildwood 21rbs
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01-21-2021, 11:09 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 59
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I have the P3 with Toyota adapter for my Tundra, works great and easy install.
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2018 Wolfpack 24PACK14+
2008 Toyota Tundra
2017 HD Limited
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01-21-2021, 01:18 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,470
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My dealer talked me into an unknown brand of brake controller (IIRC, it was an Escort) when he was prepping our minivan for towing our A-frame. Said we didn't need such an expensive controller like a P2 for an A-frame.
Two years later, I got really tired of being jerked by the camper as I slowly took pressure off the brakes coming to a full stop. Bought a Tekonsha P2, which pretty much solved the problem, and swore at myself for going with the dealer recommendation.
I still have a minor issue because braking from 65mph is very different from braking at 25mph. I need the gain set high enough to brake as efficiently as possible - vehicles equally sharing the braking load - from highway speeds. This means the braking of the trailer is a little heavy at low speeds because the proportional algorithms are not perfect for a minivan towing an A-frame. But still far better than with SOB controller.
When I bought the bigger A-frame, I kept the P2 controller and still tow with the same minivan.
Fred W
now 2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
then 2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time
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01-21-2021, 01:42 PM
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#10
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World Traveler Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Santa Rosa
Posts: 175
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gregq291
Hello all! brand new RVer here and brand new to these forums.
I have been tent camping forever but am now retired and waiting for delivery of a new RW A122s. I will be towing with a 2017 Toyota 4runner, 4.0 V6. Just found out that I need a Brake controller, something that I was not familiar with. The vehicle is pre-wired for a controller. Any recommendations of what kind to get with regard to performance, ease of installation etc?
Thanks, and looking forward to seeing you on the road!
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Congratulations, I also have a Toyota 4runner with the towing package and it had the controller wiring.
This is the one I got and it is plug and play for your vehicle all you have to do is attach it somewhere by your dash.
TEKONSHA P2 PRODIGY BRAKE CONTROL + WIRING HARNESS FOR TOYOTA 4RUNNER
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2014 A194HW
2004 Toyota 4runner V8 4WD
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01-21-2021, 02:25 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 320
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Tekonsha, P2 I believe. Still works great.
We got it for a Ford Explorer with wiring harness adapter to use with a coleman utah pup. moved it through a couple more Explorers then started using F150 with built in controller.
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2016 Roo 21SS, 2016 F150
2015 Rockwood 2514G (pup), 2015 Fd Expl,
2003 Coleman Utah (pup), 2007 Fd Expl
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01-21-2021, 09:47 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 71
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Prodigy 2 hands down
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01-21-2021, 10:14 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 4
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Thanks to all for the information!
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02-03-2021, 06:29 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Hancock (U.P.), MI
Posts: 376
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If you're still looking, I would suggest the Tekonsha Voyager, about the most basic and inexpensive proportional controller you can get. It is fine for a lightweight single-axle.
Previously I had a Tekonsha Primus. I didn't like it due to excessive play in the gain wheel. Eventually I apparently destroyed it by pulling the breakaway pin (for a test) while the pigtail was plugged into the vehicle. Don't do that.
__________________
2016 Flagstaff T12RBST A-Frame | 2017 Ford Escape SE AWD 2.0 Eco
 Nights camped in 2016: 37; 2017: 54; 2018: 47; 2019: 63; 2020: 53
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02-18-2021, 06:15 PM
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#16
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 19
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Our trailer is in storage but I believe that we had the "Tekonsha Prodigy RF Wireless Trailer Brake Controller" installed on our A-Frame. We were able to tow it with different vehicles simply by transferring the remote to the other vehicle. When we sold that trailer, we relocated the brake controller over to our new camper. Never had issues with it, worked like a charm..
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02-19-2021, 06:45 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Hills of Northwestern PA
Posts: 1,309
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Mr. Truck has a utube view on using the Curt wireless trailer brake controller on a new Ford Ranger. Apparently the new Ranger doesn’t come with a TBC.
Prodigy P3 is a great proportional brake controller. Proportional means it will ease off as the TV slows down. The old tech timed TBCs simply kept applying more and more signal the longer the TV brake lights were on. Easy to overheat the TT brakes in hilly areas or long mountain downhills. I smoked mine a few times using a cheap timed TBC before buying a Prodigy ($100-130) and a wiring harness with plugs on both ends (under$20) for my 2008 Explorer with tow package. No more locked up brakes.
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2019 Cherokee Wolf Pup 16BHS flipped axle
2019 Ford F-150 S-Crew 5.5 bed V8 w/tow package, TBC, Tow Mirrors, 3.55, 7000# GVWR, 1990#CC
Husky Centerline TS WDH 400-600# spring bars
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