Got Chrome > Brake Controls. Trailer Brake Controller, Electric Brake Control, Tekonsha

Brake Box 101

Electronic brake controller (aka brake box) is a confusing subject to buyers and even most sellers so we would like to take a few minutes to explain what they are, how they work, and which ones work best in certain scenarios.

Any trailer over 16 foot long is required by law to have some form of braking system. The most common is an electric braking system that uses 12 volt power from your vehicle to magnetize brake pads installed on the trailer. A brake controller is a small device mounting inside the vehicle that determines when and how much power to send out to the trailer. There are basically 3 types of electric brake controllers.

Type 1 is time delay. As you step on the brakes a signal is sent from the brake controller to the brakes on the trailer. The longer brakes are applied the stronger that signal gets. Most popular brake boxes work this way but you DO NOT want this type because if you slam on the brakes your trailer brakes react very little and if you gradually ease up to a red light the trailer brakes will be locked down by the time you get there.
Type 2 is inertia. Inertia controllers have a pendulum inside that swings as the vehicle comes to a stop. The more your vehicle leans coming to a stop the stronger the signal sent to the trailer becomes. This is a much better choice than type 1 but is old technology and the pendulum must be leveled to function properly which many users don't understand how to do.
Type 3 is proportional. Proportional electronic brake controllers are a combination of type 1 & 2 with several extra features that make the brakes on the trailer react evenly with the brakes on the vehicle. Most proportional controllers are extremely easy to setup and operate eliminating the user error that causes many inertia controllers not function properly. Just like with the other two there will be a power adjustment and a manual lever.

Ask around and you will quickly learn that there is really only one company that makes a quality proportional electronic brake controller. We have been selling the Tekonsha line for well over decade and can say without a doubt that you will not find a controller with more features, that functions better, or is easier to operate.

Tekonsha offers a full line of controllers to pick from.

Voyager part # 9030. The Voyager is the lowest price but is a very basic proportional controller. It has a led indicator light that changes color to display the power output, a knob on the left side to adjust the level, and a knob on the right side to adjust the power output.
Primus IQ part # 90160. The Primus IQ not much more money than the Voyager and includes several extra features. A digital readout displays the power output, the button on top controls a brake boost feature, it includes a unique snap on mounting bracket, and an easier to use top mounted power adjustment knob. It is the smallest of all the Tekonsha controllers and mounts very tight against the bottom of the dash making it a great choice for the average user.
Prodigy part # 90185. The Tekonsha Prodigy is probably the most popular brake controller ever created. It has a digital readout / boost feature just like the Primus but is more powerful (works up to a 4 axel 8 brake system) and automatically levels itself eliminating setup errors.
Prodigy P2 part # 90885. The P2 is a new brake box release early 2010 that will be replacing the 90185. It has all the features of the original Prodigy plus a few extras like the ability to be setup for hydraulic braking systems.
P3 part # 90195. The P3 is an upgraded version of the Prodigy with new LCD display and easy to use adjustment buttons (upgrade from the rolling knob). It is designed to work flawlessly on electric brakes plus electric over hydraulic.
Prodigy RF part # 90250. The Prodigy RF is a very unique controller that installs on the trailer (not the truck). It includes a hand held controller for in the cab that sends out a RF (Radio Frequency) to the control box mounted on the trailer. It was specially designed for users that are pulling with fleet, borrowed, rented, or leased trucks that cannot have a normal brake controller installed on them.

Installation seems to be most buyer’s largest concern. Most vehicles that came with a factory installed towing package are already prewired for a brake controller so installation is a simple plug in task that requires no special tools and takes less than 30 minutes to complete. A lot of vehicles without the factory tow package already have wires run and all that needs to be done is connect a wire or plug in a fuse which should take less than an hour. A bone stock vehicle with absolutely nothing to work with from the factory is still that hard of an install. Step one is running a fused power wire from your battery to the black wire on the brake box. Step two is to ground the brake box to a solid ground (there will already be one you can use under the dash). Step 3 run the blue brake wire from the brake box to your plug at the back of the vehicle. Step 4 find your vehicles stop light wire and connect it to the red wire on the brake control. On most vehicles this job can be completed in less than 3 hours and that includes wiring in a 7 pole plug. Tow Ready part # 118607 includes everything needed to complete this task except the controller itself and a 4 way flat wiring harness which you probably already have.