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Crawdad · 03-30-2011, 01:32 PM

I am asking this question for my son who has a new 2010 Tundra and will be towing a 16 foot bambie. What kind of brake controller should he use? I know there are some new ones on the market. Am looking for recommendations. Thanks

DanielB · 03-30-2011, 01:43 PM

I have zero experience, but I'm liking the marketing on the Dexter Predator DX2. Inertia activated with a pendulum. How cool is that!?

http://www.dexteraxle.com/predator_dx2_brake_controller

casa3805 · 03-30-2011, 01:52 PM

Crawdad I also have a 2010 Tundra and pull a 1984 27ft Sovereign. I opted for the Tekonsha P3 and if he has a towing package installed in the truck then there is already a connector pre-wired under the dash. Tekonsha site will sell Factory specific harnesses so it is pretty much plug and play.

au_ee · 03-30-2011, 02:07 PM

I've been using a Tekonsha Prodigy since 2002. It operates flawlessly and I've never had any problems with it. It is also easy to setup.

flynmike · 03-30-2011, 02:40 PM

MAXBRAKE>>>>PERIOD! works off your master cylinder like the ones before ABS brakes made them obsolete. Smooth, predictable braking. Feels like the truck and trailer are one vehicle and almost like the trailer isn't there. No jerking or stabbing/grabbing. The Prodigy drove me nuts...having to adjust it up and down as the brakes got hot or cool...pain in the butt in traffic. The maxbrake has been "set it and forget it" for 3 years! I love it and I wouldn't have any other.

A little spendy at $350 but IMHO worth EVERY penney!
Mike

seldencove · 03-30-2011, 04:00 PM

Also very happy with my Tekonsha P3. Mine came with the correct plugin for the truck, very easy installation. Easy adjustment and setup.

HOG-I · 03-30-2011, 04:02 PM

I pull a 16' Bambi Quick Silver with a Lincoln Pickup (Ford F150) and use a Tekonsha Prodigy. Set it up prior to leaving by included instrudtions - very simple and never touch it again on the trip. I recheck each new trip (and always end up setting up as previous trip). 16' tows pretty easy with a F-150 equivilent and equilizing bars.

Woosch · 03-30-2011, 05:37 PM

The Tekonsha P3 is hard to beat.

MarkR · 03-30-2011, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOG-I

I pull a 16' Bambi Quick Silver with a Lincoln Pickup (Ford F150) and use a Tekonsha Prodigy. Set it up prior to leaving by included instrudtions - very simple and never touch it again on the trip. I recheck each new trip (and always end up setting up as previous trip). 16' tows pretty easy with a F-150 equivilent and equilizing bars.

ditto for me too (with a prodigy) no problems, works great . . .

Zigidachs · 03-30-2011, 05:37 PM

We also have the Tekonsha P-3.....great controller. Not one problem, easy to program, reliable, etc.

rmk110761 · 03-30-2011, 06:31 PM

I have the TruControl gold by Hensley. It has been the best controller that I have used in 25 years of towing.

Crawdad · 03-30-2011, 07:24 PM

Thanks to all for your responses. Looks like the consensus is for the Tekonsha P3.

kayamtom · 03-30-2011, 08:07 PM

My experience is limited to only the Tekonsha Prodigy has been 100% reliable for me. This comes as a very welcome relief as I am in the UK and Europe using mine.

We in Europe have none of the joy of pre-installed harnesses in our tow vehicles; but if you have a truck with the loom already installed surely it's a No-Brainer?

t

BigAl · 03-30-2011, 08:24 PM

My new truck comes with a factory controller. Last two seasons I have used the Hensley tru control. It was really good except that in the last season I lost most of the lcd display. Therefore don't recommend it.
AL

gail · 03-30-2011, 09:34 PM

Tekshona is the way to go. We have a BMW x5 and lst the installer tried a different one, I then called the company they were very nice and we have had the controller for 3 years .
all good.

bonginator · 03-30-2011, 10:53 PM

2008 tundra double cab and Tekonsha P3 here. Works well and also comes with a factory plug option. I am decently mechanically inclined and was able to installmit myself and save the $150 the rv dealer wanted to charge.

Sandy

Phoenix · 03-31-2011, 02:00 PM

2008 Tundra CrewMax with Tekonsha Prodigy. Tundra-specific cable from Tekonsha was about $10, for plug and play. Used same Prodigy in a 1978 Chevy crewcab pickup for three years before we bought the Tundra. Great controller, absolutely no problems.

overlander64 · 03-31-2011, 02:19 PM

My dealer installed a Tekonsha controller that was one step below the Prodigy. After a year, I went back to the controller that I had used an liked since 1982 -- Hayes-Lemerez. Over the years the model that I utilize has evolved and its most recent evolution is the Hayes Energize XPC. I like this particular model as it offers a manual remote that you can have immediately avaialbe -- particularly in two of my tow vehicles where reaching the controller itself means leaning far forward to operate the box mounted manual control. I have never encountered any difficulties with my Hayes controller and continue to search them out when I equip a new tow vehicle.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

Michigander · 03-31-2011, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flynmike

MAXBRAKE>>>>PERIOD! works off your master cylinder like the ones before ABS brakes made them obsolete. Smooth, predictable braking. Feels like the truck and trailer are one vehicle and almost like the trailer isn't there. No jerking or stabbing/grabbing. The Prodigy drove me nuts...having to adjust it up and down as the brakes got hot or cool...pain in the butt in traffic. The maxbrake has been "set it and forget it" for 3 years! I love it and I wouldn't have any other.

A little spendy at $350 but IMHO worth EVERY penney!
Mike

I totally agree with you, Mike. Prior to the MH, we towed a 30' SOB.

The first brake controller I had was made by Draw-tite and the next one was a Tekonsha. With each of these I had to decrease the gain in city traffic so that it would not "hobby-horse" push and pull with stops and goes. That took care of the city problem, but then I would forget to increase the gain when back out on the highway. That is very dangerous because fast highway stops require more power to go to the brakes. If the controller is set at low gain, then you will not have the stopping capability needed to slow the TT down.

Finally, I bought a unit that tapped into my master cylinder on my Expedition. (At that time, Hensley was marketing it, but now their current controllers do not tap into the master cylinder.) It was incredible, never had to be adjusted for city vs highway. I felt much safer knowing that no matter what speed I was going I had adequate braking ability.

flynmike · 03-31-2011, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michigander

I totally agree with you, Mike. Prior to the MH, we towed a 30' SOB.

The first brake controller I had was made by Draw-tite and the next one was a Tekonsha. With each of these I had to decrease the gain in city traffic so that it would not "hobby-horse" push and pull with stops and goes. That took care of the city problem, but then I would forget to increase the gain when back out on the highway. That is very dangerous because fast highway stops require more power to go to the brakes. If the controller is set at low gain, then you will not have the stopping capability needed to slow the TT down.

Finally, I bought a unit that tapped into my master cylinder on my Expedition. (At that time, Hensley was marketing it, but now their current controllers do not tap into the master cylinder.) It was incredible, never had to be adjusted for city vs highway. I felt much safer knowing that no matter what speed I was going I had adequate braking ability.

Thank you Bob!
I thought my posting was invisible or something! I will NEVER have another electronic controller after having a maxbrake...just too nice I could never go back.
MIke