TruControl Gold Brake Controller

[acltaos]

Does anyone have any recent experience/opinion/remarks about the TruControl Gold Brake Controller made by Hensley Mfg? I'm not sure if the older posts are about the current model.

We need a brake controller for our 2003 Ford F-250 Super Duty truck to pull our 1993 29' Excella 1000.

Here's a link to the TruControl Gold Brake Controller website:
TruControl Gold Electric Trailer Brake Controller by Hensley Mfg. Inc.

Thanks,
Anne

[Michigander]

I have dealt with Hensley for many years. They are a top notch company and sell the highest quality products. About eight years ago, I bought their previous version of the Tru-control brake controller and pulled a TT more than 18,000 miles using it in both highway and city driving. (I also had the Hensley Arrow and loved that.) The brake controller was truly proportional and never needed adjusting for highway versus city driving needs. Prior to that I had a Draw tite, and then a Prodigy and then moved up the the Hensley product. Neither of the previous two came close to the smoothness of operation of the Hensley product. With the first two, every time I would come off the highway into a city the trailer would buck like a bronco until I would decrease the gain to the brakes. Then, when we got back on the highway, I usually would forget to increase the gain to the necessary degree needed for a quick highway stop. Very dangerous. The only draw back to the Hensley was the price, but I followed your link to Hensley and see that they have cut their price in half! The latest version of their unit works on a different principal than the one I had, but I would trust Hensley to have an excellent product.

We now have a 2005 AS LYG 30 S/O Motorhome and love it. I wish Hensley would devise a brake controller for our toad. I'm sure they would do it right.

Nancy and Bob
2005 AS LYG 30 S/O
Jeep Wrangler Toad
Michigan

[Tim A.]

We have used the Hensley TruControl Gold controller for a couple of years and are very, very happy with it. You can find discussions here:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f439...nts-42641.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f439...ler-36497.html

Tim

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by padillab

I have dealt with Hensley for many years. They are a top notch company and sell the highest quality products. About eight years ago, I bought their previous version of the Tru-control brake controller and pulled a TT more than 18,000 miles using it in both highway and city driving. (I also had the Hensley Arrow and loved that.) The brake controller was truly proportional and never needed adjusting for highway versus city driving needs. Prior to that I had a Draw tite, and then a Prodigy and then moved up the the Hensley product. Neither of the previous two came close to the smoothness of operation of the Hensley product. With the first two, every time I would come off the highway into a city the trailer would buck like a bronco until I would decrease the gain to the brakes. Then, when we got back on the highway, I usually would forget to increase the gain to the necessary degree needed for a quick highway stop. Very dangerous. The only draw back to the Hensley was the price, but I followed your link to Hensley and see that they have cut their price in half! The latest version of their unit works on a different principal than the one I had, but I would trust Hensley to have an excellent product.

We now have a 2005 AS LYG 30 S/O Motorhome and love it. I wish Hensley would devise a brake controller for our toad. I'm sure they would do it right.

Nancy and Bob
2005 AS LYG 30 S/O
Jeep Wrangler Toad
Michigan

Thd TruControl described above was actually a privately labeled BrakeSmart. It was a completely different controller when I came up with the name TruControl.

Now the TruControl is the exact same technology that the Tekonsha P3 uses.

The new TruControl is not even close to the old TruControl and really should have been renamed to be an honest offering. But that's another story.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff

Thd TruControl described above was actually a privately labeled BrakeSmart. It was a completely different controller when I came up with the name TruControl.

Now the TruControl is the exact same technology that the Tekonsha P3 uses.

The new TruControl is not even close to the old TruControl and really should have been renamed to be an honest offering. But that's another story.

Very confusing.

Do you mean do you mean to say that the TruControl currently being sold is a Prodigy, ?

The TruControl uses a gyroscopic control. Doe the Tekonsha P3 have that, you mean?

Please clairfy.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by Aage

Very confusing.

Do you mean do you mean to say that the TruControl currently being sold is a Prodigy, ?

The TruControl uses a gyroscopic control. Doe the Tekonsha P3 have that, you mean?

Please clairfy.

The original TruControl, the one described that was purchase 5 or 6 years ago, was a BrakeSmart and had a transducer that tapped into the master cylinder of the tow vehicle to read brake pressure.

The current TruControl has an accelerometer that some how magically turned into being labeled a "gyroscope" by the company. Maybe a "gyroscope" sounds more high-tech than an accelerometer and they think they can charge twice what a comparable controller costs? It's just more "double talk" by the company that has mastered it as an art form. However, when the parts for the current TruControl are purchased from the vendor it is listed as an accelerometer by the company that sells that component. It is an accelerometer, regardless of what they call it.

[Aage]

So what does Tekonsha have to do with TruControl? is there a connection?

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by Aage

So what does Tekonsha have to do with TruControl? is there a connection?

No - Tekonsha makes the P3 controller.

Hensley Mfg makes the TruControl.

Both controllers are essentially the same controller internally.

The P3 retails for around $150.

The TruControl retails for $347 or $397 or what ever the flavor of the day sale is at Hensley Mfg.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by Sean Woodruff

Both controllers are essentially the same controller internally.

The P3 retails for around $150.

The TruControl retails for $347 or $397 or what ever the flavor of the day sale is at Hensley Mfg.

Hensley has it at $197 now, saying that they have a replacement model coming.

How do you read that?

[Rebee]

I just got the TruControl Silver for $97 from Hensley. I still have my Prodigy. I have made several trips in excess of 3hr one way. Iam pleased and within a year if I wish to upgrade I get my money back toward the gold unit. I get regular correspondance from Hensley and on 3-18-2009 the gold was on sale for $187.
I know I am not real smart about all the techinical stuff but I have electric brakes, shoe type and the silver works as good as my Prodigy.

dale

[guskmg]

Sean
I have a Brakesmart labeled controller the does a good job with my 34SOD with disc brakes towed behind a 3/4 HD Duramax '07 GMC SB 4X4. I am able to adjust out all the Hensley bump for all road/speed conditions. I have been told that with the single and two axle trailers that is a different story. Would the Hensley Gold work better for all axle combinations with disk brakes than the Brakesmart design?
Gus Gustafson
"Space A"

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by Aage

Hensley has it at $197 now, saying that they have a replacement model coming.

How do you read that?

I read that as... "We can't sell it at the price we originally set so we are going to lower it by half and call it a discount. We need to give a reason so that people we sold it to for twice the price won't get real upset"

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by Rebee

I just got the TruControl Silver for $97 from Hensley. I still have my Prodigy. I have made several trips in excess of 3hr one way. Iam pleased and within a year if I wish to upgrade I get my money back toward the gold unit. I get regular correspondance from Hensley and on 3-18-2009 the gold was on sale for $187.
I know I am not real smart about all the techinical stuff but I have electric brakes, shoe type and the silver works as good as my Prodigy.

dale

The Silver is the exact same internally as the Gold. The display is different.

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by guskmg

Sean
I have a Brakesmart labeled controller the does a good job with my 34SOD with disc brakes towed behind a 3/4 HD Duramax '07 GMC SB 4X4. I am able to adjust out all the Hensley bump for all road/speed conditions. I have been told that with the single and two axle trailers that is a different story. Would the Hensley Gold work better for all axle combinations with disk brakes than the Brakesmart design?
Gus Gustafson
"Space A"

No, the BrakeSmart is the best controller on the market.

[Aage]

OK, the light is beginning to shine now:

Brakesmart=P3=TruController Gold

And any one of them is the best around.

True, Sean?

By the way, thanks very much for lifting the veil.

(Jeez, mom said there would be days when marketing people would try to bamboozle me )

[Sean Woodruff]

Originally Posted by Aage

OK, the light is beginning to shine now:

Brakesmart=P3=TruController Gold

And any one of them is the best around.

True, Sean?

By the way, thanks very much for lifting the veil.

(Jeez, mom said there would be days when marketing people would try to bamboozle me )

Well, that's a "little" off.

BrakeSmart is different than the P3 or the TruControl. It taps into the tow vehicle brake pressure.

However, the P3 = TruControl is correct. Both work with accelerometer technology.

[hookedonclassic]

Originally Posted by guskmg

Sean
I have a Brakesmart labeled controller the does a good job with my 34SOD with disc brakes towed behind a 3/4 HD Duramax '07 GMC SB 4X4. I am able to adjust out all the Hensley bump for all road/speed conditions. I have been told that with the single and two axle trailers that is a different story. Would the Hensley Gold work better for all axle combinations with disk brakes than the Brakesmart design?
Gus Gustafson
"Space A"

Gus: We have a similar set up with a non-slide 34 with disc brakes, 2004 duramax and the brakesmart. We had a brake issue but don't think it was the brakesmart controller. Good thread.

[mimiandrews]

We haven't done much towing yet with our Hensley TruControl Gold, but it has performed well in at least one semi-panic stop on the interstate.

I have had occasion to try out their warranty service. Less than a year after we bought it, some of the display elements dimmed out and were not readable. I sent Hensley an e-mail asking them what to do, and they shipped a new unit out to me before I even read their answer. Great warranty service. The new unit display works fine.

[Michigander]

Sean, I'm glad you spoke up about this issue. Yes, the tru-control/brakesmart unit I spoke of did have a pressure transducer that I screwed into the master cylinder of my tow vehicle. It was an awesome unit, and I kept it for future use just in case I tow a trailer again. I wish someone would devise a similar system to operate the brakes in my toad.

Bob and Nancy
2005 LYG 30 S/O
Jeep Wrangler toad
Michigan

[slowmover]

The only other controller I see mentioned in the same sentence as the BrakeSmart is the MaxBrake. I am not saying anything other than to have a look at both, and then at all others (I am still waiting, hoping, to have a Jordan). These were comments from hotshot drivers (commercial service with pickup trucks).

MaxBrake™ - Hydraulic over Electric Variable Brake Controller

Dr. Performance - BrakeSmart

Best Brake Controller

The Jordan is an older technology, but KISS reliable.

These three are the only ones I would consider having, with BrakeSmart rated highest.