Normally I flat tow my Jeep so there is no need for a brake controller but a couple of weeks ago I had to tow my buddy's toy hauler home and realized a controller would be a good thing to have in such cases. I need advise on which brands to look at or avoid and how hard they are to install. My truck has the tow package with the blue trailer plug under the dash

Thanks

 

BrakeSmart is probably the smoothest and best and most expensive. Trouble is you can't get them right now and will not for quite a while. Jordan is probably the next in line for smoothest with least amount of quirkiness. Prodigy would be next. Don't even consider anything else.

Bob

 

Can't comment on the Brakesmart or Jordan, but I have the Prodigy. Zero jerk........can't get much smoother than that.

 

Prodigy is perfect for your situation. Occasional towing, nothing huge. It is hard to justify the expense of a brakesmart for the little bit of towing that you are talking about. I have a Prodigy and really like it. very smoth brake application and strong when it needs to be. I am pleased.

Just my $0.02.
-Trey

 

I agree with everything written here so far. I especially agree with durasmack. If you're only towing now & then, why spend all the money when you can get a prodigy fairly cheap...and it will more than do what you need. I have one and absolutely love it. It's also real easy to install!! As fiverbob said, I wouldn't even consider anything but the three he listed.

 

Another thing you might look at if you are going to do more towing, is the JAKE BRAKE !!!!

Personally, I feel Dodge should offer that as part of the towing packages on the Ram trucks with the CTD engines.

Difference is that with the Jake Brake (engine exhaust brake) you are NOT
touching the trailer or truck brakes most of the time. The engine slows the truck and trailer down.

One big hill we have to go down, about 3 miles long, we had the brakes glowing by the time I got to the bottom with 14000 lbs of trailer, had problems keeping it below 60 mph, real hairy ride.

After the Jake brake was installed, the same hill, came down in 4th gear, at 45 mph, didn't touch the brakes once.

Well worth the money to buy it and put it in. Over the life of the truck,
the amount of money you save on replacing truck and trailer brakes pays for the Jake Brake.

Now have a 2005, 3500 Srw CTD 6spd, and that's the first thing we had put in the vehicle. Next was the gooseneck trailer hitch.

Also if anybody is interested, I have a wiring diagram, and parts list to replace the "big, bulky, ugly" Cummins switch to the Jake brakes with a
nice in dash switch with dual color led to control the Jake Brake unit.

 

Thanks for all the advise. Looks like the Prodigy controller might be the one for me. There's one on Ebay now that I might try to get. I did install a Pac Brake exhaust brake a couple of weeks ago and it works great for my flat towing. Went over the Grapevine here in So Cal last weekend without having to use the service brakes.

 

any chance these prodigies are available locally?

jeremy

 

i also like my prodigy about 100 bucks on line

 

Here is a Jordan for $110
http://www.bestbrakecontroller.com/

 

matt, where are you finding the prodigy online for that price? i need one as soon as i can get one. $100 sounds great.

jeremy

 

e bay about a year and a half ago there are several on ebay right now for 90.00

 

i got the digital one from advance, $59 in the "towing dept" (which was a corner on a shelf.)

works great, 2 settings, digital display, and manual slide.

??

 

how does the jordan compare to the prodigy?

 

After I installed the Jordan, I threw the Prodegy away. That is the whole story.