Trailer Brake Controller
Thread Starter
|
MUST GO FASTER!!!!
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 1,538
Likes: 356
From: Arizona
Trailer Brake Controller
2000 Ford Excursion XLT 2WD V10
Looking for a decent, trailer brake controller, and the adapter to plug it into my truck, as i believe there is a factory plug that is supposed to make it easy but i cannot find the details.
Trailer towing will not be super super heavy. At the most we are talking a 28 ft V-nose Enclosed cargo trailer on the flats, and most of the time it will be used for camping so it will be empty except for a bed, a toilet, a TV, and a roll around barbecue grille. No toy haulers, TTs, etc...
Trailer weighs 4000 lbs empty, twin 5200lb axles, and has 6400 rated payload capacity.
No intent to pull equipment trailers, tractors, etc...
Rather than guess and be wrong, i know there are plenty of pros on here that can toss me a bone and point me to the proper direction.
Looking for a decent, trailer brake controller, and the adapter to plug it into my truck, as i believe there is a factory plug that is supposed to make it easy but i cannot find the details.
Trailer towing will not be super super heavy. At the most we are talking a 28 ft V-nose Enclosed cargo trailer on the flats, and most of the time it will be used for camping so it will be empty except for a bed, a toilet, a TV, and a roll around barbecue grille. No toy haulers, TTs, etc...
Trailer weighs 4000 lbs empty, twin 5200lb axles, and has 6400 rated payload capacity.
No intent to pull equipment trailers, tractors, etc...
Rather than guess and be wrong, i know there are plenty of pros on here that can toss me a bone and point me to the proper direction.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 103
From: TN
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,064
Likes: 1,574
From: Media PA
Tekonsha Prodigy P3 and the plug in harness I picked up from Amazon....plugged right into mine but mine is a 2003. Checked for 2000 and you should be good to go if those wires under the dash are located.
Wires on mine were tucked under the dash to plug into.
YMMV
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008KZ0EO4...ype=automotive
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Wires on mine were tucked under the dash to plug into.
YMMV
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008KZ0EO4...ype=automotive
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
Can confirm that Ford did have the trailer brake harness plug up under the dash in 2000. I had to do a little searching for mine. The first set of four wires I found had no connector on them and I thought that someone before me had cut the plug off for some reason. If you find those like I did, keep looking: They're actually "extras" that were run through the firewall for owners to add on other things without having to punch through the firewall.
Cross-Country
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 98
Likes: 19
Tekonsha Prodigy P3 and the plug in harness I picked up from Amazon....plugged right into mine but mine is a 2003. Checked for 2000 and you should be good to go if those wires under the dash are located.
Wires on mine were tucked under the dash to plug into.
YMMV
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008KZ0EO4...ype=automotive
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Wires on mine were tucked under the dash to plug into.
YMMV
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008KZ0EO4...ype=automotive
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 182
I had a P3 and it was awesome and worded great. I opted for the Redarc controller because of the form factor and I had a hole in the dash to be filled after removing the 4WD switch.
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Bra...c/RED44FR.html
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Bra...c/RED44FR.html
Thread Starter
|
MUST GO FASTER!!!!
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 1,538
Likes: 356
From: Arizona
Yea, i am not sure, i dont want to have it down by my knees hanging on the dash, i have big knees and long legs, 6ft 5 here and it bugs the **** out of me if i have anything bumping into my knees or shins in the foot well during a long drive.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 182
Redarc is the way to go then. I will say that I've towed with it several times, both a camper and a 16' utility trailer loaded with metal. Though it's not as "plug and play" as the P3 in that you have to monkey with the setting a bit to make it work with the trailer (like the gain on the P3), once you get it going, it works just as well in my experience. And it's tiny. You could put it about anywhere on the dash or even the center console if you wanted.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 295
Likes: 105
From: Eastvale Ca
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 171
From: SoCal
I'm a short guy and my Tekonsha is mounted in the same location. It's simple, easy to use, and works great. I do like the REDARC small form factor but already have the Tekonsha.
Trailering
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 24
Likes: 18
From: Long Island, NY
Same place my P3 is mounted, out of the way, yet handy at the same time. I have yet to tow with it in my new to me Ex, but had a P3 in my Titan and it was great!
Cross-Country
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 98
Likes: 19
From experience found out the oh s**t lever on the bottom of the P3 is gold. Had a car run me onto the shoulder at highway speeds. Was able to grab the lever real quick and use the trailer brakes to help drag myself straight. Was way out of shape. Years ago used a column mounted lever on some of the Mack's I drove in a similar way.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,064
Likes: 1,574
From: Media PA
Im not planning to change out my P3 anytime soon but I always like to learn more about new (to me) equipment. I use my P3's manual lever frequently and like how well it does, how do you manually apply the trailer brakes on the Redarc? Have you towed with the Redarc yet, if so what type of trailer and weight? Thanks.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,667
Likes: 182
It's a push button activation. So, say you have it set on 4 and you come to an emergency, you just push the button to apply the brake. Now, if you need more, you just turn the dial up to a higher number and push the button. It's not as forgiving in those situations because you'd have to modify the setting while in said situation. The P3 is better in that regard because it's applying more voltage to the brakes the farther you push it so it's more of a real time application if you will. The other thing the Redarc does is allow you to apply the force all at once or in a "staged" setting (like the P3) where the more you brake the harder it goes until you hit the setting. My camper (though I haven't weighed it loaded) is probably around 4800 empty and I load it to the gills, along with the X. Probably overloaded now that I think about it but I'm on the hunt for a diesel pusher these days, so I'm not sure the camper will see another trip.