View Poll Results: Genesis or Prodigy

Genesis

2.56%

Prodigy

64.10%

Other

33.33%

Voters: 39. You may not vote on this poll

Brake Controller

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Dec 18, 2006 | 11:40 AM

#16

jorlee

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 457

Likes: 0

From: SW ND

I decided on the Genesis. I spend some time to read the manuals that are provided. I was greatly disappointed in the Prodigy's manuals.

Installation, and Operation Manuals are more extensive to me.
Size is smaller than the prodigy.
Manual brake light feature. (assume your tie rod or tow vehicle brakes are lost, I'd want the people behind to know that I'm slowing down)
Greater Angle for mounting.
Electric/Hydraulic brake compatible.
Manual braking lever, appears harded to be accidentally used.

That is what I came up with and made my decision with that. Don't have anyting to tow, but would rather be ready to tow stuff than not.

Dec 18, 2006 | 01:04 PM

#17

Steina

CO River Rat

Joined: Feb 2004

Posts: 3,209

Likes: 0

From: Lake Havasu City AZ

When you do end up towing something, let us know how you like that Genesis; I've never seen a review of one here.

Steve

Dec 22, 2006 | 08:16 PM

#18

teg2_nv

Freshman User

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 44

Likes: 0

For people using the brakesmart, is it worth the $400 bucks?

Dec 22, 2006 | 09:02 PM

#19

OldBrown82

New User

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 23

Likes: 0

i have had experiece with 4 different setups. my f150 has a voyager, works well but is kinda jerky on the truck. my f350 has a pod controller which is the same way. my 01 silverado has the factory setup, very nice and smooth no problems in the year i've had it. recently i used my bosses 04 f250 to pull a 12,000 lbs trailer, with a drawtite controller. it has a digital readout and an emergency button. it surprised me how smooth it was. i think it will be my next brake controller.

Dec 23, 2006 | 07:57 PM

#20

al_e._gator

Senior User

Joined: Dec 2004

Posts: 263

Likes: 0

From: Georgia

Quote:

Originally Posted by teg2_nv

For people using the brakesmart, is it worth the $400 bucks?

Many serious towers on RV.net swear by them and that was a big factor in my decision to buy one. I got lucky and got mine off ebay from a wrecked f350 and paid less than retail which was $325 at the time. I have towed a 20' flatbed empty and then put a 25 horse tractor with mower, loader, and box grader on it and didn't have to touch the controller's adjustment. Braking was like the trailer wasn't there both loaded and unloaded. I have used the Jorden 2020 with the same trailer and it needed adjustment when changing the load. I don't think I would want to use anything else except maybe the factory Tow Command. On whether or not it's worth the current $400, If you have a $50K f350 and a $40K fifth wheel and tow all the time or tow heavy loads for a living why not spend the extra money for the peace of mind. If you only tow once or twice a year a prodigy is plenty good enough. One last thing, Brakesmart is cheaper that retrofit Tow Command on a truck that doesn't have it.

Dec 23, 2006 | 09:12 PM

#21

Colorado-native

Senior User

Joined: Jul 2003

Posts: 109

Likes: 0

From: LaPorte, CO

Quote:

Originally Posted by teg2_nv

For people using the brakesmart, is it worth the $400 bucks?

For me it is!

The question for me isn't saving $60k worth of rolling stock, I really do not want to spend any time healing just because of a cheap brake controller.

I have done a couple EMERGENCY stops with an 8k# TT in tow and the whole mess (17k# total) just STOPS. Nothing squirrely. No push. No pull. Just a straight line stop. It is the same with normal stops - No adjustment for load or road conditions.

In short my family's safety is worth way more than the price difference between a barely adequate controller and a really good one.

I will not own another deceleration type controller. If my senses tell me to keep the pedal down hard until everything is stopped, I don't want the controller to begin backing off the trailer brakes.