Trailer Brake Controller

[skitches]

If you are pulling a 18 foot enclosed trailer with a 40 foot Monaco Diplomat, do have an electric brake controller installed to control trailer brakes?

[randyrr]

I have a 40 foot Newmar Kountry Star and just installed an electric brake controller for my enclosed trailer. Definitely safer. I purchased the Curt Spectrum and mounted it in the dash. Looks like from the factory.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[zmotorsports]

Here is a similar thread that is running concurrently now that has some information that may be helpful.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/whe...al-566924.html

[davidceder]

Each state has different weight requirements. For my state, Arizona if it weighs over 3,000 lbs you need brakes. Many states are similar some a bit higher. Chances are if you travel you will go through states with the 3,000 limit or lower if there are any. Your rig might be able to handle things ok without the brakes but if you get in an accident and get sued without brakes the lawyers might eat you for lunch. My CRV weighs 3,400 lbs and I put a braking system in.

[dca81]

I installed a wireless Echo brake controller. So no wiring to worry about. Works fine on my Windsor 36', but dealer warned me he has had customers with longer MH that failed to keep a bluetooth connection because of the distance between the controller (phone on dash) and rear receiver. Knock on wood, it has worked fine for me so far.

Bob

Link:https://www.amazon.com/CURT-51180-Co...vnetw=o&hvqmt=

PS If you loose signal the system maintains its last setting for applying the brakes, but you just can not manually apply/adjust the brakes from your phone controller.

[carybosse]

Originally Posted by dca81

I installed a wireless Echo brake controller. So no wiring to worry about. Works fine on my Windsor 36', but dealer warned me he has had customers with longer MH that failed to keep a bluetooth connection because of the distance between the controller (phone on dash) and rear receiver. Knock on wood, it has worked fine for me so far.

Bob

Link:https://www.amazon.com/CURT-51180-Co...vnetw=o&hvqmt=

PS If you loose signal the system maintains its last setting for applying the brakes, but you just can not manually apply/adjust the brakes from your phone controller.

I had considered a wireless brake controller, but the wireless aspects of it worried me a little. The glitches and frozen screen I have seen with my backup camera have done nothing to reduce my worries for wireless connections in the RV world.

[Scepter40]

Personally, I like this one:

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Bra...c/RED44FR.html

I don’t have a need for one in the coach, but I replaced a perfectly good Tekonsha P3 with that one in my Excursion and I love it. Nice small footprint, which I think would work well in a coach. There’s also an air to electric brake controller that looks interesting, but I don’t know anything about them. That presumably would keep you from having to run a bunch of wire.

[vito.a]

Our 2007 Monaco was prewired for a trailer brake controller but our 2004 was not. I added a Tekonsha Prodigy trailer brake controller and then ran the brake wire to the rear hitch area.
Link to posts #18 and #19
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/tra...-366077-2.html

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by vito.a

Our 2007 Monaco was prewired for a trailer brake controller but our 2004 was not. I added a Tekonsha Prodigy trailer brake controller and then ran the brake wire to the rear hitch area.
Link to posts #18 and #19
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/tra...-366077-2.html

This is how I wired my 2003 Dynasty as well. Utilized as much as I could up front from the brake switch and front run panel and then only had to run one 8-gauge wire from the controller all the back to the hitch plug. Worked perfectly for the past 15 years now. I much prefer to have a hard-wired controller vs. a wireless but that could be my OCD.