Just picked up..........NeW. Need brake controller!

[timswi]

This was on the old body style, not sure about the current, but the biggest cost was replacing the master cylinder with the proper one that incorporates the pressure switch.

I van not for the life of me understand why the dumb arse dealers are not ordering them all with the brake controller? :drool::confused2::drool:Last time I checked it was only a $160 option on a Ford. Seems like a no brainier to me....

Chris

Agreed...I think mine was right around $200 or so....No brainer for me.

 

[robs660]

I am thinking max right now. I wish I did g have to deal with this but everything else about the truck is great

 

[Dmace]

What are you looking to tow? Is a Max Brake controller really necessary?
I go camping with 5 other families and one has a 35ft tri-axle 5th wheel and uses a typical Prodigy 3 controller with no issues.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

This was on the old body style, not sure about the current, but the biggest cost was replacing the master cylinder with the proper one that incorporates the pressure switch.

I van not for the life of me understand why the dumb arse dealers are not ordering them all with the brake controller? :drool::confused2::drool:Last time I checked it was only a $160 option on a Ford. Seems like a no brainier to me....

Chris

Actually, it's like $230 or something.......even so, it seems like most of the ones on the lot DON'T have it...

 

[crazyal]

Clearly most of the trucks they are selling are to people who will never use them to tow a 3500lb plus load. To them a DVD player for the kids is a much better option than a brake controller.

 

[RJD2516]

Prodigy for me. Used it to tow a 7x16 wells cargo. about 5500 lbs, all day, every work day. Worked fine. Heck, I would forget it was there most of the time. Very easy to use, and adjust. I am sure there are other good ones out there.

 

[Dmace]

Prodigy for me. Used it to tow a 7x16 wells cargo. about 5500 lbs, all day, every work day. Worked fine. Heck, I would forget it was there most of the time. Very easy to use, and adjust. I am sure there are other good ones out there.

Tell me about it, I use a $50 Reese Pod brake controller for a 5500lb +/- (7700 gvwr) dual axle camper and 10k gvwr dual axle dump trailer usually loaded to around 5500-7500 lbs and a couple of 8-9k loads. It's not the smoothest brake controller and takes adjustments for each load but works great.
Unless your towing commercially or very often, I don't see the need for such an expensive and difficult to install controller like the max brake...

 

[s219]

I would see if the dealer can install the factory one. On a Ford its about $600 after the fact.

On a new F-150 with the factory tow package installed, the the brake controller part is only $180-190, but the dealer has to program the computer to activate it. Most will do it for free during an oil change or other service. So you can add it for under $200.

 

[mojoinco]

I put a Maxbrake on a 2005 Silverado. It wasn't difficult, but it was involved (I got too finicky on the looks). I put mine on the top of the dash above the trans shifter knob. By the time we sell this truck it will either not be worth much or the next guy will want it this way.

Plenty of decent cheaper units, but I liked the idea of the old units that teed into the brake lines (more linear, less to adjust). Somewhere in the first mile I adjust the gain, that's all there is to adjust. Last truck had a unit that had 2 or 3 adjustments and not linear.

I extended the wiring ~18". Not sure where the wiring mounts in the newer truck. In the older trucks there was a simple connection on the firewall, and you had to connect a ring connector beneath the underhood fuse box (it was already there) and buy a $3~4 fuse/relay (been a while).