Trailer Brake Controller questions

[MossRoad]

My mom and dad went through a whole handful of VW vans in the 60's and 70's... probably 5 of them, and a couple of beetles. Drove each one into the ground. My dad got lousy service from the dealer and complained constantly to VW of America to get the repairs done right under the warranties. But he kept buying them. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My mom and dad went through a whole handful of VW vans in the 60's and 70's )</font>

David, back in the late '50s and early '60s, several times I thought a VW bug or a van would be a more economical, practical car for me to buy. Each time, I would go visit a dealer and drive one around the block and then knew for another year that I didn't want one. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[hobbyfarm]

RonL,
BOTH, the worst car I ever owned AND the best car I ever owned were VWs.

Worst: 1975 Dasher, nothing but problems.
Best: 1973 412, never had a problem.

 

[Junkman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ............... I also have a collision warning and navigation system in the truck, the downside of that is it tends to get a little bossy and has to make frequent stops for powder room breaks. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

I'll bet that the collision warning and navigation system also high maintenance and doesn't cook, clean, or do laundry unless it is so motivated by your constant attention.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[tracdoc]

Hmmm...

The Brakesmart was NOT available back in March when I was in your position needing a controller for my F-350. I see that it is still not available, and the letter from the CEO {HERE} suggests that it may be quite some time before the new manufacturer is up to speed. Personally, I would not buy one of the "new" ones for awhile, at least until all the bugs of the new mfr are worked out.

In frustration, I opted for the Prodigy. The Jordan, with its brake pedal controller connection, concerned me as this truck, which I purchased pre-owned, has the adjustable brake pedal. Some forums indicated that this can be problematic with the Jordan.

I have not been disappointed one bit with the Prodigy. It is an excellent controller. I got it from RJay's {HERE} along with the specific harness. It was a 10 minute plug in installation.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> I would go visit a dealer and drive one around the block and then knew for another year that I didn't want one. </font>

Hahahaha /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You know, I had lots of fun in those things with my family and later my friends... we had one used VW van, I think it was a 74, that someone put a souped up engine in. It had dual two barrels and headers! Dad had as wide of studded snow tires on it that would fit. Looked really weird and sounded mean. I could jump beer cans with the front tires by popping the clutch. Made a few $20.00 bets with that thing. Topped out about 90 MPH. No heat in the winter, though; no gas heater option and no heat boxes around the exhaust due to the headers. We had to scrape the inside of the windows in the winter from the condensed frost from our breath! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I wouldn't mind having an old bug converted baja style, but that is the only way I'd own one nowadays. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

tracdoc, the Prodigy is no doubt a good unit. It, however, doesn't work well with the Touareg unless you go through the grief of pulling apart the wiring harness and doing a custom wiring job. Apparenly it causes faults in the computer system of the Touareg.

The new Jordan units works with the adustable brake pedals, and doesn't seem to have any known issues with the Touareg. I think that is the way I will end up going.

What is somewhat shocking is the price of a hitch for the Touareg. I got a quote from one VW dealer at $1150 (without a controller). Another dealer quoted $710 + $392 labor (without a controller). Both are for the factory hitch, giving me a 7700# towing capacity with my Touareg.

I called a local hitch shop, he said he would not install one on a Touareg because labor costs to do it are too high, it is a 3 to 4 hour job.

I called the local U-Haul center, the grandson of the founder of U-Haul drives a Touareg, I was told all their big centers will install them. They quoted me a price of $450 installed, with a basic controller. They use a Curt Hitch, using that hitch I'd have a 6000# tow capacity. That is likely what I will end up with, as most of what I tow is 4000# to 5000#. I'll add the Jordan unit. U-Haul said they would install the Prodigy, I just am unsure if they will install it properly with the custom wiring.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( lots of fun in those things with my family and later my friends )</font>

Yep, David, the only time I was ever in a car that turned over was my cousin's almost new '64 bug. He was showing off how he could grab the park brake and slide around in a 180 and go the other way; turned it over on the right side. He stepped all over me climbing out the driver's door, and I was laughing so hard, I almost couldn't get out of it. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif He promptly traded it for a new Mustang. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Quite a few years later, he built up a VW powered dune buggy and I painted it for him. We had a lot of fun with that thing.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Just a thought ... I looked at the Curt hitch for your Vdub and it appears to be an old style square hitch. I went to U-Haul when I got my Exploder in '01 and the guy didn't want to sell me one cuz it was the old style and he thought they were too ugly. I'm more for utility than looks but I thought if I could find a new style formed round tube hitch for the same price range, I'd get it. Sure glad I did. Hidden Hitch. Fits like a glove (installed myself) ... and looks like it belongs there.
FWIW, cheers!

 

[ScottAR]

The brakesmart is available. I bought one. It took a couple weeks to arrive but it came. It had the controller and mounting bracket with instructions, and then the harness came in it's own box with instructions to routing for my truck. With color pictures even!

 

[cowboydoc]

Dargo I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I looked at that controller that you bought. That is one of the older ones that they did a recall on. The one you bought had some glitch in it where the #'s would flash instead of reading correctly. They were doing free replacements a year or so ago but not sure what the situation on that is now and that you are not the orignial owner.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="green">
The brakesmart is available. I bought one. It took a couple weeks to arrive but it came. It had the controller and mounting bracket with instructions, and then the harness came in it's own box with instructions to routing for my truck. With color pictures even! </font>


Here is an Email that I got from Brakesmart this morning:

On Aug 23, 2005, at 8:47 AM, <info@brakesmart.net> wrote:

Good Morning Bob,

I appreciate your interest and consideration. Per the web site letter, we still do not have a firm release date. The other obstacle is that I am not absolutely sure of the tee needed for the master cylinder. My guess is that it would be a 12x1 mm bubble flared fitting.

The only thing I can tell you is that you may need to use another controller until both of these issues are resolved.

Thank you,
Steve Guidry
The BrakeSmart Co.
www.brakesmart.net
info@brakesmart.net

 

[OkeeDon]

<font color="blue">"...its got about 2/3rds of the goodies...sensors on the bumpers to help with parking, an air conditioned glove box to cool bottles of wine, auto dimming exterior mirrors, a talking navigation system, a radio that mutes when the phone rings, syncronized mirror motors, and just about every adustable setting can be customized to my tastes so the stereo starts up at a the volume it was at, or at a preselected maximum, depending on my choice, the footwell lights can be set to 10%, 20%, etc. The remote can be programed to open one door, all door, or the doors and hatchback. And there are a lot of details that are nice like the little sliding drawer under the passenger's seat to store a handgun, or the slide up shades that retract into both rear doors to shade the rear passengers, don't forget about the 4 zone heat/AC control, and the 5 sun visors for the front passengers to block the sun from just about any angle you can imagine. Adjustable air ride suspension, dual locking differentials are available, but I only have the rear locking differentail... </font>

Good grief, it sure is tough to get old. I don't even understand half of that in a car or truck or whatever it is. Ten years later, I still have to get out the owner's manual to see how to operate some things on my stick-shift Dakota with manual locks and windows... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[ScottAR]

Apparently things have changed. I stand corrected. At the time I bought mine it was still made by Master Brake. Sorry for any confusion. I speculate that the lateness of delivery by Master Brake might be the reason they are out of production now...

 

[Junkman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( J.................... Adjustable air ride suspension, dual locking differentials are available, but I only have the rear locking differentail on my Toureg. And if you are a power junkie, you can get a V10 diesel with something north of 650 pounds of torque! )</font>

OK...... now I understand..... you opted to purchase the stripped down model with only the very basic items.... It is no wonder the Lovely Mrs_Bob calls you "El Cheepo" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Next, you will try to tell us that the Government made you do it to save on your income tax bill... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="green"> Next, you will try to tell us that the Government made you do it to save on your income tax bill... </font>



hmmmm . . . . /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue">He was showing off how he could grab the park brake and slide around in a 180 and go the other way </font>

I learned that move from a Time magazine article regarding training limo drivers evasive tactics back in the 70's. So I went out and tried it in dad's Nova. A little harder to do with a foot operated parking brake and three-on-the-tree shifter, but it worked great.

 

[MossRoad]

Seems electronics are getting a bit too sophisticated.
Remember the good old days when you could just slide under a vehicle, unwrap some black tape, stick a needle in a wire with a lightbulb attached and test it against the frame while your sweetheart stepped on the brakes or turned on the blinkers? Ahhh. Those were the days, Bob. Those were the days. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Junkman]

Heck one of my first cars had acetylene headlamps.... before that, someone walked in front of the car with a kerosene lamp to light the way. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Dargo]

Thanks for the heads up doc. I called Tekonsha at (888) 785-5832 and asked them about what you mentioned. They told me that there has never been a recall, but a TSB on the unit and a software upgrade. They pointed me to this web page: Tekonsha TSB for more information.

They also told me that the "error" was specific to 2003 model 6L Ford diesel vehicles. They said it is remotely possible that I could have the "o.g." (open ground) display on another vehicle, but it would be highly unlikely. I don't own a Ford truck, so they said that it is only a very remote possibility that I would experience the potential display error.

They assured me that if I experienced a display error, they would provide me with the new software, and that if I had a display error, it would not effect performance. I'll admit that unless I had eyes in my lap, I'd probably never notice a display error anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I guess I'll just have to see how much trouble it would be to take the unit out after installed and then decide as to whether I'd opt for the software upgrade or not if mine has a display error in my particular vehicle. Thanks.