Been pulling for 37 years or so. Prodigy is the one I use. haven't tried Brakesmart... not reason to change... very satisfied with Prodigy.
Florida Ed
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2001 7.3 F-350 Dually Lariat CC LWB 4X2 Dark Green 4.10 4R100 5'ver Hauler (32' Montana 2 slides 10,500# - 2,000# tongue weight), 106 gal aux tank, 103K miles, nephews arguing over who will inherit it 'cause I'm gonna' drive it 'til I die. Bone stock.
2001 5.4 Gasser F-250 XLT Crewcab SWB 4X2 3.73 4R100 63K miles headed to 150K (wife's vehicle on the "junk-iron" theory of vehicle safety....most junk iron wins in a crash) stock as the day it was made
Before these: '00 F-250 CC PSD, '97 F-250 CC PSD, '94 Ford F-150, '91 Ford E-250, '81 Ford E-150, '66 Ford F-100 (cars not included)
Prodigy works great. The install is almost too easy. Shop around you can get them for a good price.
Brakesmart looks neat, but with the ability to control trailer airbags, and hydraulic connections it might be overkill for RV towing. The price tag is right up there too!
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2001 F250 SC 4X4 Blue PSD Auto, Cody Gooseneck Hitch, Rancho Shocks and Steering Stabilzer, Tekonsha Prodigy Controller, Garmin Streetpilot 2610 GPS, Walker BTM, 285/75R/16E, Western Diesel Trans-Pyro-Boost, Pillar Mount, Painless fuse panel, In-tank and Pre-pump mods, Slotted Rear Rotors, Slotted and Cross Drilled Front Rotors, Fumoto Valve, Zoodad Mod, Transfer Flow 46 gal tank, Mag-Hytec Differential Cover, Electric Tailgate Lock, IAH Deleted, Coolant Filter, DP-Tuner 80 hp PCM, CCV Mod, 203 Thermostat, Ford AIS Air Filter
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Prodigy works great. The install is almost too easy. Shop around you can get them for a good price.
Brakesmart looks neat, but with the ability to control trailer airbags, and hydraulic connections it might be overkill for RV towing. The price tag is right up there too!
[/ QUOTE ]A lot of larger trailers are going to electric over hydraulic disc brakes. The Prodigy and the like controllers are not compatible with some (most?) of the hydraulic actuators. BrakeSmart is. The other functions of the BrakeSmart controller, ABS, airbag controls, EGT monitoring etc. were all vaporware, ie., sounded good but never materialized. The hydraulic connections are really plug and play. If you have ever bled your brakes yourself it is trivial.
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2002 F350 Lariat CC 4x4 Auto 4.10 DRW, DP-Tuner F5 live tuned stock, quiet, 40dd, 40, 60, 80 tow, 80e and 120r, B&W GN, BrakeSmart, 'pooned tank, tank and pre-pump mods, 2µ Dahl 100 filter, regulated return, BTS dual HPOP, AC singles with EDM 34 lpm nozzles, AIS, H2e, Spearco 6.0 IC, Hypermax 3.5" dp--> MBRP 4" 304SS exhaust, BTS tranny, 203º T-stat, Chevron ELC, coolant filter, Oilguard bypass with Schaeffer 9000, WranglerNW 200 amp alternator & Optima group 31 batteries, Nippon-Denso starter, SPA gauges, SteveRacer mods, Hella 80/100W 9007s, Hella Micro DE foglights, 1000FF driving lights, 220W backup lights, Stancor contactor, Michelin XPS Traction tires, X-Springs, Bilstein shox, custom bumpers but otherwise stock. Nov 30 '99 build engine with 16 K miles, Fluidampr, Comp Cam 910 springs, Melling LPOP and ARP headstuds. Alien-Patrol Customer Service Sucks!
nothin' is gonna be MORE accurate than the factory controller
OR the BRAKE SMART...they both use brake fluid <pressure>, not
VOLTAGE, or CURRENT to activate the brakes.
the brake smart is a TRUE progressive brake controller...apply
the brake a LITTLE (and hold it) and thats ALL the braking the
trailer will get.
the only other controller that comes close is the JORDAN
(which uses a cable).
i was stuck <brake smart was not in production> and for towing
my 18' car (flat) utility trailer couldnt wait....i went w/
a the Hayes Genesis (its one of the FEW controllers that can
display the CURRENT / AMP drawl...which allows you to determine
if ALL the brakes are working). http://brakecontroller.com/genesis.htm
I purchased a maxbrake controller from brakecontroller.com and it works excellent. The braking action is super smooth without readjustment. There's no jerking on the trailer tongue. Even works with electric over hydraulic trailers. I pull several different size trailers cross country and the maxbrake works awesome! It's like magic. You can control your trailer brakes based on how hard or soft you press down on the brake pedal.
I have been trying to get Brake Smart for almost a year with no success. I am so glad I found the maxbrake! This is the last brake controller I will ever need to buy, bar none.
The Brakesmart is available, I drove to DR and had it put in by them. The Max Brake looks like somthing out of a 1950's Sci-Fi space creature film. It does not seem to have the adjustability of the Brakesmart either. And again, I would not put that thing in my truck, maybe if it was a 1956 Ford PU and I was trying to keep a retro look.
I went WAY retro.
Kelsey-Hayes hydraulic controller.
New old stock off Ebay.
Made in 1986, new in box.
Weatherhead 7921 brass tee from NAPA plumbed the hydraulic line right into my 2006 F 450 that didn't have ITBC.
Works with elec/hydraulic brakes, directly proportional to pedal apply pressure, no delay, no funky tell-tale nagging me when the ground via my ball is momentarily disrupted by hitting certain bumps, adjustable easily without looking at any display.
These work while ABS is engaged, no ill effects.
Whatever the scare was that obsoleted these old style units was BS as as far as my multiple thousands of miles of use has shown.
I guess that a worn out unit does leak brake fluid inside vehicle is the only negative I can find.
What does surprise me is that no one has come out with a Brakesmart or Maxbrake type device with an external pressure transducer that simply clamps onto a brake line for the pressure input for the electronic pressure proportional type system.
Clamp on pressure transducers are reliable and have been around for ages.
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Don't tell my cattle I got leather seats!
2006 F450 CC Hauler bed 4x2 6.0 L Pstroke/Torqshift, Lariat, 4.88 r/a.
2006 F350 Lariat CC Dually 4X2, 6.0 TQShift 4.10 LS, STOCK.
36 feet on the floor Elite/Outlaw LQ horse trailer. Sooner 6 horse large dressing/ mid tack.
15 horses with good balance from being hauled behind a P'stroke.
I have had lots of compliments on the looks of the MaxBrake controller in my truck. However, looks will not get the trailer pulled available product and performance will.
1st thing id do to that maxbrake is PAINT IT <BLACK>...
just like i did w/ my cheapie controller !
it may not be the most beautiful thing in the world
im just glad brakesmart has competition...after the way
they screwed around more than a year ago im sure theyve
lost some sales & market share... hopefully now theyll
drop their prices too !
anyone know if the maxbrake fits in the cubbie hole like
the brakesmart does ??
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04 f350 CC LB SRW 4x4 (fx4 w/out the stickers & badges)
Linear Mode
