In this video clip Stew Oleson and Bill Gehr will show you how to install an Tekonsha Prodigy electronic brake control for your tow vehicle.
DIY – Electronic Prodigy Brake Control Installation for Your Trailer
February 16, 2009
February 16, 2009
In this video clip Stew Oleson and Bill Gehr will show you how to install an Tekonsha Prodigy electronic brake control for your tow vehicle.
GMAs
I used the prodigy brake controller for our trailer . I followed the instruction.. but when it came time to hook it up.. the sales people over at the RV place were right their… in a matter of min we had the thing hooked up and working. I elected not to hard mount the thing to the dashboard… and was suprised to find that it really did work as advertised. It is without doubt the best in the industry so we have found.
However, when we got the new truck… we found some problems with stopping due to the stif’er ride…. I had always used the KH hyd brake controller for years on the older PU and vehicles.. and they seemed to work well… and while the new technology seemed to be a improvement… I always was looking for something better.
Well Ford came up with it… in their new truck… which can be adapted to the older ones as well… It also can be bought as a after market item from a vendor that makes them for ford. Here it samples the break line pressure… a lot like the old KH units did… but the difference is that it doesn’t take as much fluid to make the new sensor work, while the old KH had a piston which caused a wiper to move. Increasing pressure caused the wiper to move up higher thus giving the brakes more current. The new system samples the hyd pressure from the brakeing action and without much movement, electronically then causes the current to increase directly with the hyd pressure.
It works great.. and while it does go into the hyd brake line… its is not enough to disable or set off the anti skid funtion sensor. Best of all unlike the old Kelsy Hays unit… it doesn’t require the dropping resistor element that used to be mounted out in the engine compartment also.
We have found that this IS the best unit now. The prodigy, while being of good service was No. 1 now drops to No. 2 and the new system by ford .. again best in the class.
I also understand that when trailers start going to the disk brakes this unit will still work just fine and be a little quicker than the prodigy units.
While the old drum brakes on the AS are good… the disk brakes seem to have a advantage of being easier to maintain and service as well as the new proportial system keeps track of each wheel… so that if it starts to skid… the system balances it out similar to the anti skid on the new PU… and eliminates the anti sway bars on the trailer too..
Lots of new exciting things coming …. with improvements .
At the RV show we attended… I was really impressed with the new all elect refrig that will replace the old AS dometic doubble door one. No more propane, flame or failure at 120 deg F. and… its more effecent too… wow… I also liked the replacement AC/heat pump unit being mounted down low also… no longer on the roof… quiet too.
happy trails…
G.M>
Bob
What is or are the best recommendation for an excellent brake controller?
Scott
Hi,I just wonder how to keep my winegaurd roadtrip sd clear? My problem is when my sat dome is cover with snow it not even an 1inch, I have to go on top to clear the dome to get back on, It get to point i almost slip off when it wet or little snow.Is there a another way to stop it or not? P.S I tried to write comment to forstest river com, there is no way to get there comment,
Thank Scott
Colin
HI
I am wondering how you check the polarity at the campsite before you hook up. I have a multi tester but I asked in a store how you do it and he told be to set it on a certain setting and it trashed my tester so I had to get another one and I don’t want to do that again. Another person told me what I did was used for testing a diode.
They had a unit that is for 120volt but I need one for 220 volt at I sometimes use a 50Amp hookup.
Colin
clarke
I have 2008 GMC. I plan to buy Prodigy P3. I was wondering about the black plastic box under left side similar to one where you remove the cover. I noticed you use OEM connector to plug it. Is that all you do? what about circuit breaker? My truck has trailer wiring but not with electric brake controller. Any tip would be helpful.
Ian McKee
I have a fifth wheel with four six volt AGM batteries. We travel about six months a year. When the rig is in storage I periodically charge the batteries by plugging in tto shore power. How long should I charge them? Can they be overcharged this way?
Shore power is 15amp.