As I have yet to hook my caravan up and take it out on the road, could someone please answer the following

Would the dealer installed " 7 pin plug " on the tow vechile be allready wired to operate the "Electric Brakes" on the van --- ( the van's brake lights work when hooked up )


many thanks

Coyotte

All I can say is my electric brakes has a separate lead and was set up by the caravan dealer and the brake lights and worked by the 7 point plug don't know if this is the normal

Do you have a trailer brake controller installed? A trailer brake controller must be installed to operate the electric trailer brakes. If there is one installed you would be well aware of it however I think it most unlikely the car dealer would have installed one. Maybe you're referring to the caravan dealer. You're not specific on this. The 7 pin plug does provide a pin for the electric brakes but it would be up to the person installing the controller to wire this up. This is a separate circuit to the brake lights. Yes Brickies this is normal and it is normal that the caravan dealer (or a "third party" auto electrician) and not the car dealer would set this up.

Thanks for the replies

just the advice i needed

car dealer installed
so i need a trailer brake contoller installed

Coyotte

Coyotte
I had a electric brake controller installed by auto electrician..there are several types on the market

 redarc....I have this one cause there wasnt room for other types



thats just a couple I know of

I would suggest that you DO NOT get a Redarc controller or any other timed type controller. They only apply a little bit of braking when you first touch your brakes. They then build up the braking force as you keep your foot on the brake. For good safe travelling you need a brake controller that will come on hard in an emergency or come on softly when you brake softly and maintain that braking force during the time you are braking. You will only get that sort of performance with a brake controller with a pendulum in it.

I have a "timed" brake controller installed and I'm about to replace it with an inertia (pendulum style) type brake controller for the very reasons PeterD outlines above. I also find that it's impossible to set the controller for satisfactory operation for both town and highway use without readjustment.

Some of the newer type inertia brake controllers claim they are not critical on being mounted level as are the older pendulum controllers. I have no idea how they achieve this.

The Tekonsha Prodigy is on my short list but I'm open to comments from other forumites on this.

http://www.caravansplus.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=51_53&products_id=153&osCsid=1a9594b9b9dacac4f497c1fac5f62d4f for more info.


-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 5th of September 2010 07:44:22 AM

jimricho wrote:

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Some of the newer type inertia brake controllers claim they are not critical on being mounted level as are the older pendulum controllers. I have no idea how they achieve this.

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That is not quite correct. All inertial controllers need to be mounted so they point straight down the direction of travel and are level side to side. The older models have a thumb knob or a lever on the side to adjust the pendulum so it is vertical when at rest. The later models have a different inertial sensing mechanism that is self adjusting (providing the angle of mounting is within limits - which are generous.)

The later models have push button adjustments with digital readouts. The digital readout also delivers some fault codes when faults occurr.

If you have an older manually adjusted model, when they are set correctly they operate nearly as well as the later moodels. The difference in performance is in that the newer inertial sensors re-adjust their orientation when ascending or descending hills.

 

Jim I had to go with redarc....theres just no where to mount the Tekonsha...in my Pajero..under dash and your knees are hard up against it.....well my were..admittly I'm 6ft5" tall...I mounted it under the right vent ...right of the radio on centre dash I couldnt find a spot for my Tekonsha Voyager

I do try to be careful with my posts lest one of the forum's resident pedants pounces. I had downloaded the instruction sheet and was aware that the Prodigy unit had to be facing in the fore-aft direction of the vehicle (I would have thought this was self evident). I also noted the need to be laterally level too but as I thought the issue was only older style pendulum units versus newer types it did not occur to me that the lateral and directional axes (pronounced "ax-eez", plural of axis, can't be too careful) were relevant to the discussion (and it still doesn't) Also thanks to David for pointing out the issue of mounting the unit in the Pajero. I will take this on board before committing to a purchase. Jim

This is where I put it Jim

Dave thats a neat job would have to be happy with that

Thanks again Dave, looks a really neat set-up. Much neater than my Hayman Reece controller installation. Does the Redarc have to be readjusted between highway and town use? With the HR unit, if set for highway use it will lock the wheels in town and if set for town use it's ineffective out on the highway.

I find its a bit touchy in town...but I'm blaming the new van's brakes as they havent been adjusted yet .needs more wearing in they say....best part having the controller there..you can see exactly what your doing..........not thumbl'n under stearing wheel feeling for the controls..........control goes from 0 - 9 ........auto electrician said most set theirs on around 3.5..depending on van weight and brake setup......the red button also is emergency controller...press it in if your van starts swaying.. Dave