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2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed

Draw-Tite Brake Controller

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16 reviews


Code:   5500

Retail:$80.49

Price:$79.95

Shipping Weight: 1 pounds

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Draw-Tite Brake Controller - 5500

Ready for Act II? Draw-Tite brings a few more features to their Activator series with this model. Not only does it handle up to 8 brakes, there is also a digital display which keeps you informed of output levels, as well as any indication of overload.

Draw-Tite Activator II Electric Trailer Brake Controller

  • Designed For 2, 4, 6 and 8 Brake Trailers
  • Digital Output Indicator
  • Thumb Wheel Output Adjustment
  • Overload Indicator
  • Lifetime Limited Warranty
  • 100% Solid State
  • No Hydraulic Connections
  • No Moving Parts or Pendulums
  • Mounts Anywhere - No Leveling Required
  • Dimensions: 3-3/16" (W) x 6-1/8" (L) x 1-1/4" (H)

Draw-Tite's Activator II electronic brake controller is for trailers with electric brakes. The controller applies the trailer's brakes electronically as soon as the brake pedal is engaged, unlike pendulum models which react to inertia created after the tow vehicle's brakes have already begun to stop. The amount of braking power (output) and rate of application (sync) are both adjustable for the individual driver's preference, road conditions, type of trailer and load. The driver can control the amount and rate of braking from soft to aggressive and the brakes can be manually applied.


Required
30 amp. Circuit Breaker (38630)
Recommended
Pulse Preventer (5501)



Video of 2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed


Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer
installation instructions and specs for complete information.

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Video Transcript for Activator II Trailer Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese Review

Today we are going to show you part # 5500 from Draw-Tite. This is an Activator II brake controller. This is a time delayed brake controller. Basically what it means is that power is set at a predetermined rate that you control. And then you control also through a slide lever how soon the power comes on. You can set it for a half second or a whole second before the power in the brakes kick in and activate. This brake controller can handle up to 4 brake axles. It does have digital output indicator. It will also tell you if you have an overload situation or a short in your wires somewhere in your brake line. This unit is 100 percent solid state with no moving parts, so you can mount it anyway you like it, upside down, sideways it does not matter. It is really great in smaller vehicles with very limited space to sit in. Next we will cover how it works.

Basically we will apply power to this brake controller and show you how it works. It shows you on a digital display or scale of 1 to 10 how much power you are using. And again, this little wheel right here will show you how much power you are actually using. We will start it at 10, then we can wheel it back down to about 5. Also on the side here you have a manual override. So if you ever have to activate the brakes on the trailer itself, simply just slide the lever over and it goes up to whatever you have it limited to. And then on the side here, we have these little slide levers and they control the time delay itself. It shows it on the display on a scale of 1 to 9. Hold your brake down and let it run up to whichever setting you have and then slide this lever and it will show you on a scale from 0 all the way up to 9. You can set it anywhere in between. Again that controls how soon the brakes come on. Setting it at 0 you can see just how slow it is watching the display. Now we will show you the opposite with the setting on 9, pretty fast.

This brake controller comes with complete directions. It works on a simple 4 wire hook up like most brake controllers. So basically you will be running the 12 volt power wire is the black one. Your stop light wire will be your red wire. The blue wire will run out and connect to a trailer and the white wire will go to the ground. The kit also comes with a mounting bracket that installs on your dash. Again, you can mount this anyway you want because it is solid state so you dont have to worry about that. It gives you a lot of freedom of where to put the bracket at. Also has a hardware package here that has screws that attach the controller to the bracket and the bracket to the dash. Then 1 quick splice to connect to your red wire to connect to the cold side of your brake light switch. There you have it for part number 5500 from Draw Tite. The Activator II electronic brake controller


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2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

Average Customer Rating:  ratingratingratingratingrating4.7 out of 5 stars   (16 Customer Reviews)




2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Bob09/30/2009

Is this review helpful?


Nice product, easy to use Easy to use an upgrade from my Activator I unit. Has the same manual brake control that failed on the Activator I unit. Hopefully this one does not fail.2438



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Alan M.03/11/2011

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Looks OK and easy to follow instuctions. 9059



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Randy D.03/20/2011

Is this review helpful?


Easy to install. simple instructions, I have it wired up but just have not towed anything yet to get the settings set for my application.9878



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Simon H.02/06/2012

Is this review helpful?


This hand break is exactly what I was looking for. I had one on an old truck that I had sold and wanted to put one in one of my newer trucks. I kind of knew what to expect - what I didn't expect was the exceptional customer service I received from etrailer. I placed my order and the people at etrailer kept me informed on every step of the delivery process up to and including delivery (even what door it was delivered to at my house) Now that's what I call service!! Will definitely use etrailer again!! Thank you31219



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: K Maconachy01/30/2012

Is this review helpful?


The Product was easily to find on your site. I was able to browse controllers specifically for my truck. The controller arrived as expecteed. I was kept informed on the order, shipment and delivery, and it came right when you said it would. It installed easily in about 1/2 hour. All the tests we did worked well. 30629



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: chad01/29/2012

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Love it.... Installed in my 2011 chevy in about 5 min and it works great. Recommend to anyone 30502



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: dave01/25/2012

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excellent product exactly as described 30350



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Pat01/25/2012

Is this review helpful?


Good overall product. Meets needs and is inexpensive.30307



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Armando A.09/26/2011

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Great prices, quality products, great customer service and reasonable shipping!!! 24682



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Ashley B.09/26/2011

Is this review helpful?


Works great, very easy to use, and very easy to install thanks24632



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: James Gilmore08/01/2011

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Fantastic brake controller. Even better website.20688



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: ty b07/11/2011

Is this review helpful?


thank you for the fast delivery ,and for the easy installation vid was a breeze,ty19110



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Shama J.04/21/2011

Is this review helpful?


Excellent product. 12166



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Ken03/22/2011

Is this review helpful?


The item appears to be well made and as expected. I'm having some difficulties, but with my camper, not with the unit. Probably not a really useful review.10133



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: Brett D01/25/2011

Is this review helpful?


Had the same controller for years, it has worked well. I pull a 4 axle 24,000 # trailer with disc brakes on all four axles. simple, reliable, and inexpensive.6083



2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500

ratingratingratingratingrating by: jimmer06/21/2009

Is this review helpful?


Love the digital display! Digital display is now a requirement when I order a brake controller. It is amazing how much better brake control I have knowing before hand how much brake will be applied.2017




Ask the Experts about this Draw-Tite Brake Controller
Expert Answers about 2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller by Draw-Tite and Reese - Time Delayed - 5500                                              Do you have a question about this Brake Controller?


  • Draw Tite Activator 2 Displays Decimal or Dot and Does Nothing When Manual Switch is Activated
  • According to the instructions, when you have a decimal or dot displayed, it signals that there is no trailer connected. Without a trailer connected, there is no complete brake circuit so pressing the manual switch will do nothing. Try connecting a trailer first and following the setup portion of the instructions. In case you do not have your instructions, I have included a link to them below. I attached an FAQ page on brake controllers that you might find informative to the right.
    view full answer...

  • Malfunctioning Draw-Tite Activator II Brake Controller on a 1997 Ford F-150
  • Here is the typical brake controller connection method. Red wire to cold terminal of brake switch(cold terminal gets 12v only when brake pedal is pressed). Blue connects to trailer brakes. White is ground, and Black goes to a 12v power source. We offer a wiring adapter, part # 20260 that would plug into the OEM socket under the dash, and the bare leads on the adapter would wire directly to your controller.
    view full answer...

  • Parts Needed for Brake System to Flat Tow a 2006 Jeep Unlimited Behind a 2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD
  • We have just the system you need. The RoadMaster Even Brake Portable Braking System, part # RM-9400, can quickly be attached to the brake pedal and does all of the braking for your towed car proportionately to the motorhome.
    view full answer...

  • What Does The 8.0 Display Code Mean on # 5500 Activator Brake Controller by Draw-Tite
  • When this brake controller shows an output when there is no trailer attached it usually means there is a wiring problem that needs to be addressed. If the output code is not showing without the trailer hooked up and then appears when the trailer is hooked up, the trailer is mis-wired and you will need to make sure the trailer brake wiring is connected to the proper terminal and that there are no problems with the wiring or magnets in the trailer brakes. The terminal inside your 7-way trailer
    view full answer...

  • What Does the SC Error Code Mean on the Activator II Trailer Brake Controller
  • On the 2-8 Electric Brake Controller, item # 5500, the code SC indicates that the brake controller output circuit is short circuited at some point between the point where the blue wire exits the rear of the controller and where it ultimately ends at each brake assembly at the brake magnet. The most common situation that causes this is a damaged or corroded trailer connector, either the socket on the vehicle or the plug on the trailer. Carefully examine the metal pins on the plug and socket fo
    view full answer...

  • How to Install Brake Controller Wiring on a 2004 Nissan Armada
  • You are looking for a 6 pin connector located near the emergency brake pedal. It is usually taped to another wiring harness. You will need a wiring adapter, part # 20266 to complete the connection.
    view full answer...

  • Why is my Brake Controller Reading Overload and How Can I Find Where the Problem is?
  • If your controller, item # 5500, is reading overload without the trailer connected then that means there is a short in the blue trailer feed wire on the vehicle. If the controller is reading overload only when the trailer is connected then there is a short or overload in the trailer wiring or breaks. Use a circuit tester, item # 3808 if you need one, to test the wiring to find out where the short is. If it is on the trailer end and you cannot find a wiring problem then the problem may be
    view full answer...

  • Wiring # 5500 Draw-Tite Activator II Brake Controller On 2009 Ford F-250 and F-350
  • If you are hard wiring the Activator II electronic brake controller, item # 5500,on your 2009 Ford Super Duty, then you will need to use a 30 amp circuit breaker, item # PK54530, to wire the black wire on the brake controller to the battery. If you are using the factory wiring harness you will need to use the Brake Controller Wiring Adapter for Pre-Wired 2008 Ford Super Duty Vehicles, item # 20270, (also works on 2009). Vehicles not equipped with factory trailer tow package, may require fuse
    view full answer...

  • Will The Hand Held Electric Brake Controller, Part # 5500 Work on a 2010 Toyota Tundra
  • Brake controllers are not vehicle specific, they can be used on virtually any vehicle. The Activator II Electronic Brake Controller, part # 5500 would work just fine on your Tundra. If your factory installed tow package includes the 7-way trailer connector on the rear bumper, the controller can be plugged into the connector under the dash using a Brake Controller Wiring Adapter, part # 3040-P. If the factory tow package consists of the 4-pole connector that supports the lighting functions
    view full answer...

  • Trailer Brakes Not Working When Moving Activator II from a 2000 to a 2008 Toyota Tundra
  • Since you have the factory 7-Way and brake controller wiring, I would imagine everything is correct on the truck. Additionally, using the custom fit brake control harness, part # 20265, eliminates concern of the brake controller being wired incorrectly unless the harness is faulty which is very unlikely. I would use the instructions for 20265 to make sure that the pins are in the proper location. I have linked to these instructions below. The single decimal point, as you may already know, ind
    view full answer...

  • Brake Controller not Functioning When the Brake Pedal is Pressed on a 2004 Chevy Suburban
  • Based on what you have described, it sounds like that there is a problem with the internal circuitry of the brake controller, or a fuse in the power distribution box on your 2004 Chevy Suburban. In the power distribution box, there is a separate fuse for the brake controller stoplight switch wire. This is to protect your vehicles brake light circuitry. If this fuse has blown, then it could also cause the problem. I have included a link below that shows the fuses and their locations in the po
    view full answer...

  • Brake Controller Puts Out Voltage Through Blue Wire with No Brake Applied but Brakes Do Not Engage
  • You will need to test the brake controller wiring using a multimeter (something that can measure a minimal amount of volts). Check the red wire connection. It should be attached to the wire on the stop light switch that only has voltage when the brake pedal is pressed. If your red wire is connected to a wire that carries even a few volts when the brake pedal is not pressed, it is not the correct wire. Make sure that the white ground wire is attached to a clean metal surface and that it is fre
    view full answer...

  • Troubleshooting Poor Brakes on a Triple Axle Trailer with One Wheel Locking Up
  • Wire size, brake shoes, hubs or magnets could be the problem here. You will need to inspect the trailer brakes to see what is causing your situation. We have a video (see link) that will help you to determine the problem and I will outline how to check things for you. If the brakes on one or more axles are worn significantly more than on other axles you may need to replace the brakes. In this situation I would replace all of the brake shoes at the same time to ensure even braking (see link).
    view full answer...

  • Wiring a Brake Controller on a 1995 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 LS
  • Yes, you will be able to install the Draw-Tite Activator II Brake Controller, item # 5500, on your 1995 Chevrolet 2500 Silverado LS. You will not need the Universal Brake Control Wiring Adapter 1999-02 Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, item # 20263, on the 1995 model because there is no factory port under the dash to plug the adapter in to. Chevrolet did not start putting the brake controller wiring port under the dash until 1999 so you will need to hard wire the brake controller on your 1995 model truc
    view full answer...

  • Wiring the # 5500 Draw-Tite Activator on a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  • Wiring a brake controller no the 2007 Chevrolet Suburban should not pose that big of an obstacle. The wires for the brake controller are under the dash and fairly easy to find (see link) and there is a plug, located above the spare tire, which is used to install the 7-Way Trailer Wiring Harness, item # 30955, at the rear of the vehicle. If your vehicle does not have the factory wiring already connected you will also have to make two connections under the hood to complete the brake controller
    view full answer...

  • Installing Activator II Brake Controller Part # 5100 on 2007 Chevy Silverado
  • In the 2007 model year, GM offered two Silverado models. The Silverado Classic used the older body style from the previous model year. To install a brake controller on this vehicle, a wiring adapter like part # 20264 is used. If you have the factory supplied wiring adapter, the wire colors are different as you have found. The red wire on the factory adapter connects to the black brake controller wire, the light blue wire on the harness attaches to the red controller wire, the black harness wire
    view full answer...

  • Troubleshooting Activator II Brake Controller Only Shows Dot when Trailer Connect to 2002 Dodge Ram
  • For the Activator II, # 5500, when the unit only displays the dot when the brakes are pressed and when the manual override is used means that there is no connection between the brake controller and the electric trailer brakes. On the brake controller, make sure the output is not at the lowest setting as this could cause this problem. Next, check the blue wire coming out of the brake controller. Using a circuit tester like the Quickee # 3808, probe the blue wire and then step on the brake. If
    view full answer...

  • Reese Pilot Brake Controller on 2000 Ford F250 Not Reading Trailer
  • You did a great job troubleshooting here. Trying a different trailer as well as a different controller did a pretty good job of ruling the trailer or the controller out as being the problem. The newer controller that you tried sent a small amount of voltage along the brake output circuit looking for the trailer connection, and did not find it. The most likely culprit is a corroded or damaged trailer connector on your truck. Take a look at the pins in the connector. If you can see any green co
    view full answer...

  • Brakes Lock Up On Horse Trailer When Connected To 2005 Ford F250 With Valley Brake Controller
  • It sounds like you are going to need to check the wiring on your whole towing setup. You will need to use a circuit tester like the Quickee Circuit Tester, # 3808, and want to start by checking the brake controller wires to make sure they are connected properly. You should have power in to the controller on the black wire and power leaving the controller on the blue wire when the brake pedal is pressed or the manual slide knob is activated. The red wire should have power on it only when the
    view full answer...

  • Activator II Brake Controller Shows Dim Display and Does Not Engage Trailer Brakes
  • I spoke with my contact at Draw-Tite about the problem with your Activator II Brake Controller, # 5500 (instructions linked below for reference). He suggested a couple of tests. First, check for voltage at the brake controller red wire using a circuit tester like the Quickee # 3808. It should only carry a signal when the brake pedal is pressed. If it does not show a signal something might have gone wrong on the brake switch (he noted this is more common on Dodge trucks). You can also reset th
    view full answer...






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