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Brake Controllers - Helpful Videos and How To Articles

Brake Controller Installation - 2005 Dodge Durango - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2005 Dodge Durango

Today we are going to do our install on a 2005 Dodge Durango with the tow package from the factory, and we are going to install Part Number 90185, the Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller. And we are also going to install the accompanying brake control harness for the Dodge tow package, and that is Part Number 3020P. To begin our install, we will start with the bracketry to hold our brake controller. And that is actually pretty easy. There is already an existing screw underneath the dash, and we are going to use that. We use a torx bit and we are going to go ahead and take that down. Then we run our bracket right back through it, and we are going to overlap so it will sandwich the plastic back up there like it was originally. more


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Posted: 8/28/2008 9:47:01 PM



Brake Controller Installation - 1999 Ford F250 - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 1999 Ford F250

Today were going to install the Prodigy brake controller from Tekonsha, Part Number 90185, on a 1999 Ford F250, the light-duty version. This will also apply to the same year Ford F150. Were going to start off with this one vehicle that only has a factory 4-pole package on it and does not have the 7-pole in the back. So were going to have to upgrade the 4-pole to make it a 7-pole and then we can install the brake controller up front. The first thing we do is install one of two brackets on the hitch itself so we have a place to mount our electrical connector, and basically were going to be using Part Number 18140 from Tow-Ready. And basically this is one that clamps in place right here. Basically its just a hose clamp that goes around the hitch and back through itself. And then you just tighten it down with a clamp set. You might want to hold the bracket in position while you tighten it down, too. Next were going to install a bracket by a hole in the connector right here. And this comes with the Part Number 37185, and thats a 4-pole to 7- and 4-pole adapter. more


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Posted: 8/29/2008 6:05:40 AM



Brake Controller Installation - 2008 GMC Sierra - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2008 GMC Sierra

Today we are going to be installing a brake controller on this 2008 GMC Sierra. The part number is 5520, along with the 7-way replacement socket for the GM products, part number 20047. We are going to start in the rear, installing the 7-Pole replacement socket. We are back behind the bumper here and if you can see this unit here is actually the 7-pole factory socket that we are going to be plugging into. So we want to go ahead and disconnect this off of the knockout that goes into the bumper. We are back on the outside of the bumper here and this knockout here is actually going to be removed. This is where the 20047 is going to be put in place of. Now that the knockout is removed, we want to go ahead and put the replacement socket in there. It just slides in and you want to line up the notches and just rotate it and it locks right into place. I am going to take the socket that we removed from the backside of the knockout earlier and plug it into the back of the 7-way here. more


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Posted: 9/2/2008 3:30:05 PM



Brake Controller Installation - 2003 Ford F250 - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2003 Ford F250

Before we begin our install we need to take down this access panel here to get to the port thats located behind the panel towards the center. Well point that out to you. Inside this cavity here you can see all the wire harnesses and what not, behind this harness is a gray port. Thats the port for the tow package we need to use. Well run it from the inside here out behind this steel here and come back around to the outside. Since this is tight quarters you can take a screw driver and force this up a bit so its facing towards you and its easier to install. Next were going to mount our bracket, were going to use a standard one like so. This vehicle had a brake controller before, so we use the existing holes. The hardware that came with this is a little small so were going to replace it with some number nine screws to take up the holes in the dash already. more


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Posted: 7/14/2008 8:41:46 AM



Brake Controller Installation - 2005 Ford E250 without Tow Package - Video

Brake Controller Installation  - 2005 Ford E250 without Tow Package

The parts we are going to be using on our van today are the prodigy brake controller and the standard harness that comes with it. We will be adding a harness that will plug into the port in the van. This is one of those tow part packages we are going to fill in a blank with. Right now we are going to put our harness with our other harness here that came with the brake controller. It is a pretty simple procedure. We are going to match color for color. If you were using a factory brake controller harness, chances are there would be different colors and you just match the labels to the brake control wires. more


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Posted: 7/18/2008 1:05:38 AM



Valley Odyssey Electric Brake Controller Typical Installation - Video

Valley Odyssey Electric Brake Controller Typical Installation

The first step is to figure out where we are going to mount the brake controller. Usually, typically, it is on the right hand side, on the driver side, right about here. And we will go ahead and mark it and then put it up there, mark it, and drill it out to mount it. And next what we will do is mount the brake controller into the bracket and then locate where we are going to run our wires underneath. more


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Posted: 7/18/2008 10:20:39 AM



Brake Controller Installation - 2007 Dodge Sprinter without Tow Package - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2007 Dodge Sprinter without Tow Package

The first thing were going to do is mount the wiring harness to the van. Well have to make a few connections. Well run this to the stoplight switch, the red wire, the white will get run to the battery ground, and the black will be ran to the positive ground. The blue wire will get run all the way to the back to the seven pole connector. Well do the brake pedal switch wire first, this gets connected to the cold side of the brake switch. Which means when you hit the brake, the wire comes on. Next well run our last three wires, which well have to go out the firewall. Theres a nice handy grommet here, well put a slice in it, poke our wires through and make our connections to the outside. Be sure to leave enough on the inside to be able to reach your brake controller. To mount our bracket for the brake controller we have this nice flat spot right here across this gap. more


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Posted: 7/23/2008 12:22:23 PM



Brake Controller Installation - 2003 Ford F250 - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2003 Ford F250

Just to give you a reference point, this is the top, right here of the gas pedal, so basically its across up on this pillar here. While were here well plug in our brake controller adapter and that will be part # 3035-P. Now we can plug the other end of this into our brake controller after we install the mounting bracket. Next well mark our bracket for positioning, well just hold it up here on this bottom edge where its nice and flat. In this corner right here, well just make a small dot for reference and then well put our first screw there. Afterwards well put our brake controller inside and eyeball it to make sure we get it straight. When we have positioned the way we want it, we ll make our secondary screw install here. Okay at this point we can simply install our adapter cable in then well just mount right here. We have the brake controller installed now, the last thing we do is take the wires and zip tie them into a safe position and all we have to do is test. more


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Posted: 7/23/2008 2:21:09 AM



Brake Controller Installation - 2004 Ford F150 - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2004 Ford F150

If you are throwing around the idea of installing a brake controller or needed one yesterday this video will show you step by step what is required. Many trucks come with a factory provided brake control wiring harness which is usually tucked into the glove compartment. On this video we will demonstrate how to install the Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller using this OEM harness. Since this truck has the tow package the only hardwiring required is between the factory harness and the controller. If you want to eliminate all hardwiring and make installation even faster you can opt to purchase the Tekonsha custom wiring harness if one is available for your vehicle. more


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Posted: 7/18/2008 12:25:05 AM



Brake Controller Installation - 2006 Ford Ranger Part 2 - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2006 Ford Ranger Part 2

This is the second video showing the final steps required to install the Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller on the 2006 Ford Ranger truck. It can sound like a lot of work but finish watching the video, you will see it really is not as hard as it may sound. You will see where the brake controller is actually mounted in the drivers area and how the connections to the battery are made more


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Posted: 8/6/2008 4:15:44 PM



Brake Controller Installation - 2006 Ford Ranger - Video

Brake Controller  Installation -  2006 Ford Ranger

We show you here how to hardwire your vehicle with an electric brake controller. We are using the popular Tekonsha Prodigy and using our Brake Controller 7 and 4 Way Installation Kit, ETBC7, to set this 2006 Ford Ranger up to tow a trailer with electric brakes. Even though the truck is not pre wired to accept a brake controller it can be done allowing you to safely tow campers, utility trailers, horse or livestock trailers and more. more


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Posted: 8/6/2008 4:12:45 PM



Brake Controller Installation - 2004 GMC Envoy - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2004 GMC Envoy

Today we are going to install part number 90185 from Tekonsha. We are installing a Prodigy brake controller on a 2004 GMC Envoy. The first step here on the Envoy is locating the tow package. And the tow package is actually located underneath the dashboard behind this plastic facing here. There are 2 screws, one to the left and one to the right that hold that into place, and we will go ahead and remove those and pull this down. Then we will locate the wires that will be right up over here somewhere. The panel just pulls away, like so, but make sure not to pull it too hard because there is the diagnostic and Aux port over here that we do not want to pull any wires out of. more


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Posted: 7/18/2008 5:27:28 AM



Brake Controller Installation - 2008 Ford F150 - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2008 Ford F150

Today we are going to install part number 39510 from Tekonsha. This is their Voyager Proportional Brake Controller. I am going to give you a few quick notes here. We are installing this on a 2008 Ford F150. It does not come with a tow package. It only comes with a basic 4 pole flat. We will show you how to upgrade this vehicle to do a 7 and 4 pole and install a brake controller. To give you a point of reference this is the factory 4 pole that came standard on the 2008 F150. Now if you had a tow package you would have the seven pole already out back here and probably the hitch also. But to convert this what we need to do is plug into that with our adapter. Then you extend the wire and you will splice into it wire harness here. more


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Posted: 7/24/2008 8:30:42 AM



Brake Controller Installation - 2008 GMC Sierra - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2008 GMC Sierra

Today we are going to be installing a brake controller on this 2008 GMC Sierra. The part number is 5520 along with the 7-way replacement socket for the GM products part number 20047. OK, we are going to start in the rear, installing the 7-Pole replacement socket. We are back behind the bumper here and if you can see this unit here is actually the 7-pole factory socket we are going to be plugging into. So we want to go ahead and disconnect this, off of the knockout that goes into the bumper. We are back on the outside of the bumper here and this knockout here is going to actually be removed. This is where the 20047 is going to be put in place of. Now that the knockout is removed we want to go ahead and put the replacement socket in there. It just slides in, you are going to line up the notches and just rotate it. Then it will lock right into place. more


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Posted: 7/15/2008 5:02:49 AM



Brake Controller Installation - 2007 Toyota Tundra - Video

Brake Controller Installation - 2007 Toyota Tundra

Today we are going to install on a 2007 Toyota Tundra and we will be installing the brake controller part number 39519 the Tekonsha Prodigy. We will also be using part number 3040-p from Tekonsha which lets you plug into the factory tow package in the vehicle. We begin our install by finding a spot to mount our bracket onto. Just go ahead and put it up there and see if you like it as a nice place to put a brake controller. It should give you a pretty good idea of how it fits. Makes sure you can access the thumb wheel on top. Seeing the LED screen is equally important. Now that you know it is in the correct position you can go ahead and mark the holes before you drill them. Now we will go ahead and drill out our holes after we have marked them. more


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Posted: 6/3/2008 3:43:25 AM





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