Brake Controller - Helpful Videos and How To Articles

Brake Controller Installation - 2009 Honda Odyssey - Video

Today we are going to install part number 90185 from Tekonsha, the Prodigy Brake Controller, and we will also use T-1 Connector part number 118438. And also we are going to use part number ETBC7 as the install kit for our 7-pole going up to our battery and the brake controller, on a 2009 Honda Odyssey. Our first step involved is we are actually going to install the T-connector first. Normally it installs behind this panel here, gets run underneath this threshold, and usually gets stored in the jack storage compartment. Since we are installing a brake controller and it is going to be using a 7-pole connector on top of it, so what is going to happen is we need to run our wire harness from the inside out. First off, we are going to take off this threshold here. We have to take off these anchor points. There are plastic pins throughout the bottom here, so what you need to do is pull this out gently until they pop out, like so. And once you have them all loose, just a gentle pull, pushing up on it, will pop the pins that are in here. The next step we are going to is we are going to go ahead and remove this panel. We will pull it out just a little bit so we can get access to the plug. The port is located on this assembly right here. It is on the top right-hand corner, and it is usually the only one that is open. And there is a separate ground right here which we attach to the factory ground right here. Next what we will do is we will secure our module here. And we will just put it back here - anywhere where it is convenient back behind the panel here. The next thing we want to do is go ahead and run our wire along the factory harness here, and then it will go straight down. And we have made a dimple right here where we are going to mark our - and drill a hole right here. So we are going to drill out a 1/2-inch hole. We drilled a 1/2-inch hole and installed a little simple, rubber grommet. Now what we are going to do is we are going to cut our wire up here and then we are going to feed it from the outside in. And we will make our reconnection up here. That way, at least we have some connections that are not outside all the time. We will go ahead and tape up our connections now, secure them up. And for now we are going to leave our access just like this. We will just put it underneath there - hide it underneath our carpet. And at this point we can go ahead and start putting the interior back together. more

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Posted: 6/12/2009 8:07:53 AM

Brake Controller Installation - 2006 Honda Ridgeline - Video

Today we are going to install part number 5510, the Brakeman Digital Remote Electronic Brake Control, and we are going to install this on a 2006 Honda Ridgeline. The first step that is involved is to go ahead and install a 20-amp circuit breaker that will go between the battery and the brake controller itself. We want it right about in this area right here. The next thing we will do is go ahead and run our wires for our battery up to our circuit breaker, and then from our circuit breaker it is going to go behind the firewall and come out by this grommet right down in here. We will push this screwdriver through it just to give you an idea of which grommet we are going to run our wires through to get to the inside of the vehicle. What we did was, we pulled the grommet loose on the inside and pulled back up on the cable. We just made a slit in it with a knife and we are going to reinstall the grommet and then push our wire through. For now we will just trace along with the original wire harness down to our battery to check for length. We can cut into our cable and put our connection points onto the circuit breaker as well as down to the battery itself, but we will hook up our battery as the last deal. We will leave our white wire connected because that is going to carry ground to our brake controller. All right, then we will hook our terminals up here temporarily. We will use the copper-color one going to our battery, and then the silver one will go out to our brake controller. Now we need to strip our cable down to our negative terminal here, so we can have a connection point there, also. Now we will take a few zip-ties and just secure our wire harness, but, again, we will just leave these connections as the last thing we do. Now we will go back underneath the dash and start making our connections to the brake controller box itself. more

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Posted: 3/9/2009 3:22:31 PM