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Cab space is tight, and bulky brake boxes can get in the way. The Venturer NEXT is just 1" thick and comes with a flush-mount bracket so it sits neatly under the dash without crowding your knees. Since it’s a time-delayed unit, there are no mounting angle restrictions—install it anywhere you can reach the large pinch-trigger manual override.
The LED display uses clear bar indicators to show gain levels and error messages so you can see what’s happening at a glance. Brightness adjusts automatically, and a night mode keeps glare off your dash when driving after dark. When parked, auto-sleep mode kicks in to prevent battery drain.
Every trailer brakes differently, and the Venturer NEXT lets you fine-tune both strength and speed of application. Use the rocker switches to set gain—the maximum output—and load—the rate at which that output ramps up. Once dialed in, it delivers steady, predictable stops for trailers with up to 3 axles (6 brake assemblies).
The included custom harness plugs right into the vehicle’s factory brake control port behind the dash—no splicing required. Just mount the compact box, connect the harness ends, and it’s ready to go. Because it works independently of inertia, there’s no calibration or leveling step before towing.
This controller handles electric and electric-over-hydraulic brakes and is fully compatible with low-volt, PWM, ABS, and cruise-control systems. That makes it a dependable option for a wide range of tow setups while keeping operation straightforward and reliable.
Alternate Instructions
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hi there. I'm Michael with etrailer.com. Today we're gonna take a quick look at this CURT Venturer NEXT Trailer Brake Controller. Now, if you're not familiar, if you have electric trailer brakes on your trailer, you are going to need a brake controller in order to activate those brakes. Otherwise, they're not really doing anything for you. There are several different kinds of brake controllers out there, different features and that sorta thing.
This is really gonna be your more basic option. So it's not gonna have some of the more advanced features that allow you to control the intensity of your braking in the moment, but this is going to be enough to get your brakes functioning. So if you are just looking for the base model that's gonna do the job for you without having to pay a whole lotta money, this is gonna be a great way to go. This will work for your trailers that have up to three axles, so six brake assemblies. Basically the way this works, every time you apply the brakes in your vehicle, a signal is sent via your brake switch to the Venturer.
The controller is then gonna send that power out to your trailer brakes to activate them with an intensity that's preset by you. It does also have the predetermined rate, which is also set by you, and we'll get into what those two terms mean, but this is going to be a time delay system. So unlike some other brake controllers that are proportional, this is going to apply the brakes at the same intensity whether you're tapping on the brakes or slamming on the brakes in an emergency sorta situation, that your trailer's brakes are gonna apply at the same rate either way. Both the amount of your braking power, called the gain, and the rate of the application, which is called the load, can be adjusted to suit your preferences, the road conditions, the type of trailer you have, and the weight of your load. We've got the switches here that are going to allow you to very easily access that and adjust.
So we've got 10 different gain settings. You select a higher setting for your harder braking and a lower setting for your more gradual braking. You do wanna go as high as you can without your trailer's brakes locking up. That's a good indicator that you've gone a little too far, so you wanna come back down a little bit. Typically your gain is only gonna be readjusted when you're experiencing changing road conditions or if the weight of your trailer changes.
So if you've taken off your load, you might wanna adjust it so that it's not engaging as hard with that lighter empty trailer. This also provides nine different load settings, and that's gonna control the aggressiveness of your trailer's braking, meaning how quickly the brakes reach their maximum braking level. So you've got all that adjustability to preset it, but then once you apply the brakes, it's going to apply that same power and as quickly each time. So again, whether you're tapping on the brakes or you're slamming on them, the trailer's brakes are gonna apply that same amount of pressure. So unlike your proportional systems which will apply the trailer's brakes in proportion to how intense you're applying the tow vehicle's brakes, this is not gonna have that feature. It does have a very simple LED display that's gonna show the amount of power output. So you can adjust that in one-digit increments so that you can know where you're at, you know how much intensity you've got. The brightness is also adjustable, so you can view it optimally either. No matter if you're driving during the day or at night, you can adjust that brightness level. We also have the pinch trigger that's going to give you that manual override capability, so very easy to reach if your trailer begins to sway or if you're stopping in an emergency situation. You can activate your trailer's brakes and the brake lights without having to apply the brakes on your tow vehicle just by pushing in on that switch or that trigger there. This is gonna be very quick and easy to get installed. There really are no mounting restrictions. So with a proportional system, you have to have it mounted in a certain orientation for the internal components to sense the inertia. This, you don't have to worry about that. They've got this mounting bracket here with the included hardware that you can get mounted flat on your dash, and then it just kinda slips in place there, so basically flush with your dash. Very simple to get installed, and you don't have to worry about getting a certain orientation. You can mount it basically whichever way is gonna work best for your setup. You can see our width there. We're looking at approximately 3 1/8 of an inch wide. Our length, we're sitting at approximately four inches, and then our thickness, call it about an inch. So keep that in mind when determining where you're gonna mount this. Now, to get it wired in, it's gonna depend on your setup. If your vehicle is already equipped with a plug-in brake controller wiring harness, all you have to do is just connect the unit to it, so very simple there. If you don't have a built-in system, there are some plug-in vehicle-specific brake control wiring adapters available that are gonna help to reduce your installation time, and of course, that is gonna depend on your vehicle. So I'd recommend using our vehicle fit guide here at etrailer.com. You'll select your year, make and model of your vehicle. We'll let you know which products will work for you. So specifically for those vehicle-specific kinda products, that's more important, but if you do have one of those available, I'd highly recommend going with that. Otherwise, if you are just going to wire it in place, you are gonna need either the 20-amp circuit breaker if you have a two, three or four-brake application, so with two or four-brake application, or you'll need the 30-amp for a six-brake application. So depending on your setup, you'll need either one of those, and again, if you don't already have a seven-way plug at the back of your vehicle, I highly recommend our ETBC7 seven and four-way brake controller installation kit that you can see on the screen there. So that's gonna give you that plug at the back of your vehicle so that you can plug in your trailer's wiring and make sure everything is connected properly. This does come with a limited lifetime warranty. So if you we're to have any issues with it, you're more than welcome to reach out to us here at etrailer.com, but like I said, this is a very basic model. I think it's gonna get the job done for you. It's not gonna have a whole lot of bells and whistles and that sort of thing, but it is gonna help to apply those brakes on your trailer, and that completes our look for today. Again, I'm Michael with etrailer.com. Thanks for watching.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
93% were satisfied with this product
7% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
As always....fast and accurate. My "go to" company for everything to do with trailers or towing!
This break controller was easy to install and
Works grat.
Sherry was extremely friendly and very helpful when I had questions about the correct fit for my truck. She got me the information I needed and took my order and the parts shipped the same day. I was amazed at how fast I got my order.
easy to install and works like a charm
Was very easy to install with the vehicle specific wiring harness, took it for a short test drive with my 19 ft Scamp Camper and it works as it should
Ordered my brake controller for my tundra and it worked great. I had already been to a local store that kept providing me the wrong part so I took the time to research and this was exactly what I needed.
arrived before I expected. Finding the prewired brake plug on my 2015 tundra was a pain. This wiring adapter made it possible to complete the job.
My husband installed easily. Makes towing our camper much easier.
Installed but not used with a trailer yet, easy instruction and appreciate the extra hardware for the installation.
Compact and not intrusive. Decided to use the adhesive tape included and taped under the dashboard L of the steering wheel.
Outstanding product is everything we expected from easy to connect and display in the truck. Great to have when necessary too.
I like this controller mainly for its sleek design and it blends into the dash of my Tacoma. It works right out of the box and I’ve rarely had to adjust the setting manually. It sometimes lights up weird when not in use but works fine. I’d purchase again.
I grabbed this cable to connect my Curt Spectrum brake controller to my 2017 Toyota Tundra tow package cable. Worked great. The Tundra cable was located immediately behind the panel to the right of the steering wheel with the auto LSD button and Tow/Haul button (if equipped). My truck had a blank instead of tow/haul button.
VERY easy install. As mentioned in other reviews the hardest part is finding the factory plug in for a 2017 Tacoma. Toyota tucked it way in the back behind a wire bundle. Picture attached for reference.
I picked this Curt brake controller As it is specifically wired for my 2017 Toyota Tacoma which already has the tow package. When I finally found where to hook it up in my truck I realized I needed C51455 part which is the female end .. they gave me another 15 inches of extra wiring so I can mount the controller by my right leg as I drove.. and the great thing about this experience I called on a Sunday afternoon got a hold of A person ( Shawn B) Who was very helpful and knew exactly which part I needed .
I highly recommend using e trailer
As alway, etrailer had exactly what I needed to do the job simply, effectively, and as the best price. What more can you ask for?
Easy Install with the Harness I bought for it. Works great.
The hardest part of the job was finding the pre-installed connector on the Tacoma. It is tucked in behind a wire bundle so you have to know where to look. Once found, simple plug and play.
Pat V.
8/3/2020
Works very well.
I bought this connector for my new Toyota Tacoma after moving the Brake Controller from my traded in Jeep. I had hardwired the Jeep, but this was a direct connector and was much, much easier to install. The Curt brake controller and this cable make an excellent combination to control the brakes on my Casita. The only flaw is that Toyota hides the factory end under the upper left side floor-well cover and was hard to find. Not etrailer's fault. Also, I have bought several items from etrailer and the customer service is always superb, as are all of the item descriptions and videos on the products they carry. Great place to get what you need for your vehicle.
I purchased an adapter to go between my brake controller and the factory wiring in my 2015 Tundra (C51455), I have not installed it yet. I will review it when it is installed.
Dave
7/29/2016
The wiring adapter I purchased worked perfect and the install was simple, thanks
Easy installation waiting for snow to melt to test towing
I am using this for a test fixture. I have found it to be easy to use and having a reliable ramp rate for EOH brake actuation.
A basic brake controller. It was easy to install! Should do the job.
I replaced my previous Curt venturer with the new one and it was easy. Just plug it in. Used it this weekend and did great with easily adjustable trailer brakes
Milt
It was easy to install. Just plug in and ot works. Fast shipping.
You guys were very helpful and I'm having the tow hitch and wiring installed with AP Automotive.
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Kevin
9/6/2016
Flawlessly