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Mount the control knob of this proportional brake controller on your dash for a factory look, and install the main unit out of sight. The Elite's unique user-controlled mode gives you direct control of your braking for any weather or terrain.
Features:
Specs:
The dash-mounted knob puts control of your trailer's brakes at your fingertips. In addition to offering fast, simple power adjustment and an easily accessible manual override, it has colored LED signals that let you know what the brake controller is doing at a glance.
When you are calibrating the brake controller for the first time, the LED lights will signal your progress. To finish setting up the device, you will need to drive your vehicle in a low-traffic area and brake 20 times or so to let the unit learn its orientation and the direction of travel. If your trailer is connected, the LED light will flash green/blue as it processes the information. If there is no trailer connected, the unit will still calibrate, just without the knob lighting up. The knob will stay blue longer as the calibration process gets closer to being done. When the display turns solid blue, initial calibration is complete. The unit will remain calibrated for the next time that you tow. If recalibration is required, it will happen automatically and without LED indication.
Once the brake controller is activated, you can use the knob to set the maximum amount of power that will be applied to your trailer's brakes. Typically, this power is only readjusted when you experience changing road conditions or if you switch over from a heavy, loaded trailer to a much lighter, empty trailer, or vice versa. To get more power to your brakes, rotate the knob clockwise toward 10. To decrease the power output, rotate it counterclockwise toward 0.
When you apply the tow vehicle's brakes, the knob will change from blue to red to signal that the trailer brakes are being activated. The higher the braking power output, the deeper the red that you will see.
The Tow-Pro Elite keeps the manual override within easy reach, great for stopping sway or controlling your trailer's momentum in emergencies. To engage the manual override, just press the control knob. This will activate the trailer's brakes and brake lights without you having to apply the brakes on your tow vehicle, perfect for limiting trailer movement while you're cruising.
The Redarc Tow-Pro Elite comes with a unique feature that lets you respond to any terrain or weather you meet while on the road. The user-controlled mode gives you direct control over your trailer's braking so you can have exactly the level of power output you need for any situation - perfect for off-roading or adverse weather conditions. In this mode, the Tow-Pro Elite will apply your trailer's brakes with the same preset amount of power each time you activate the brakes in your vehicle. Set the power low if you're towing through sand or mud so that the trailer doesn't stop with too much force and act as an anchor. When on a steep descent, set the power to a higher level to ensure that the trailer's momentum doesn't cause it to push against the tow vehicle.
To turn on the user-controlled braking mode, rotate the knob counterclockwise and apply your vehicle's brakes. Push down on the remote knob twice (2 times within 1 second) and release the brakes. The knob will turn green to let you know that the mode has been activated.
Unlike most proportional controllers on the market, the Tow-Pro Elite has almost no mounting restrictions. It comes in 2 pieces - the main unit and the control knob. Because the only part that you need to be able to access is the control knob, the main unit can be mounted out of sight and out of the way. You don't have to worry about dinging your knee on a bulky brake controller or having something in your cab that can interfere with your vehicle's lower airbags.
The dash-mounted control knob can be installed in any convenient spot that's easy for you to see and access. This can be a blank switch panel, an open spot on your center console, or wherever there's space on your dashboard. A universal mounting panel is included to ensure a clean, from-the-factory look. Custom-fit panels are available for certain vehicles as well. Before you do any drilling, be sure there's room behind the dash for the entire knob to install, including the part you don't see!
Once you've decided where you want to put the control knob, you'll need to find a good place to install the main unit. Your only restriction is the 3' plug-in cable that has to be able to reach between both the main unit and the control knob. Securely mount the box using screws, double-sided tape, or zip-ties (not included). A mounting kit (RE67FR - sold separately) is also available for the Tow-Pro Elite. Do not zip-tie the box to wiring or cables that can shift as you drive.
A vehicle-specific wiring harness (sold separately) is available for most newer trucks and SUVs. One end of the custom adapter plugs into your vehicle, and the other end will either plug directly into the controller or will splice into the included wiring harness - no need to hardwire to your vehicle. If a custom brake control wiring adapter is not available for your vehicle, you will need a universal wiring harness (RED69FR - sold separately). A 30-amp circuit breaker kit (331-CBK30-EB - sold separately) may also be required for installation.
For assistance in properly wiring the Tow-Pro Elite, please refer to the diagrams below:
See etrailer.com's exclusive 7- and 4-way brake-control installation kit (ETBC7 - sold separately) if you don't already have a 7-way plug at the back of your vehicle.
The Redarc Tow-Pro Elite brake controller comes equipped with proportional braking to give you the best towing experience. Proportional braking means that your trailer brakes mimic your tow vehicle's brakes. If you slam on the brakes in your vehicle, your trailer brakes will activate with the same intensity; if you brake lightly, your trailer brakes lightly too. The trailer's braking is in proportion to your vehicle's braking. This saves wear and tear on the tires and the brakes on both your vehicle and trailer.
The Tow-Pro Elite uses an internal 3-axis accelerometer to sense how your vehicle is braking so it can send the right amount of braking power to your trailer. It measures the inertia of your tow vehicle and activates the trailer's brakes to slow at the same rate. The result is uniform braking across your towing setup. No push-pull action - just smooth, proportional braking every time.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (1451 Customer Reviews)
Mount the control knob of this proportional brake controller on your dash for a factory look, and install the main unit out of sight. The Elite's unique user-controlled mode gives you direct control of your braking for any weather or terrain.I saw the great online reviews of this controller and took the plunge. I bought my 2002 Chevy Silverado K1500 extended cab short bed truck new in 2001. It came with the HD Towing package which include a factory plug in trailer brake wiring loom. I took my time over a 2 day period to carefully install and triple check my install. The Chevy and Redarc wiring wiring descriptions made it easy to join the two harnesses. I used HD crimped plug in connectors further protected with shrank tubing. All wiring was bundled with zip ties after encasing in HD harness protective cover. Zip ties held in place behind the removable panel beneath the steering wheel. The control button is installed on the right side of the steering column within easy reach. Nice install. I read that the light would not go on until a trailer was hooking up. I was elated when we picked up our new cargo trailer and the controller knob light lit up upon hitching up. the first mile of travel allowed easy testing of the system and fine tuning came a few miles further down the road. GREAT PRODUCT!
It truly amazes me that Ford touts the towing capacity of my Ranger, yet not one dealership I called could offer a solution for a trailer brake controller to be able to pull my little camper. I finally turned to etrailer since they had helped me meet my towing needs in the past with a different vehicle. etrailer's Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Trailer Brake Controller was a perfect solution! They also supplied a terrific video explaining in great detail how to install it in my truck. I preferred the in-dash location using one of the extra twelve volt ports using the optional round adapter insert and found it to be very convenient after a summer of towing. Highly recommend both Redarc Tow-Pro Elite and etrailer!
Happy G.
4/8/2023
Its been great! No problems encountered with the unit.
Love the self-calibration and hidden controller. Great space saver and works as described. I did find the knob location in your video not very good; I could not see it through the steering wheel when driving. As you can see from the picture it is now visible from the driver's seat and easy to adjust when needed. Also, in this location the only hole I had to drill was 3/16" behind the knob and not visible or damaging. I was able to use the knob bracket that came in the kit and just push it into place, very stable.
Ron
4/16/2023
Still working perfectly. I tell people about it every chance I get.
Easy to install and works great. Love the stealth mounting. I get compliments on just the one knob being visible.
James
8/29/2023
Product has worked very well without problems. The only thing I would do differently is where I mounted the control knob. It is at a point where my knee can rub it. Which has a couple times changed the setting from my normal 3 or 4 to 7+ and activated the brakes at to high a pressure locking them up as I came to a stop. Again, not a product problem. Just my placement.
Superb controller and outstanding service from both etrailer and Redarc. I had some questions concerning the controller interfering with the advanced braking/collision avoidance in my Tacoma, as I had read about. I emailed Redarc in Australia and they promptly answered and even scheduled a phone call! I had a good conversation with them and it turns that that issue does not apply to my vehicle. So I give Redarc 5 stars at least for service. The controller itself is easy to install after watching the video. I would definitely buy the vehicle specific wiring to avoiding splicing. The bracket also made it very easy. I just used it on a long drive pulling a travel trailer. Works great. Some trial and error is all that’s needed to adjust the amount of braking.
I installed it in the center console so it would be easy to reach in case of sway. It also looks like it came from the Toyota factory this way. No ugly box hanging below to hit your knee.
Overall absolutely great device.
I highly recommend both the Redarc Elite and etrailer.
Super easy install, save even more time with the plug and play harness. Lean install- only thing you see is the adjustment know- no bulky box in the way.
Installed the Redarc Tow-Pro elite in a 2022 E350 Thor motorhome. Install was straight forward. Mounted behind the brake pedal with an extended aluminum plate. etrailer was incorrect when I was told Redarc does not make a cable for this model. The available correct cable / plug for this model is the TPH-007 which is the same Ford plug that is on 3036-P. I did splice in the cable that came with the kit in order to reach the desired location.
The controller fit well to the right of the steering wheel. Had to drill thru one of the panel clips which really wasn’t needed.
The Redark trailer brake controller installed easily. In my 2020 Toyota 4Runner. It looks like it came installed from the factory. It’s small and easy to reach when driving. It came with a plastic install panel. This is designed for installing in a hole that you drill in your dash. It will not fit in a knock out space in your dash. There is one that fits the dash perfectly that you can buy from etrailer.
etrailer automatically bundled the Redark trailer brake controller with the correct plug and play wiring harness for my vehicle. It was nice not to have to search for the wire harness. Everything installed perfectly.
I haven’t tested the function of the brake controller yet. I’ll hook up to a trailer this week.
The items arrived in less than a week and the package was in good condition. The order tracking worked great. The tech videos on the etrailer website were really helpful. I’ll purchase from hem again.
Denise
3/30/2022
The trailer brake controller still looks great. It works perfectly, although I don’t tow on a regular basis. When I do tow, the controller is easy to use.
The Redarc Tow-Pro brake controller has worked flawlessly since I installed it a year ago. I tow a fairly light (2000 pound) pop-up trailer, which can be an adjustment challenge when braking on loose surfaces. I've found it very easy to slightly reduce the setting while on gravel and then return to the correct setting when returning to normal roads.
I purchased the Redarc because I could never get my previous controller to brake smoothly - it would often jerk at low speeds. I think that controller had problems because it was inserted into the 7-pin connector that was held by a metal bracket under my bumper that I suspect vibrated when braking, which confused that controller. Once I switched to the Redarc, which is firmly mounted under the dash, I had no more problems like that.
Finding a location in my Honda Pilot to mount the control module was a challenge - but well worth the effort. I mounted it to a plastic panel that I installed over an unused cavity in the console underneath the radio (see picture). The knob is easy to reach, and is out of the way of my knees.
Mounting the main control box under the dash was made easier because I didn't have to worry about its precise orientation since it will calibrate itself wherever it sits.
I liked having the ability to place the controller in an easy to view and use location. The unit works as well as any other controller by other companies that I have used but we’re always hard to see to adjust and bang your knees while getting in or driving. Works well in my Subaru Ascent and when the time comes the old ones in the trucks will be replaced with one of these.
This summer I have driven roads that were slick with mud and had some tricky downhill, rutted runs. These are roads that will give any driver second thoughts, doubly so when towing. By adjusting the bias of brake application on the fly I gain confidence that the trailer is not going to push me where I don't want to go. My trailer has a wider track than my truck so the trailer wheels generally roll in areas that have not been stirred up by the truck and thus they have as good of traction as can be obtained. When things get tricky I dial up the bias towards the trailer and I can feel the trailer pull everything back into line. Super easy to use while driving! This is a very effective design that is easy to install. This is a winner! I will install this controller on all my tow vehicles.
Peter
8/30/2023
Perfect! This is a great piece of technology as it provides a very simple and robust method to adjust brake bias on the fly. Love the product and am getting a second unit for my new truck.
Item works as advertized. Install was a breeze. Wow, trailer brake controllers are so much nicer than they used to be. No more big box at your knees. Just a tiny, inobtrusive knob. Very discreet. Thank you, Gwen, etrailer.com, and RedArc.
This Redarc Break Controller is a must for off-roading with a Off Grid Trailer. The ability to control the trailer separately and allowing you to hold your tow vehicle while descending hills is worth the investment.
This thing is absolutely fantastic. It’s very discreet. I install this in a 2015 Porsche Cayenne diesel. It was installed The discrete hole we drilled in the face of the dash. It’s easy to use, requires very little adjustment while driving. Has a convenient lighting system that changes color when voltage is applied to the trailer brakes. My only complaint is that the unit resets its memory every time I disconnect and reconnect the trailer. It’s a minor irritation but that first 15 or 20 minutes of driving after connecting the trailer again, it does have to go through the initial calibration process to figure out what direction the controller is installed. I believe that this problem is specifically related to the Volkswagen and Porsche vehicles - they “shut off” power to the controller when there is no electrical draw sensed from trailer. I’m sure there is some kind of transistor that I could install that would eliminate this problem. I recommend this unit as far superior to the old school tekonsha and others. The only difference that I will point out is that on the old-school controllers there is a kind of emergency brake slider which you can use to ramp up additional braking power if you need it in a pinch. This device does have that functionality but it is a simple on off. In other words if you find yourself in need of rapid additional braking power you push the control button in. There is no ability to “ramp up” that emergency extra power to the brakes. It adds less extra power than the traditional ones but it is proportional to the # of braking power you have on the dial. I have learned to live with it. For a European car this is sleek, discrete, way sexier than the ugly traditional unit bolted to your dash
This thing is awesome! I lucked out and the etrailer demo install video was on the same type of tow vehicle I have, so I was able to mostly just follow along for the install. It went in with minimal effort. I tow a 20 ft TT that weighs about 3500 lbs with a Chevy Colorado.
I finally pulled our trailer from storage and had a chance to try out the controller. It is fantastic! My previous controller used bluetooth. With it I had problems with over braking at low speeds. I was constantly adjusting it between town and highway, and I found the adjustment clumsy because my phone locks after a couple minutes of not being used.
The redarc fixed all of that and more! After dialing in the right setting, braking is like the trailer is not even there. It's that good! There is little to none jerking when I stop at low speed. And adjusting it is simple as it is one knob on the dash. This is how a brake controller is supposed to work! I towed 10,000 miles with my "other" controller, and I can't wait to try this out on our cross country trip this year!
And as always, the etrailer folks are great to work with and full of wisdom that they share so I don't have to learn the hard way!
I'm going to skip the reviews for Item #3066-P Tekonsha Plug-In Wiring Adapter for Electric Brake Controllers and for Item #331-TPH-017 Redarc Tow-Pro Wiring Adapter for Tekonsha Brake Controller Harness. They just work to get the signals from A to B.
Installing this in my Merc ML-250 Bluetec was straight forward, but I thought quite a bit about the knob placement. Finally ended up mounting this next to the ashtray, opposite of the cigarette lighter. This location won't work for those with heated/cooled cupholders as this is the location used for that controller. This location works well for mounting as there is clearance below and the knob is low-profile enough that the sliding door can still cover the area. Just need to be careful with wire routing. Route towards the back of the car, then reverse course up to the front, such that the slider can retract into this space. The main body of the unit is mounted under the dashboard above the brake pedal, completely hidden from view and out of the way of feet and knees.
Redarc brake controller is top of the line. Very happy with it.
John
10/9/2023
I really like this controller. Especially the way the LED lights give you information.
I haven't towed with the trailer brakes just yet but diagnistics indicate that once connected to the Tekonsha Brake Controller Harness (Item #331-TPH-017) and the Tekonsha Plug-In Wiring Adapter (Item #3062-P) that I ordered with it all is setup for my 2022 Subaru Ascent with a factory tow package. The cleanest install for the switch on this vehicle is to remove and modify a blank switch insert to the left of the steering wheel (I had 2 left) and drill a 25/32 hole in the switch insert after hollowing it out, remove the switch module from the included mounting panel/housing and then use the clear nut to secure the switch module to the insert and voila, you're done. NOT the easiest thing to do, but not that hard either if you are handy with a dremel and a drill. Picture of final install included.
I’m going to be up front and say I have not tested this beside driving around town. The install was very quick, maybe 20 minutes in all initially in my 2017 Nissan Titan SV. I do have some concerns though. After install I had no lights to show calibration was going on. From reading the user manual I guess that can happen. First time hooking up the trailer everything seemed fine and the light was blue as it should. Once I turned my running lights on though it began to blink red showing a fault with the cable. I tested everything to make sure it was getting voltage and the wires were correct. After about an hour I found something between my backup camera on the travel trailer and the brake was causing some sort of issue. I removed the camera, unplugged all the cables from the tow pro elite and hooked it back up. Once plugged back in it showed green and blue lights showing it was calibrating. I drove the trailer around town and our relief route. After about half an hour the light turned solid blue. The control is easy to use and looks very nice. I’m unable to get it to switch to user control mode but the proportional and manual brakes works fine. I will update my review after we take it out on a few trips. As of now it seems like a great product, very clean looking and should do a great job.
Sierra K.
6/3/2021
Thank you for your review. I have attached an expert answer that shows a chart of troubleshooting options for this product.
Helpful Links
Just got back from the first trip hauling a small trailer with this controller and everything seems to be working well. I ordered this one because I liked the idea of the independent control knob allowing the controller body to be placed out of the way. The problem with this is that it's likely not as simple to just drill a hole in your dash where you'd like as easy as you imagine (2002 Trailblazer here). Might be best to pull off the necessary dash panels first to make sure this configuration works for you. I eventually found an unobtrusive spot under and to the right of the steering wheel, easy to reach, not as easy to see. Which brings up another point, the LED is supposed to turn red when the brakes are actuated. This it does, but the degree of red seems to depend on the magnitude of the setting (you can choose from 1 to 10, sorry no 11) and how hard you brake, so you have to understand that when assuring yourself that it's working as intended. Installation apart from the knob was pretty easy. The pre-wires in my vehicle were complete color mismatches from the harness provided, but etrailer had an FAQ that showed which went where. You could probably figure it out easy enough using the instructions as well. The instructions are pretty good, though they're in Australian, and they misspell some words Americans have no trouble with. Overall, I have no regrets with this purchase, and would re-order this controller if I needed another.
Tony
11/27/2022
Still working fine. As noted, I have a small 2500# trailer and only use the bottom third to half of the control range. Even within that narrow band, you can easily tell the difference in braking effort from the trailer.
Product works great. Everything installed easily and worked great with the factory harness. I would recommend to anyone looking for a good brake controller.
John
8/18/2023
Its been great so far. I have made several lengthy trips and have had absolutely no problems.
The brake controller and the instructions were not simpatico! Luckily my mechanic has installed brake controllers before and between the 3 of us working on it we figured it out. I still have to somehow fix te controller on my panel, it neither fits properly or turns to adjust easily. Plus I had to cut a hole in my panel… Not real happy but I had no choice but to install it right away for a trip.
Rebecca N.
7/7/2023
Yes for the 2018 Jeep JK unlimited you will have to make a small hole in the dash to install. I have a video below that can help. I suggest adjusting the dial and making sure there is enough room to move it freely.
Helpful Links
tv-install-redarc-tow-pro-elite-brake-controller-2018-jeep-jk-wrangler-unlimited-red44fr.aspx
Straight forward install. Hardest part is locating the control knob without permanently damaging a panel. I opted to replace one of my power outlets to accommodate switch. plug and play ready, controller flashed green/blue as ready to calibrate when tested
I didn’t really have a good place to mount my old trailer brake controller, so I went with Redarc and have been very happy with the footprint or should I saw footprint it doesn’t take up in the cab of my 2020 Ford Ranger.
This part works great, did not fit my vehicle however. 21 Subaru ascent. Required an enormous amount of fabrication to get it to fit. Plugged in fine but the dial is as large as the knockout I had available in the instrument cluster. Most of the fab came from trying to fit it in the blank since the blank provided was 3x the size of the blanks Subaru uses. This was the top recommended part too. As far as it working, it does exactly what it says. As far as install, had I not had to fabricate and modify parts it would have been easy. Now, the dial has been lost into the abyss itself because the instructions never mentioned to use a bead of locktite. If you get this, make sure to use locktite red to hold the plastic enumerated dial to the mechanical dial. I have no clue how much assist I am getting or which direction I need to turn to adjust more or less assist. I have to do it all by feel as I am taking off. Luckily I have great car brakes because I darn near t-boned another car last week because I turned it off thinking I turned it up.
I wish they sold the plastic part of the dial separately because that would fit it all up. I’m not spending another $[XX] on the mechanical dial for the $[X] plastic piece I need.
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Mark
6/21/2023
Pulled my enclosed cargo trailer 4800 miles this past year moving to Texas. Trailer brake still functions perfectly. Im sure it will work with other trailers in the future as I will now sell my 20cargo trailer.