Wiring for Curt Echo Mobile Wireless Brake Controller and Adding Electric Brakes to a Trailer

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Question:

Hi I have a 2010 Toyota Highlander without a towing package. I have ordered an appropriate custom fit trailer hitch and four flat Curt wiring harness and also a 4 flat to seven pin receiver that mounts on the hitch. I am considering purchasing the Curt Echo wireless brake controller to avoid having to mount an electric brake controller on my dash. The seven pin connector has four wires in addition to the four flat connector. A white ground, a black powerwire that would connect through a 40 amp circuit to the battery. There is also a yellow and purple wire. How do these connect in order to install the Curt wireless brake controller? Is there a wiring diagram you can supply to aid me? I will be pulling a 1700 pound Aliner fold down trailer. The max trailer load without a tow package is 2000 pounds. Since I am towing with a smaller vehicle I wanted to add trailer brakes. Are there any other additional considerations I should take into account? Thanks for your help.

asked by: Terry

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

The Curt Echo Brake Controller part # C51180 is a great choice because of its convenient and simple installation. The 7-way connector that you mention part # A10-7084VP pugs into the 4-way connector you purchased part # C56217. The white wire from the 7-way plug needs to be grounded to a clean bare metal surface on the vehicle's frame.

You are correct, the black wire from the 7-way connector needs to be extended from the plug into the engine cavity and to a 40 amp circuit part # 9510 then to the positive side of the battery. The yellow and purple wire (blue wire on your 7-way) are not needed to install the Curt Echo brake controller, so you can tuck those wires away. The yellow wire is a 12-volt auxiliary wire and the purple (or blue) wire is for electric brakes. Since the Curt brake controller adjusts the braking based off of deceleration of the vehicle instead of being wired directly to the brake switch, you do not need the purple (or blue) wire. I have attached an installation video of the Curt Echo on a 2019 Toyota Highlander.

If you are looking to add electric brakes to the Aliner fold down trailer, I recommend left and right hand brake assembly part # AKEBRK-2. These electric brakes are 7 inch brakes since the axle on the Aliner is probably a 2,000 lb axle. You need a brake flange (if the axle does not include brake flanges) to mount the brake assemblies to. I have attached a video of a brake flange for your reference. If the axle is a 2,000 lb axle without a brake flange, you need part # 4-34. The brake flange has to be welded onto the axle perfectly square by a professional. You also need mounting hardware part # BRKH7 to install the two brake assemblies.

To recommend a hub and drum, I need the inner and outer bearing numbers from the existing hub on the Aliner camper. I also need the bolt pattern of your existing hub. I have attached a help article on adding electric brakes to a trailer and an installation video.

You do have to wire the trailer for electric brakes. The first step is converting the trailer connector to a 7-way connector,if it doesn't already have one, so you can plug into the 7-way on the back of your vehicle. I recommend part # HS381-9000 to wire a 7-way to the trailer because the kit includes the ring terminals, 7-way connector and a junction box. You need wiring to go from the junction box to the brakes part # 10-1-1 and lights part # 12-1-1, which are both sold by the foot.

Another thing to take into consideration when adding brakes to a trailer is a breakaway kit. Breakaway kits engage the trailer's brakes if it breaks away from the tow vehicle. A lot of states require breakaway systems by law if the trailer has brakes. All of the breakaway kits we carry will work for you but the Hopkins part # 20400 breakaway kit comes with a built-in battery charger and push button tester to check battery charge. I have attached a video of the Hopkins breakaway system installation.

expert reply by: Heather A

1

Answer 1

That's a good question, and in order to use the Curt Echo Mobile Trailer Brake Controller #C51180, it requires simply the 12 volt, ground, and turn signals be connected to the 7-way on your truck. So you will need the 12 volt connected that you…

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Answer 2

Yes, the Curt Mobile Echo Brake Controller part #C51180 is compatible with electric over hydraulic trailer brakes. I attached a review video for this controller for you to check out as well.

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Answer 3

To use the Curt Echo Wireless Trailer Brake Controller #C51180 your vehicle only needs 12 volt, ground, and turn signals connected to its 7-way socket. What this means is you do not need the brake signal from the 7-way. For example, if you used a…

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Answer 4

First you would need a 4-way for your 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe to start for trailer wiring. For that you would need the part #C56332. Now if your trailer does not have brakes all you would need is the part #37185 as an adapter to convert the 4-way to a…

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Answer 5

The Curt Echo Wireless Trailer Brake Controller part #C51180 won't work with an adapter like the Adapter 7 Pole to 5 Pole Flat part #A75TB because the 5th pin on a 5-way is typically for reverse so that's what it would correspond to on the…

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Answer 6

The Brake Controller Install Kit part #ETBC7 that you referenced would be easily installable by a local mechanic to you. It's a pretty basic wiring job that wouldn't be too hard at all. I attached an install video that shows the kit being…

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Answer 7

Yes you can install and use the Autowbrake Electric Brake Controller #3430001 with your 2005 Ford F-250. The factory brake controller will not be a factor since the Autowbrake will override any signal coming from your factory brake controller! I have…

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Answer 8

The Curt True Course Advanced Bluetooth Trailer Sway Control #C94VV works better with a weight distribution system. The True Course is more for emergency maneuvers, high winds, semi trucks passing and so on. It is not necessarily designed for minor…

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Answer 9

A 12 inch wheel like the Kenda 5.30-12 Bias Trailer Tire with 12" Galvanized Wheel #AM30861 that you are looking at is compatible with 7 inch brake drum assemblies. A 10 inch assembly will likely be too large to fit with this 12 inch wheel. If…

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Answer 10

I'm not sure why U-haul would say it's fine when it clearly isn't, but the problem with the Mercedes is that there isn't enough power draw, so you'd need to use a lamp-out adapter: - 7-Way to 4-Way/5-Way Trailer Adapter for…

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Answer 11

I have a couple things you can check that may help you. First check to make sure you have the most up to date version of the Curt Echo app and that your app has permission for Bluetooth active. Also in the app you will need to make sure that a manual…

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Answer 12

Generally when the Curt Echo Under-Dash #C27JR says the 7-way is disconnected but it isn't, the issue is actually the 7-way is problematic, either on your vehicle or trailer. I'd check to make sure the 7-way on both does not have bent pins,…

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Wiring for Curt Echo Mobile Wireless Brake Controller and Adding Electric Brakes to a Trailer

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