D5 SD4 HSE Trailer Brake Controller

[Mk1_Oz]

Just about to pull the trigger on a D5. It has the Tow bar Kit fitted.

What is the situation regarding the fitment of an electronic trailer brake controller? I assume the car would not have one as standard. Any particular issues with fitting one to a D5? Location of fitment?

I have always used the Tekonsha P3 but the Redarc Tow Pro Elite looks good and is South Australian. Thoughts?

[Mk1_Oz]

I will reply to myself :)

As the battery is in the rear of the vehicle it would appear that the fitment might be quite simple. The Redarc controller can be mounted near the battery with 2 cables to the battery (via auto reset circuit breaker) then 2 cables to the trailer connector block (1 from brake light out and 1 to trailer brake out). The manual switch is then mounted up front somewhere with its small cables (the routing of which will be the PITA due to pulling various bits of trim off).

Sounds easy as originally I thought I might need to find a factory plug under the dash to connect into.

Surely somebody has fitted a controller to a D5 in the last 2 years?

[stevo]

Look at the top of the page there is a thread on brake controllers, I fitted the P3 as I think they are a great unit and posted a pic of where I fitted mine did it in under an hour plug and play no running of wires etc. just get the wiring adapter

[RobA]

Been using the REDARC product in its various forms for about 10 years now. Perfect with our car towing an AOR Q+ with disc brakes. You have the choice or auto or manual mode. The latter I only use when off bitumen

Rob

[Mk1_Oz]

It is interesting to read that the advice of Redarc on the fitment of the Towpro is very different from that suggested in the thread that stevo refers to. I think I will most likely follow the Redarc instructions.....

[disco4man]

Fitted a New Tow Pro Elite today to my New Disco 5 TD6

It is actually fairly easy as the Battery is in the back wing as you may know .

Mounted the module in the Jack Compartment as I will remove the Jack and handle and put it in my drawers as it will be almost impossible to retrieve the jack once the drawers are installed.

Picked up the wiring going to the 12 pin plug red for brake and Blue for Service brake earth and power in Battery compartment ( you can pull out the tray where the tools are and get into the loom there where it goes down to the 12 pin) Use 30 A auto resetting Circuit breaker.

I ordered in a 5M head cable and carefully ran it through the lining under the door sills and under the dash mounted the pot next to the dimmer on the under dash .

Was much easier to install than on my Disco 4 actually.

[BigJon]

Sounds very similar to the install on my 07 Vogue. The standard battery is up the front on a Vogue, but there is a main power feed to the rear fuse box that I picked up for brake controller power (also for auxilliary battery power).

[Tombie]

It is interesting to read that the advice of Redarc on the fitment of the Towpro is very different from that suggested in the thread that stevo refers to. I think I will most likely follow the Redarc instructions.....

Redarc don’t specialise in LR.

Wiring that works doesn’t necessarily have the required protection for the systems on the Vehicle (think D4 and diode) and can fry systems if the controller goes bad.

[NWGG]

Just about to pull the trigger on a D5. It has the Tow bar Kit fitted.

What is the situation regarding the fitment of an electronic trailer brake controller? I assume the car would not have one as standard. Any particular issues with fitting one to a D5? Location of fitment?

I have always used the Tekonsha P3 but the Redarc Tow Pro Elite looks good and is South Australian. Thoughts?

Redarc works well on my d5 sd4 which is used to tow a 3 ton caravan. The controller is fitted on the dash at the right hand side of the steering wheel. It is partly obscured by the steering wheel. This is not a problem as the controller has a tactile mechanism that makes it easy to feel minor adjustments you might wish to make as road conditions change.

[Disco5D300]

We fitted the brake controller on our Jayco so we didn’t need to molest the car. The standard plug is wired for a brake controller and we use a USB controller in the car to adjust, check etc. made it simpler to switch in future and share with the Ranger.