D3 electric trailer brake controller

[Bulletman]

Gday All,

I guessing tis will be like asking the best tyre but here goes.... Is there a preferred brand/type of controller for the D3 ?

Caravan will be in the picture in the next few months , so want to start getting the D3 ready , i see the How to in the sticky section but it doesnt recommend a particular controller so wondered if fellow D3 owners have found 1 brand that suits best.

Thanks and Cheers
Bulletman

[Dagilmo]

I've had a Tekonsha P3 in a Navava and in the D3 (different units, the D3 came with one fitted) and now have the Redarc Tow Pro in the D4 (was fitted when i bought the car.)

I think the Tow Pro is heaps better.

[Hogarthde]

I had a ‘redarc’, which performed very well, and the little control button was just between the centre cubbybox and the electric brake switch, a perfect place as I could rest my wrist on the cubby lid whilst making little adjustment to the trailer brakes.

dave

ps mine also tow pro

[Eric SDV6SE]

I've had the Tek P3 for about 4 years now, just love it. incremental adjustments of 0.1V to get it just right and cancel feature for reversing. About to get a second one for the wife's car with a TAG towbar.

Im sure theyre all good bits of kit and have their individual quirks and pro's.

[John_D4]

I had a tekonsha in the D2, which was fine. When I bought the D4 I fitted a redarc toe pro elite. IMHO it’s a far superior controller

[DiscoJeffster]

I had a tekonsha in the D2, which was fine. When I bought the D4 I fitted a redarc toe pro elite. IMHO it’s a far superior controller

Another with the Redarc Tow Pro Elite. Brilliant

[RobMichelle]

I have prodigy in D2 & tow pro in d3 both do what they meant to do, so probably a personal choice with pricing to help decide.
Rob

[LRD414]

Tow Pro Elite in both the D4 (6 years) and now the new to us D3. Works well.

Scott

[Tombie]

Teko etc have been known to occasionally cause issues in the later vehicles with not going to sleep correctly.

No such problems with the Tow Pro Elite...

Also, look to where you want it fitted - the box units often get fitted by your leg - Not where you want something should you have a crash!

[John_D4]

Also, the redarc looks like it was fitted by factory instead of some bulky box that you need to fit somewhere. There’s a really good installation guide that someone has posted on here that give detailed instructions on how to install

[ytt105]

Checkout the Hayman Reece proportional controller. As good, if not better, than the redarc, but half the price.

[Tombie]

Checkout the Hayman Reece proportional controller. As good, if not better, than the redarc, but half the price.

$220 vs $260 not exactly half.

And now where near as refined or neat on install.

[ytt105]

Toombie

HAYMAN REESE ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROLLER REMOTE HEAD COMPACT IQ TRAILER CARAVAN | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HAYMAN-REESE-ELECTRIC-BRAKE-CONTROLLER-REMOTE-HEAD-COMPACT-IQ-TRAILER-CARAVAN/152787832541?hash=item2392dd4edd:g:-mwAAOSwnVZas5vp&frcectupt=true)

$155 remote mount and, I personally prefer the operation style.

With the Redarc you get proportional and full manual. I understand, but could be wrong, that to change from one to the other you have to stop the car.

With the Hayman you have proportional and a boost function instead of the manual control. What it does is increase the speed with which the controller responds, upto full manual, and can be adjusted whilst on the move.

I prefer it and have used both.

I've nothing against Redarc, I think they make good gear, its just that I think they are overpriced and other manufactures should be considered.

[Tote]

I have a tekonsha in the Defender that was previously in the D3. If you do not use the car regularly I would not recommend it as it tends to draw enoough current when asleep to flatten a battery after a couple of weeks. I had put it down to the air suspension on the D3 but it does the same thing on the Defer and there's not much else to blame it on [biggrin]
As a brake controller, however I can't fault it and its way better than the old non-proportional Redarc in my Falcon ute. As others have said on here if I was buying a new one I'd probably go with the Redarc proportional for neatness of installation but the display on the Tekonsha is useful as well as the availability of the boost settings to easily compensate for heavily loaded trailers. My main tow is a 3.25T ATM tandem trailer which can have a significant difference between empty and loaded.


Regards,
Tote

[DiscoJeffster]

I have a tekonsha in the Defender that was previously in the D3. If you do not use the car regularly I would not recommend it as it tends to draw enoough current when asleep to flatten a battery after a couple of weeks. I had put it down to the air suspension on the D3 but it does the same thing on the Defer and there's not much else to blame it on [biggrin]
As a brake controller, however I can't fault it and its way better than the old non-proportional Redarc in my Falcon ute. As others have said on here if I was buying a new one I'd probably go with the Redarc proportional for neatness of installation but the display on the Tekonsha is useful as well as the availability of the boost settings to easily compensate for heavily loaded trailers. My main tow is a 3.25T ATM tandem trailer which can have a significant difference between empty and loaded.


Regards,
Tote

Why doesn’t turning the dial on the Redarc do exactly the same thing? When my camper was fully loaded I used setting 4 then back to 3 on the way home when all the water and food etc was gone. What am I missing?

[DiscoJeffster]

My biggest Redarc gripe is one of its features - it’s ability to be mounted in any direction simplifies install, but it’s need to re-learn when the battery is removed means my controller is a bit all over the place until it’s recalibrated - typically about a dozen stops. In my case this was quite a lot of distance and normally between trips I’d have taken the battery off to repair something. Minor gripe I admit

[Tote]

Why doesn’t turning the dial on the Redarc do exactly the same thing? When my camper was fully loaded I used setting 4 then back to 3 on the way home when all the water and food etc was gone. What am I missing?

The settings on the Tekonsha are a boost to the speed at which the controller reaches full power, not an increase to the maximum power setting. it means that you can find a good maximum setting and leave it that way. I suppose though that you could just remember what setting you use for empty and full on the redarc. I'm just used to the Tekonsha and find it useful.

Regards,
Tote

[StewG]

I have a Redarc in my MY13 D4. It was already fitted when I bought the car 4 years ago. I think it is not a Tow Pro and I notice that turning the knob allows proportional braking, but manually pressing is full braking. This is ok, but I would prefer proportional in both modes of operation. Some of the comments above suggest that this characteristic can be changed? Is this able to be changed on my older Redarc unit?

[Tote]

The unit on my Falcon ute is an older redarc and there is no motion sensor in the unit so it is unable to measure deceleration and increase or decease the voltage required. ie. no proportional braking just a fixed voltage determined by the position of the knob when the brakes are applied.
Regards,
Tote

[Gower]

Hi,
Just a question regarding Re**** Pro Elite is it applicable to install in the boot section of a Discovery 3 with an extension control cable

[loanrangie]

Hi,
Just a question regarding Re**** Pro Elite is it applicable to install in the boot section of a Discovery 3 with an extension control cableRedarc sell different length cables from their website for that purpose.

[Gower]

Hi,
Just a question regarding Re**** Pro Elite is it applicable to install in the boot section of a Discovery 3 with an extension control cable


Redarc sell different length cables from their website for that purpose.

Thanks for that, save a lot of work I’m tipping, just pick up brake light wire at tail light or in the fuse box inside of mudguard ?

[loanrangie]

Thanks for that, save a lot of work I’m tipping, just pick up brake light wire at tail light or in the fuse box inside of mudguard ?In the stickies there is a guide for ebc wiring, I put my unit under the console in front of the gear shifter and ran the wiring to the plug in the rear. No room to fit the unit there otherwise I'd buy an extension lead.