Stupid Brake Controller Question

Bayou Titan · 02-22-2005, 06:24 PM

I am driving to Ft. Worth, TX with my nephew this weekend to pick up and bring back a '56 Chevy on a flatbed trailer towed by my Titan. I don't ever tow anything with electric brakes so I don't have or need a brake controller. If this trailer has electric brakes, can I temporarily mount the brake controller with stick tape and place it next to the shifter? If I do it this way I wouldn't have to fool with mounting it permanently and could borrow the controller from where my nephew works and put it back after I've towed the car back.

Clint · 02-22-2005, 06:32 PM

Did you get the harness that was supposed to be in the glove compartment when you bought the truck? There is a pic in the owners manual explaining where to plug it in to. You'll need the directions to wire it correctly and to adjust it safely. I believe the angle you mount it on doesn't affect it's use but I'm not sure if it applies to all of them.
If you're not positive about hooking up the borrowed one , it would be safer to buy one you can be sure of.

Clint

Bayou Titan · 02-22-2005, 06:36 PM

I do have the pigtail. It would be a brand new controller that I would use. It would have instructions. Would the wiring reach to the area in front of the floor shifter? That area is not very far from where I have seen people mount them under the dash.

**HudsonValleyTitan** · 02-22-2005, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayou Titan

I do have the pigtail. It would be a brand new controller that I would use. It would have instructions. Would the wiring reach to the area in front of the floor shifter? That area is not very far from where I have seen people mount them under the dash.

The answer to your question is yes. Some, including the one I have, have to have the nose of the unit mounted between 20% nose down to 70% nose up position. And it has to be held in place somehow.....double sided tape would do it. This way the unit can be properly adjusted for level.
Just be sure wherever you mount it that you can reach it while driving so you can adjust the brakes.

rarjar · 02-22-2005, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayou Titan

I am driving to Ft. Worth, TX with my nephew this weekend to pick up and bring back a '56 Chevy on a flatbed trailer towed by my Titan. I don't ever tow anything with electric brakes so I don't have or need a brake controller. If this trailer has electric brakes, can I temporarily mount the brake controller with stick tape and place it next to the shifter? If I do it this way I wouldn't have to fool with mounting it permanently and could borrow the controller from where my nephew works and put it back after I've towed the car back.

IMO, it depends if you're using one of the older style units or the new centrifugal units like the Tecumseh (sp?) Voyager. I mounted the Voyager and had to "level" it using the instructions provided, which tells me it need to be near level. That said, if you temporarily mount a centrifugal unit where you can adjust the level, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I'm sure there are others who will correct me if I am wrong.