Mopar brake controller worth it?

[Badunit]

I don't yet have a trailer controller but I am old-school and very much dislike most bluetooth connected stuff. I like hard wired and actual buttons/knobs/sliders. Bluetooth may be convenient but too often I need to re-pair or otherwise fight to get some Bluetooth devices to reconnect if I haven't used them in a while. Something as critical as a trailer brake controller I want hardwired with real controls. Also, I don't want to take my eyes off the road to fiddle with my phone, I want to be able to reach over and feel for the control and adjust it (or whatever) with my eyes on the road the entire time. (And I don't always bring my phone with me.) But to each his own.

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[BourbonRunner]

How do you hit the emergency brake button on the Curt, through the phone? My family had an experience with a Tahoe with a violent out of control swaying situation that the passenger would be the only person to be able to hit the brake controller, after that, my son in laws and every truck we equipped with a brake controller is reachable by the front passenger. The phone controlling the curt would have to be mounted solid. Our incident still makes me anxious talking about it but it was a long downhill in NY bad enough I just kept it on the two lanes of traffic for long downhill, things thrown around truck , tractor trailer knew what was going on and followed behind me swaying his truck to stop cars from passing.
Boat trailer towing the Whaler was then equipped with electricity operated hydraulic disc brakes and a brake controller. At bottom of the hill the trucker stopped with us, I was soaked. I threw firewood and some other stuff out at a rest stop and really set the suspension up better later on the soft Tahoe rear.
I Have and very much like the Mopar controller other then losing the 12v outlet which I have not really needed. Wife can reach it! ……Jack

Yikes.

Having hauled a squirrelly trailer or two over the years I'm with you on having a hard wired, non-battery and wireless tech reliant controller is IMO a much safer, reliable option irrespective of cost and install.

When you're pulling a trailer, redundant systems are an integral part of Safety First.

 

[Main Line Willys]

Does your state require vehicle or trailer inspections?
I am in PA and PA requires both vehicle and trailers over a certain weight to be inspected.
I don't see how a phone app controlled brake controller would pass unless you left your phone with the tech.

Not for the reason above, I went with the Mopar controller for the clean factory look.

 

[cranbiz]

I went with the Hopkins Towing Solutions 47297 INSIGHT Plug-in Simple Brake Control , Black from Amazon along with the Tekonsha cable (I had to change the controller box end but Hopkins supplied that with the controller). I ran this one in my Grand Cherokee and it works well. I like the remote display that can be mounted anywhere and the manual brake and boost adjust is a separate box that can also be mounted anywhere. The actual box is mounted against the drivers kick panel up under the dash.

I put the display on the dash by the drivers A pillar and the controls under the start button next to the cigar lighter outlet.

 

[Dust]

What radio is that you have mounted? Very clean.

 

[cranbiz]

What radio is that you have mounted? Very clean.

Yaesu FTM200 and thank you. It needed to be someplace where my wife wouldn't object to and accessible. It worked out well.

 

[Dust]

Thank you sir! You like it?

 

[Lost1wing]

also keep in mind with the mopar one you lose that cigarette style 12v outlet which is the only one in the gladiator because everything else is USB. you may not think you need that outlet right now, but something will creep up in the future when you least expect it.

I've got the curt bluetooth I use on the gladiator which is convenience related since its not my primary towing rig. i've got a curt traditional under dash control box on my chevrolet.

I think the need for a "panic button" is a bit overrated. If the controller is setup right it should surge the trailer brake appropriately in an emergency braking situation way faster than you can react to push any button anywhere.

Applying just the trailer brake is very effective to stop a little sway. Yes, tapping the brake does the job too. It's just another option.

 

[cranbiz]

Thank you sir! You like it?

I do like it. Very nice radio and it's also digital. Our local repeater has good C4FM usage and now I can participate. I'm sure there are things that the FTM300 or FTM400 do that this one can't but so far, I have not found them.

There are other things that are available to do to it (and not really difficult) to make it more versatile for trail or other use but I won't go into that here.

 

[Lost1wing]

I don't yet have a trailer controller but I am old-school and very much dislike most bluetooth connected stuff. I like hard wired and actual buttons/knobs/sliders. Bluetooth may be convenient but too often I need to re-pair or otherwise fight to get some Bluetooth devices to reconnect if I haven't used them in a while. Something as critical as a trailer brake controller I want hardwired with real controls. Also, I don't want to take my eyes off the

Does your state require vehicle or trailer inspections?
I am in PA and PA requires both vehicle and trailers over a certain weight to be inspected.
I don't see how a phone app controlled brake controller would pass unless you left your phone with the tech.

Not for the reason above, I went with the Mopar controller for the clean factory look.

No need to leave the phone. Just plug it in. As long as you had set it up, it will work in the last configuration. The Bluetooth button is also a way to confirm operation. I get the idea of wired installations, but that itself has issues with rodents, unsuspected tampering and corrosion.

I have 3 types of controllers, Factory installed integrated (Chevy), self installed aftermarket wired on my f250 and now the Curt Bluetooth.

The Curt is the easiest to use due to the ability to store configurations and swap between vehicles.

 

[abe57]

I’d love a picture of that setup.

Here you go . I wired everything with these connectors so if anything ends to be removed like the center console it can be unclipped and not having to cut wires . The top of the Pic is the 4" led (bought at Ebay same with the dimmer switch..they called it a variable motor speed controller) second item is the controller or dimmer switch and last is the connectors I used . I have the switch ( orange knob ) fitted in one of those front console pockets you can pick up anywhere and drilled a hole in the front to get the wires into the pocket. The other thing you see is my bass booster controller. The Pic with the light on is on the lowest setting so it can get very bright ! And you can still get to that trap door at the front of the shifter.

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