Tazer question

[ShadowsPapa]

For me, the drawback is no ability to adjust trailer braking on the fly, and no button to push in case of emergency/need to apply only the trailer brakes.
It happens.
I just prefer the convenience of an always ready device, ability to adjust it for varying conditions without a phone on your lap, and an "emergency button" - which I understand you can add to the Curt Echo.

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[hjdca]

Regarding Tazer mini. When you unmarry, it reverts to the original tire and gear settings, etc.... However, you can get around that. You can disconnect the Tazer mini and keep it married. This will leave your new settings. Then, you can contact Z-Automotive and ask them to "unmarry" the Tazer while it is not plugged in. Then, you can re-marry the tazer to your truck and your current settings will be your stock settings, never to go back to the original settings.
I found this because I had to send in my Tazer for service and I kept it married. When I got it back it was unmarried. Z-automotive gave me a procedure to revert back to stock settings, but, I decided not to, and have my prefered settings as default even while unmarried. So now, when I unmarry the Tazer mini, I still have my 37" tire settings and my 5:13 gears setting, so, no way to for warnings to come up. There is also no way for a dealer to know "how" the settings were changed, but, note: I do not care because I am out of warranty anyway.

 

[Mr._Bill]

Regarding Tazer mini. When you unmarry, it reverts to the original tire and gear settings, etc.... However, you can get around that. You can disconnect the Tazer mini and keep it married. This will leave your new settings. Then, you can contact Z-Automotive and ask them to "unmarry" the Tazer while it is not plugged in. Then, you can re-marry the tazer to your truck and your current settings will be your stock settings, never to go back to the original settings.
I found this because I had to send in my Tazer for service and I kept it married. When I got it back it was unmarried. Z-automotive gave me a procedure to revert back to stock settings, but, I decided not to, and have my prefered settings as default even while unmarried. So now, when I unmarry the Tazer mini, I still have my 37" tire settings and my 5:13 gears setting, so, no way to for warnings to come up. There is also no way for a dealer to know "how" the settings were changed, but, note: I do not care because I am out of warranty anyway.

There are some that have reported they are using Jscan to make the changes before marrying the Tazer to the truck. This lets them access all the Tazer live features, but doesn't undo all the changes made when they unmarry it for service.

 

[Elff]

For me, the drawback is no ability to adjust trailer braking on the fly, and no button to push in case of emergency/need to apply only the trailer brakes.
It happens.
I just prefer the convenience of an always ready device, ability to adjust it for varying conditions without a phone on your lap, and an "emergency button" - which I understand you can add to the Curt Echo.

Unfortunately this reply contains inaccurate information as well as misleading information.
I will elaborate below.

The Curt Echo has the ability to adjust trailer braking on the fly.
It's how I dialed in the trailer to JT brake ratio and once I found what I liked best, I saved it.
The adjustments are at the bottom of the screen.
You can adjust the max output as well as the Sensitivity which is partially obscured by this persons finger.

It's not quite as easy as spinning a dial, but it's also far from difficult.
On top of that, the Curt Echo will do some adjustments automatically for you, depending on road conditions

This leads to an advantage of the Curt Echo. If you have multiple vehicles and/or multiple things you tow, you can save profiles for each after you configure the settings.

You did mention this but the way you described it, is not at all the situation for most people.
People don't carry their smart phones in their lap.
If someone installs the Curt Echo Solution, they, will do so with a solid Smart Phone Mount
Implying that someone is going to have their iPhone in their lap is being a little sensationalist,
Or, if that is truly the case,
1. That person is breaking the law in most states
2. Shame on that person for being stupid and dangerous.

As you also stated, There is a secondary Manual Bluetooth Overide button giving a person 2 super easy to reach options in an O-Shit situation.

You can push the big Orange button on your iPhone
or
You can install a secondary Bluetooth backup button.

Here is where I have both of mine mounted.
Note: My Manual Override button is closer to my hand than the 12V plug.

From an extra Safety point of view, the Curt App shows a Blue Circle around the Orange circle when the trailer brakes are activated, it fills the circle by the amount they are being applied.

If for some reason, it does not detect the trailer brakes being activated, it does not show that blue circle and from a visual point of view, you know you should stop and troubleshoot.
With a traditional trailer brake controller, you just have to know by feel of the trailer pushing you, that you may have an issue.

Many people don't know this, but there are 2 fuses that link the Brake Pedal in the JT to the Wiring Harness that connects to the Trailer Wiring Harness. If either of them fail, you lose connection to the trailer brakes. The above can help you determine this.

Here is a nice video detailing everything I stated above
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S...be4-c3516bd1b20f/default.jobtemplate.hls.m3u8

 

[ScottBeach]

Really pain to do firmware updates as its not ota. Having to drag my laptop to the truck to update the tazer is a pita

Yeah i could pull and take the tazer inside. But i worry about connector wear over time. I dont think jeep planned for dozens of pulls on those connectors.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You did mention this but the way you described it, is not at all the situation for most people.
People don't carry their smart phones in their lap.

You really missed the point (and I laugh at the thought of having an iPhone - android only here) - check here in the threads about phone mounts - majority keep phone in pocket or other location. Don't take the "lap" literally. Phone mount I have but don't use.
And keeping your phone alive, awake and charged and connect to BT isn't always that simple, especially when it's already connected to a couple of devices.
I can hit that button on the fly, without even thinking, if I need trailer brakes.
And I can reach the dial without looking to adjust the severity of braking without looking.
You don't need to be their marketing - they already sell plenty. It's just simply not even anything I'd ever consider. I don't want to have to rely on a BT connection being always there, the phone charged constantly and oops, the Echo screen isn't there - wake up, there it is - too late.
I know how it all works. Been down through this type of discussion many times.
I don't want to have to keep my phone out and visible. I don't want to have to keep it plugged in - and Bluetooth connections take power.
I have a phone mount but it's a pain in the ass to pull it from my belt clip or pocket and mount it every trip, and BT is not 100% reliable. Tech people who have done IT support for years understand this.
It's a solution for some - but people need to weigh the pros and cons - and there ARE cons, carefully.
Nothing can top a high quality, always there, never need a phone, brake controller like the higher end Redarc controllers, and the MOPAR one has turned out to be fine as well.
But when I turn off onto gravel and suddenly every tap of the brakes means the trailer tires slide and I need to dial from 4.5 down to 2, I'm not going to want to mess with a damned touch screen to adjust it. Not with my hands. It's bad enough with my left hand manipulating a stupid "drag/turn this icon" but doing it with my right hand - nope. Touch screens, as we've discussed in a thread on the Tacoma with the huge screen, isn't for many of us - a real dial with TACTILE feel, you KNOW where your hand is on that dial and don't need to look.
I don't want to have to take my eyes off the road to hit an icon and manipulate it on a phone screen.
I'm afraid, based on the Tacoma discussion, there's a lot of us who want a real dial, not another screen.

An app to tell you when you've lost some trailer braking? You really need that? I'd know in a heartbeat if there was an issue.......besides, a normal brake controller will tell you a lot by the color of the lights, too. But I'd feel it. My truck is an extension of me when I'm driving.

I have a phone mount - hardly use it. Mostly for snow plow controller.

 

[Elff]

You really missed the point

No I did not. I think a poll would clarify more, but a lot of people mount their phones somewhere and have it connected to the vehicle via a USB cable. There are plenty of threads on here asking about the ports and how to mount a phone.

And keeping your phone alive, awake and charged and connect to BT isn't always that simple,

Pretty simple in my world. I plug it in once, and if using the Curt Echo App, it stays alive.
I use Maps and music at the same time all the time. Been doing this for over a year in the JT with zero issues and been doing it in a variety of other cars ever since you could connect a phone to a radio via USB. Well before Car/Android play was even a thing.
Seriously have no idea how or why this would cause issues especially in 2023.

I can hit that button on the fly, without even thinking, if I need trailer brakes.

So can I, and it's closer to my hand than your set up. Once again visual below.

You don't need to be their marketing - they already sell plenty. It's just simply not even anything I'd ever consider.

Just because you won't consider it, and don't like it, doesn't mean someone else has that same opinion.
I am simply clarifying your inaccurate and opinion related misleading information.

I don't want to have to rely on a BT connection being always there, the phone charged constantly and oops, the Echo screen isn't there - wake up, there it is - too late.

This is a complete non issue. It doesn't work that way. Once again, this part of you post is inaccurate. It's 2023, the technology works, the screen doesn't go blank.

I know how it all works. Been down through this type of discussion many times.

I don't think you know how it works, or you would not be posting the above inaccurate information.

I have a phone mount but it's a pain in the ass to pull it from my belt clip or pocket and mount it every trip, and BT is not 100% reliable. Tech people who have done IT support for years understand this.

I have zero issues with the mounts I have in 3 different vehicles. They are solid and take only a few seconds to setup. Not sure why yours is such a Pita, but mine are easy. On top of that,
I have been in I.T. for almost 30 years and Mobile Device Management has been one of my daily tasks for the past 9 years. We rarely if ever have issues with BlueTooth anymore. If we do, turning it off and back on again is literally the only thing that is needed, and that, as already stated is super rare. We just don't get calls to our helpdesk about issues like that anymore. It's 2023, Technology works. If you have these issues, maybe it's time to replace your hardware.

An app to tell you when you've lost some trailer braking? You really need that? I'd know in a heartbeat if there was an issue.......besides, a normal brake controller will tell you a lot by the color of the lights, too. But I'd feel it. My truck is an extension of me when I'm driving.

I never said I needed it.
I have been towing for decades. I am of the mindset that there is nothing wrong with an additional level of safety.

I know this solution is not for everyone, and I am ok with that.
but
I will make sure I correct inaccurate or misleading information so people can make their own decision based on Factual information about the product

 

[Jrhz06]

Been using the Curt echo for a few years now, zero issues. Great solution.

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