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As so many have said, the Prodigy is far better than anything else

available in the aftermarket. 

However, after *many* miles in an 08 F450 w/15,000# +/- trailer, the Ford OE system

outshines even the Prodigy.  It's awesome!

 -Roger (O)

Hmmmm, new truck Roger?

Phil O.

 

Roger wrote:  However, after *many* miles in an 08 F450 w/15,000# +/- trailer, the Ford OE system

outshines even the Prodigy.  It's awesome!

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OzCop

"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

rjohnson:

As so many have said, the Prodigy is far better than anything else

available in the aftermarket. 

However, after *many* miles in an 08 F450 w/15,000# +/- trailer, the Ford OE system

outshines even the Prodigy.  It's awesome!

 -Roger (O)

"I bought a brake controller, and I got a truck with it?"  ;)

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For sale: 2006 Nissan Titan LE Crew Cab. White. 40K miles. $19K. Wicked pissah to tow with.

I grew fond of this Reese controller because it has a detachable hand operator that allows me to hide the unit under the dash, the hand controller will proportionally operate the trailer brakes only when needed - it is a real blessing in stop & go traffic if the interstate backs up ...

but then I'm only in a toy truck ...

http://www.hidden-hitch.com/prod.asp?pc=5510

the Brake Smart line pressure setup sounds interesting

 

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"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car and oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car.
Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you take the wall with you." --Anonymous

When I bought my '99 Ford Superduty Diesel several years ago, it came with a Tekonsha Voyager.  I tow an enclosed trailer (7000# loaded with a car and probably 5500# loaded with karts) and an open trailer (? loaded with a car).  Dialing in the appropriate response is a bit of a guessing game.  I never really know if it's exactly right.  Thankfully my truck weighs in at 7000# as well and with big 4 wheel disk brakes, it does a good job of stopping whatever is behind me.

I also tow our club trailer that has hydraulic surge brakes.  I definitely do NOT like that set up.  That trailer weighs in at 6100# and although it does stop satisfactorily, bumpy sections on the road seem to activate the brakes.

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CSP RX-7 for sale

For those who are using the Prodigy controller, what is your setting for full load?  I have tested mine yesterday following the procedure and I wasn't able to achieve lockup but sure stopped fast and smooth.  I'm at about 9.9 on the controller and b3.

I think it might be time to adjust my brakes on the trailer.

Jim

That would depend on your truck, trailer, trailer tires, and load.  B3 is a lot of brake boost.  I tend to run B1 on back roads and without boost on the highway. 

If you can not achieve lock-up on your brakes, you need to have them looked at.

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Rob Leone

'07 Solstice GXP in AS
'87 Toyota Corolla in EP
ex - '91 MR2 Turbo in SM2 <- If you can't set a good example, serve as a horrible warning.

I adjusted the brakes and they now stop better than before.  Once in a while I get a full 13 on the scale but then it settles down.  I wonder why this happens?  Only seems to happen when I'm coming to a slow stop at an incline.  I'll try repositioning the unit to a more level position.

Just Curious, is everyone still happy with the Prodigy?  I just switched tow vehicles and need a new brake controller. The old one went with the old Suburban. That was the 3rd vehicle it had been in, and time to be replaced as I'm tired of trying to adjust and going from almost no trailer brakes to nearly bonking my nose on the streering wheel. 

Is there anything new that is better?

Jeff Christianson 

 

jdchristianson:

Just Curious, is everyone still happy with the Prodigy?  I just switched tow vehicles and need a new brake controller. The old one went with the old Suburban. That was the 3rd vehicle it had been in, and time to be replaced as I'm tired of trying to adjust and going from almost no trailer brakes to nearly bonking my nose on the streering wheel. 

Is there anything new that is better?

??? 

You weren't getting good brake control with the Prodigy? 

[edit: Still have and enjoy mine.  I haven't changed it.]
 

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Rob Leone

'07 Solstice GXP in AS
'87 Toyota Corolla in EP
ex - '91 MR2 Turbo in SM2 <- If you can't set a good example, serve as a horrible warning.

SpyderVenom:

jdchristianson:

Just Curious, is everyone still happy with the Prodigy?  I just switched tow vehicles and need a new brake controller. The old one went with the old Suburban. That was the 3rd vehicle it had been in, and time to be replaced as I'm tired of trying to adjust and going from almost no trailer brakes to nearly bonking my nose on the streering wheel. 

Is there anything new that is better?

??? 

You weren't getting good brake control with the Prodigy? 

Mine works great. I like that I don't really notice it, and yes I periodically give it the manual brake test to see if it does and I can always feel the brakes kick on.

I also like it's ability to do some limited troubleshooting. Strano hooked his trailer to my truck once to figure out his no brakes issue. Turned out it was the dreaded "Econo-Trailer Axle Wire Short".

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Brian "Big Enos" Burdette

SpyderVenom:

jdchristianson:

Just Curious, is everyone still happy with the Prodigy?  I just switched tow vehicles and need a new brake controller. The old one went with the old Suburban. That was the 3rd vehicle it had been in, and time to be replaced as I'm tired of trying to adjust and going from almost no trailer brakes to nearly bonking my nose on the streering wheel. 

Is there anything new that is better?

??? 

You weren't getting good brake control with the Prodigy? 

[edit: Still have and enjoy mine.  I haven't changed it.]
 

Nope, I must not have been clear.  My old controller was not a Prodigy.  It was over 10 years old and not always working the best.  I was just curious if the Pordigy was still one of the best, before I buy a new one.

 Jeff Christianson

 

 

It sounded like you sold it with your old truck. 

I still love my Prodigy.  Tekonsha came out with a P3 product that is complete overkill - so if this one every goes belly-up, I might try that one.
 

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Rob Leone

'07 Solstice GXP in AS
'87 Toyota Corolla in EP
ex - '91 MR2 Turbo in SM2 <- If you can't set a good example, serve as a horrible warning.

Another vote for the Prodigy. I had one in an F150 towing a 12' open 2-axle and a Miata, then moved up to an Excursion and 18' enclosed 2-axle with a Z06. In each case, it always gave reliable, predictable braking action. I also helped a neighbor move all their household stuff in my enclosed trailer all the way to Arizona. Mind you, I had up-rated the tires to 225 Goodyear Marathons as a matter of good course and was astonished when I ventured into a Flying-J to learn our loaded weight, Excursion and trailer, was 19,990 lbs! The turbo-diesel didn't even breathe hard and the tires/wheel bearings didn't get hot. The point I'm making is the Prodigy had adequate adjustment to apply those brakes hard enough and totally smoothly enough to control over 10,000 lbs of trailer.

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James Plotkin
'05 FSP Echo

Is the Tekonsha P3 worth the extra money over the Prodigy?

 

tia...

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aaron...
http://testsvr.sabis.com
http://www.volksport.org
1996 GTI VR6 SM
1995 Neon ACR ITA/PTE
1998 Audi A4 1.8tq kO4
1995 Dodge Ram 1500

I bought a Prodigy after reading the board.  Tuesday, coming home from PA, the state of CT decided to block off two of three lanes on I-84 by parking a truck in the middle of the lanes around a blind corner.  Tractor trailer to my left, state truck dead ahead, not enough room to go to the far right.  I stood my 99 Navigator with a 20 foot enclosed Carmate trailer loaded with tires, tools and a CSP Miata on it's nose.  Stopped straight, true, no drama.  Eighteen wheeler flys by me at 80 to make room in the left lane, I flick 40 feet of vehicle into the left lane, and avoid causing the state workers in the truck from waking up.  If I had my old Hoppy controller, they would still be picking aluminum out of my butt, and grille pieces out of my teeth.  Good recommendation.

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there is no fool proof, idiot resistant is the best you can hope for