Cherokee Brake Controller Set Up

[Root Moose]

Can I get some help setting up a brake controller for my XJ? I had the 4 pin flat setup but I want to add a brake controller and a 7 pin output in order to actually use the brakes on my trailer, charge the battery, etc.

I have been eyeing these items:

Controller:

http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Jeep/Cherokee/2001/90195.html?vehicleid=2001214562

Harness:

http://www.etrailer.com/p-ETBC7.html

Any comments on this before I call? I want to be as informed as I can be before I get told stuff by the sales rep.

Other options? I don't care where I get the parts - time is more important right now.

Thanks.

 

[Root Moose]

Anyone?

 

[HappyDog]

Lots of people buy and love the Tekonsha Prodigy, but I bought something else.

Here's why:

1. The Tekonsha is really a little computer that boots up each time the ignition is turned on. The upside is that it runs through routines to make sure the brakes are actually connected -- the line is neither shorted nor open-circuit. It also does other sanity checks. The downside is that sometimes -- actually pretty rarely -- it loses it's mind while under way and needs to be rebooted. I decided I didn't need that kind of problem.

2. I have two tow vehicles and I wanted to use the same controller in both. The Tekonsha needs to have continuous battery power to retain all its settings. Removing it from one vehicle to put it in the other means I would have to go through the setup procedure all over again.

3. At the time I looked at the Tekonsha Prodigy it was an early model which had unintelligible cryptic digital error signals. I took one look at that and realized there was no way I would remember what they meant and I would have to look in the manual -- something I wouldn't want to do while driving.

All that said, I'm not real pleased with what I bought. It has the advantage of being a very simple proportional controller but I would like something that was designed better. The main issue is that it has only one accelerometer which has to be pointing "down." That part is easy on level ground, but once you hit steep grades pointing "down" to the floorboards is not pointing "down" to the center of the earth. If they had used a 2-axis accelerometer the control circuit could figure out where true "down" actually is and take care of the problem automatically.

 

[HappyDog]

Sorry, I forgot to comment on the wiring harness.

I don't think it matches your needs well enough for the price.

You will need a circuit breaker for trailer power, and there's a wonderful spot for one in the passenger footwell fuse panel which normally runs the power seats. I don't have power seats, and I suspect you don't either, so this is a great spot for the trailer circuit breaker. Of course it is a different shape than any of the ones included in the harness kit, so the kit doesn't help you there.

Also, on my Cherokees the power wire for the passenger power seat was already installed at the factory. It's right behind the floorboard crosspiece, hidden under an X cut into the carpet. Just connect your trailer power wire there, continue toward the driver's side, over the transmission tunnel but under the console, behind the crosspiece on the driver's side, then into the sill channel along with the factory wire harness. Continue laying wire toward the rear following the sill channel, up under and behind the rear seat, and into the rear quarter panel behind the spare tire, then out the grommet behind the left tail light.

You need to get into that quarter panel anyway in order to connect to the stop, turn indicator, and tail lights. There are three connectors hanging near the place where the spare tire bolt is. There are some nice harnesses that are made to plug directly into the proper two connectors and add the light controller. The "universal" harness you pointed to does not contain any of that stuff.

HTH

 

[Root Moose]

Thanks! Lots of food for thought there. I'll digest when I have time to focus deeper and see where it leads

 

[souske]

I have been happy with an older version of this controller
http://www.hayesbc.com/?page_id=1290

 

[iluv83vettes]

The Tekonsha is a nice unit. I had one in my F250.

I like how that wiring kit had both the 7 way and the 4 way connections on it, so you don't have to carry the stupid bulky adapter. I don't know how many of those I have lost.

 

[cal]

I've had a Tekonsha Prodigy for about 4 years now and love it.

I've never had it 'go crazy' and need reboot nor heard of it happening. The errors it gives are pretty cleary (the only one I have ever gotten was "NO CONNECTION" which turned out to be a broken ground on the trailer. Pulled over and fixed it on the spot, was very happy to have that available to me.


One wiring harness is the same as another in my book, they will all require a little custom work.

 

[Root Moose]

Is there a factory harness I can buy/ source that simplifies everything? Better off doing custom?

 

[souske]

I used the hoppy adapter for the 4 pins

the remaining three had to be run manually

 

[Kevin3151]

I have a prodigy that swaps from the RV to the Ford. Never had a problem.
KH