I use the Red Arc Pro can be positioned in any position and just a small knob on the dash. Has worked very well.

Hi Camu, welcome to the GN's. 

Can't go wrong with Red Arc Pro. I tow a 3.5 ton van and it works brilliantly, never had a problem with it.

Cheers, Owen. 

I tow with a Pajero Sport and had the tow bar, 12 pin/Anderson plug and brake controller fitted by the Mitsubishi dealership prior to delivery. They used the Redarc Pro and utilised one of the switch blanks on the right hand side of the wheel so as CC suggested you will only see the knob. With around 2.6T behind me I set it on 4 or 5 and it works well, more than that and I find that it's too harsh and causes the car to dip when braking, too low and it feels like the van is pushing me when I brake. Here's some other info you might want to consider when towing with the Sport -

If you live in NSW and your van is over 2T you will also need to get a breakaway monitor, which the auto electrician put beneath the dash on the left hand side of the wheel. I have a rear view camera on the van so I needed him to run the cabling to the dash for that as well. I bought a set of the Milenco towing mirrors and found that once you get the correct adjustment on them they won't hit your doors even when they fold in which happens every time that you lock it. I also use a Hayman Reece WDH but I need to get an engineering shop to cut the tang shorter due to the position of the spare wheel behind the tow bar - I believe that it's currently sticking out further than it should from the back of the vehicle I really want to be able to push it in another couple of holes. I don't know what you intend towing with it but the fuel consumption I get is around 16 or 17ltrs/100kms which is not good when you only have a 68ltr tank to play with, I carry a couple of 20ltr jerry cans just to give me some decent range. When I'm out on the highway cruising on 90kph its fairly economical but the consumption jumps up when the smaller 2.4 motor has to work hard on the longer climbs or when you're getting up to speed from a standing start.

Hi there CamU,

You might like to consider the Hayman Reese Compact IQ controller.

It is also a proportional solid state controller, compact (hidden) and only one knob visible - same as the Redarc Towpro Elite in this regard.

But it has one major advantage over the Redarc - the HR Compact IQ includes a 'Boost' control.  Users of the Tekonsha P3 will be familiar with this function, which sets the MINIMUM voltage provided to the electric brake system when the brakes are applied.  Another advantage (albeit less important IMO) is that it can be had for substantially less money than the Redarc.

Hi CamU

Like  you we are Newbies.

We fitted a Redack after a lot of research.

the only advise I have to add is make sure you get the control knob placed in a easily assessable location on the dash.

it is important to be able to reach the control knob quickly if caravan sway gets out of control.

So Redack gets the green light just think about were the control knob fits For easy access.

This site is amazing for us newbies isn't it?

The only other thing I found out and had to fit was a Breaksafe battery monitor to be legal in NSW.

its a small monitor that monitors the van battery level/condition in case your vane breaks away Cost about $88

keep smiling and travel safe.

 

 

 

Hylife,
I like your thinking. Hope it comes to something. The various technologies in "assisted braking" have few commonalities at the moment, but who knows what the future will bring hey.

Hi Davidjgale, may I suggest that you start up another thread in "techies corner", your thread will have different content, and is like "hi-Jacking" another persons post.

Hylife wrote:

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Expect over the next few years to see a whole new selection of different brake controllers entering the market, unlike any seen in the past.
Why? Because the new vehicles don't have the old style method of the brake pedal pushing the hydraulics.
New vehicles are all 'fly-by-wire', ie, there is nothing other than some wires running from the brake pedal to a black box that determines how much brake force is required based on speed, load, pedal force, etc.

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 You should still be able to use the existing brake controllers. There will still be stop lights on the vehicle. You pick the signal for the controller up from there. In fact you should be doing that now as many vehicles recommend that is how it should be done.