I need a brake controller for my 2012 GMC Yukon. I checked Amazon and they start at $40 and go up from there. All seem to get good reviews even the cheap boxes. Any recommendations? I saw on another thread that someone recommended the Tekonsha P3. Any other good ones? Thanks.
I have the Tekonsha P2 and love it. Whatever you do, be sure you get a PROPORTIONAL controller, NOT a time-delay one!! Usually the time-delay ones are cheaper, but they are really unsuitable (IMO) for ANY kind of hauling, much less livestock.
Tekonsha P3…with the pre-wired connector cable for plug and play in my vehicle installation. (Took a whole ten minutes including drilling two tiny pilot holes for the mounting bracket) Bought from etrailers.com. Very satisfied.
What does time delay mean in relation to a brake controller?
With a time-delay controller, you have two things to adjust-- the amount of time it takes for the brakes to reach full power, and the maximum level of intensity they can reach. With a proportional controller, the brakes will be applied variably based on the degree of breaking you need.
In a real world application, with a time-delay controller, even if you only apply a little bit of brake, your trailer brakes will eventually reach full strength whether you want them to or not. This is NOT what you want, if you’re trying to gently stop when coming up on a traffic light. OR, if you DO need to brake quickly, it could be that you jam on the brakes and it takes your trailer brakes 3 seconds to catch up. :eek:
I have the P3 and have a Tow/Haul mode in my truck, unbelievably smooth combination. Even without the Tow mode on, the trailer still glides to a smooth stop like the truck. Controller is very easy to make adjustments to, screen color can be changed, has a warning when trailer isn’t connected. My only issue is that the screen stays on even if no trailer is connected - I’d prefer something like the initial “No Trailer Connected” warning when I start the truck, then have the screen go off after about 10-15 minutes without a trailer.
The P2 goes off after a few seconds when not connected… Actually IIRC, there might be a little LED bulb that stays on all the time if the truck is running, but nothing on the screen after a bit if there is no trailer connected.
P3 does stay lit after the “nothing connected” error message times out, but I don’t find it obtrusive at all, especially with where I have the unit located. And I changed the color to match the same “green” that my vehicle uses for other courtesy lighting in the cabin.
[QUOTE=Jim_in_PA;7510559]
P3 does stay lit after the “nothing connected” error message times out, but I don’t find it obtrusive at all, especially with where I have the unit located. And I changed the color to match the same “green” that my vehicle uses for other courtesy lighting in the cabin.[/QUOTE]
I wound up changing mine to green as well and put it on the least bright setting last week and it doesn’t bother me quite as much. I had installed it a while ago when I borrowed a friend’s trailer but would pop it out when I wasn’t using it, but a couple weeks ago I picked up my own trailer so its installed for good. I think it bugged me so much because I usually go to work and get home when it is still dark so the extra light was distracting.
