What do I need for trailer brakes on a pop-up?

Lizooki

Lizooki

Samurai Frogger
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Location
Stokes Co. NC
I have a 1990 Coleman Chesapeake and it already has trailer brakes.
My usual TV is away at college so I'm gonna use my Chevy S10 pick-up until it graduates.
The S10 is a v6 and can pull it fine ... but I wouldn't mind a bit of help when it becomes whoa-time!

So, like the title says.
What do I need to use the trailer brakes?
Just wire it to the TV so the braked engage when I brake or do I NEED a brake controller.
Also, to me it seems the trailer brakes are a on/off deal .... just adding drag more than stopping .... Is this correct?


Thanks,

Matt
 
the controller allows you to modulate the brake intensity (how much) as well as how fast it ramps up to brake = needed

no controller will lock brakes, but if they are worn, wheels won't lock anyway
 
Trailer brakes modulate. The more voltage you put to them, the harder they stop.

Spend $100 on a Prodigy.
 
you could also put a surge brake style on it like boat trailers, if you are dead set against wiring the truck. But i would get a prodigy like mentioned above, and then you can swap into another truck later if you want.
 
You need a controller. Like said, the brakes can modulate. They can also pull a good bit of current, and just wiring them to the lights will certainly blow fuses. Get a controller and wiring kit and do it right. For what you've got, I'd probably go with the cheapest proportional controller I could find. But if you want to get fancy and pick up a controller you might move to your next nicer TV, then go with something better. You're going to hear a lot of folks say "Prodigy," and those are probably great controllers. I went with a Hopkins InSight, though, and couldn't be happier. Easy to mount, easy to hide, display and toggle are remote from the brain, so you can put those in a convenient location instead of your crotch. And it seems to work really well. I don't have much to compare it to, but I'd buy it again.
 
For a sub 2k trailer I wouldn't mess with brakes.

Brake controller is the way to go if you go that route. The harder you stop the more the brakes work. I had a trailer that would lock up the tires as soon as you thought about the brakes with the controller turned up when empty. Put a full size bronco on it and they worked great. The adjustability of it makes it worth the price.
 
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