Electric trailer brake controller???

[10drum]

Greetings,

I did a search for trailer brake controller, and found a lot of good information.
Ive been shopping for a trailer brake controller. I know the ones they use now are inertia type. Id like to use the old hydraulic style. Dose anyone know if they are still available?

Thanks for all replies

[Toms67]

Friend of mine had one put on his boat trailer. Not sure if it was used or new. I'm sure someone can chime in on this.

[demian5]

Originally Posted by 10drum

Id like to use the old hydraulic style.

I wouldn't. Not towing anything for any distance.

For show and a short town, maybe, but I had one in my 74 3/4 BB burb and it leaked and needed to go.

[HO455]

What kind of brakes does your trailer have? Hydraulic brakes are self contained and have no controller on the towing vehicle. They use movement in a special coupler that applies the brakes. Simple but you have to get out of the rig to lock it when backing up and then get out and unlock after backing. Electric brakes have a controller in the towing vehicle. If your towing with a newer rig (last five years or so) the controller may be already be installed and interacts with your vehicle's electronic control package. These work very nicely.

[10drum]

HO455, I don't think my 1969 C-10 has an electronic control package. I don't have a trailer yet, but it will be equipped with electric brakes, which will be controlled from my pickup. I want the trailer brakes to be applied proportionally, when I press on the brake peddle. The harder I press on the peddle, more voltage to the trailer brakes. The old Kelsey-Hayes type had hydraulics from the master cylinder routed to the controller. Like demian5 had on his 74 suburban. The controllers I've found so far, use an inertia switch to activate (send voltage to) the trailer brakes.

[ak808]

ive got the style you are looking for, and I also have some newer electric controllers in my newer trucks. The newer electric controllers work just fine in my opinion, and then you dont need to bother with plumbing a hydraulic line into the cab.

I think my electric ones are voyagers and they have worked great for several years now, no issues once you set them up after installation.

[10drum]

Ak808, are the ohydraulic style you have new, or new old stock? I've seen the voyager, and think it would be fine on newer vehicles with power disc brakes. I think with my old non power drum brakes, the trailer brakes would work best being activated by the peddle. Seems like the old style had a sensitivty adjustment which would allow the trailer to provide more braking than the tow vehicle.

[ak808]

It was in the truck when I bought it, but I dont think it was a dealer item.

The electric controllers are pretty fancy nowadays. They are reasonably cheap, and even with drums, I think you are going to find they work just fine. The controllers can be adjusted for both sensitivity and braking force. I think you can find a setting that will work just fine for you.

[HO455]

I'm sorry I didn't realize you were referring to an electric over hydraulic system. My bad. They are kinda pricey. The only one I have ever seen was on a eight horse trailer that was towed behind a 45 foot pusher. Had it's own hydraulic pump that made pressure for the slave cylinders that was controlled electronically from the pusher. I never saw the controller in the pusher. I do know they are available new and are sophisticated systems.

[Brysenj]

I am a trailer specialist and everyone that has a hydraulic controller and a new trailer burns up the brakes in the trailer because those don't have a correct voltage for it my recommendation is a CURT tri-flex or discovery controller I have have a trip flex and use it everyday and have no problem at all

[10drum]

Brysenj, thanks for the reply, I'm not sure what type of trailer I may be pulling, chances are it will be something built between 1965 and 1975. If I do decide to buy a new(er) trailer, I will need to do some research about trailer brake voltages. For now I'd like to find the old style, I've found some NOS Kelsey-Hayes on eBay, I'm just wondering if they still make em?