trailer brake control

J

jimbires

Handloader
Aug 16, 2011
4,046
3,764
I thought I'd do a quick review on the " Redarc " trailer brake control . everything has been purchased from ; etrailer.com . I bought this set up new for my 2018 Toyota Tacoma . since there is no cutting , splicing , or drilling to install , I took it out so I could put it in my new truck . this is really a nice set up . everything is hidden , except the control knob . both of my trucks have had the factory tow package , so the wiring is in the truck . there is a factory plug under the dash to plug the brake control into . this set up is " plug and play " . to get the control to fit my new truck , I had to buy a wire harness , and a mounting plate . it's really a nice , easy to install , clean looking set up . it worked great in my old truck . the Tacoma switch mounting plate was a perfect match . the Nissan switch mounting plate is more of a universal fit , but still looks good . I could have drilled the original plate , but then it's ruined for putting the truck back to original .

to install , plug into the truck factory wire plug and run that harness to the control module . mount the switch , and run the wire harness from the switch to the control module . find a place to mount the control module , and secure it . the position of the module doesn't matter . the instructions warn you to mount it securely . in my old truck I was able to get two small bolts and nuts to secure it to a bracket under the dash . this new truck I was able to use three zip ties to mount it . the installation took about 45 minutes . there was no cutting , drilling , or splicing . I can easily remove it , and put the truck back to the way it was before the installation of the brake control . the instructions say as the truck is driven the control learns the drivers braking habits , even without being hooked to a trailer . this was always smooth operation of the trailer brake in my old truck . you can manually put on the trailer brake by pushing the switch knob .

these are the two Items I had to buy . a vehicle specific "plug and play harness" for the new truck . and a universal switch mounting plate . I could have spliced the Tacoma wire harness into the Nissan wires , but I did not want to cut up the wires . nothing good happens with spliced wires .
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everything that's needed .

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a couple of pics from under the dash

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and the finished look . the switch is the only thing visible .

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at least you don't have to deal with a gm installed controller..........................they SUCK! the harness by the spare tire is the issue as the connection doesn't always stay connected (not unplugged, just bad connections)
 
that's what i DON"T like! all but 4 vehicles i've bought since '82 (11 since then) i ordered to my wants/specs. at most all i waited was 6 weeks and 1 came in in 2 weeks as it must've all ready been started to a point where it was pulled and finished? that 1 i was worried about, but with 100k miles it had no issues. 4 p/u's and 5 suburban's and 2 cars (not counting 1 motorcycle). when i get enough money i'm rebuilding an '81 crew-cab dually that my grandma (no longer alive) bought back then. it (454, turbo400 2-wheel drive w/3.73's) got better mileage pulling. than the '15 w/duramax.
 
I have a 2026 GMC 2500 AT4 with the Max Trailering package which includes goose neck hitch and bed wiring, extra leaf spring making it a 3500 1 ton and trailer hook up on screen. Once set up, just hook up the trailer and select it on the menu, all your settings are set to go. The override manual brake is conveniently located on the counsel instead of the dash.
I think GM did it right.

JD338
 
Mine is a 2020 Chevy and my favorite truck of the 4 or so I have owned.
I do remember wiring in the first ever Tekonsha brake control on a 1975 Chevy. It was a big deal in the 90’s when I could just plug it in under the dash.
Today’s innovations make it so easy even my wife can do it-or I can do it without her!
Backup camera might have saved our marriage!
:D
 
I would have definitely bought another Toyota Tacoma , "IF" they still put the V-6 in them . right now Toyota doesn't build a truck I want . the Tacoma has a 4 cyl turbo , the Tundra now has a V-6 twin turbo that is having lots of problems . my last 3 trucks were Tacomas . I've liked each one of them . they were good solid trucks that were very dependable . my first one was a 2008 , Tacoma SR5 . I traded it on a 2013 Tacoma TRD sport . I traded it on a 2018 Tacoma TRD sport . I should have traded it in on a 2023 , this was the last year Tacoma had the V-6 , but I was just getting over my cancer and didn't want to buy a new truck, when I was not sure of my life expectancy . besides I spent my new truck money on DR bills . I don't put a lot of miles on my trucks , 6,000 - 8,000 miles per year . I do take very good care of them . keeping them clean , and all the maintenance done . even running synthetic oil , I'm still a 3,000 mile oil change , and tire rotation guy . with all this said , I've never seen a vehicle hold it's value like these Tacomas have , they amaze me . the 2018 I just traded had about 53,500 miles , and seen 9 years of Pennsylvania winter roads . the truck still looked great , but deep down you know it's just a matter of time before the rust starts . I knew the Nissan Frontier was the last midsize truck that still had a V-6 . I also read Nissan is planning a full model line update somewhere in the 2028 - 2030 model years . I'm guessing this will end the V-6 in the Frontier . so I figured I had better buy it while I can .

I lost a bunch of pics , don't have a pic of this truck , here it is at the Dealership I traded it to .

 
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