Arrives before Christmas To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
This is one of our favorite brake controllers, with a tiny dash knob that looks like it came straight from the factory. It brakes so nicely it's like you're not even towing. The unique off-roading mode helps you handle rough conditions.
Features:
Specs:
The off-road mode is a unique feature of the Redarc Tow-Pro Trail. In this mode, the brake controller will apply your trailer's brakes with a preset amount of power, independent of what your tow vehicle is doing. This is ideal for off-roading or challenging conditions. Set the power low if you're towing through sand or mud so that the trailer doesn't stop with too much force and act as an anchor. If navigating a steep descent, set the power to a higher level to ensure that the trailer doesn't push against the tow vehicle.
To activate the off-road mode, rotate the knob counterclockwise to 0 and apply your vehicle's brakes. Push down on the knob twice (2 times within 1 second) and release the brakes. The knob will turn green to let you know that the mode has been activated.
Use the knob to set the braking output - the maximum amount of power that will be applied to your trailer's brakes. To get more power output, rotate the knob clockwise toward 10. To decrease the power output, rotate it counterclockwise toward 0.
When you apply the tow vehicle's brakes, the knob will change from blue to red to signal that the trailer brakes are being activated. The higher the braking power output, the deeper the red that you will see.
To engage manual override, simply press the control knob. This will activate the trailer's brakes and brake lights independent of your tow vehicle, great for stopping sway or controlling your trailer's momentum in an emergency.
When you are calibrating the brake controller for the first time, the LED lights will signal your progress.
You'll start by braking 20 times or so to let the unit learn its orientation and the direction of travel. You don't need to have a trailer connected for it to calibrate; the only difference is that the knob won't illuminate at all. If your trailer is connected, the LED light will flash green/blue as it calibrates. When the display turns solid blue, initial calibration is complete.
Once done, the unit will remain calibrated. If recalibration is required, it will happen automatically and without LED indication.
The Tow-Pro Trail has almost no mounting restrictions. It comes in 2 pieces: the main unit and the control knob. The main unit can be mounted out of sight and out of the way. You don't have to worry about dinging your knee on a bulky brake controller or interfering with your vehicle's airbags.
The control knob can be installed in any convenient spot that's easy for you to see and access. This can be a blank switch panel, an open spot on your center console, or wherever there's space on your dashboard. A universal mounting panel is included to ensure a clean, from-the-factory look. Custom-fit panels are available for certain vehicles as well. Before you do any drilling, be sure there's enough clearance behind the dash for the entire knob to install!
Once you've decided where you want to put the control knob, you'll need to find a good place to install the main unit. Your only restriction is the 3' cable connecting the main unit and the control knob. Securely mount the box using screws, double-sided tape, or zip-ties (not included). A mounting kit (RE67FR - sold separately) is also available for the Tow-Pro Trail. Do not attach the module to wiring or cables that can shift as you drive!
Then plug the custom-fit harness right into your vehicle and the brake controller and you're done!
Note: If you don't already have a 7-way plug at the back of your vehicle, take a look at our exclusive 7- and 4-way brake-control installation kit (ETBC7 - sold separately). A 30-amp circuit breaker kit (331-CBK30-EB - sold separately) may also be required for installation.
Proportional braking means that your trailer brakes mimic your tow vehicle's brakes. If you slam on the brakes in your vehicle, your trailer brakes will activate with the same intensity; if you brake lightly, your trailer brakes lightly too. The trailer's braking is in proportion to your vehicle's braking. This saves wear and tear on the tires and the brakes on both your vehicle and trailer.
The Tow-Pro Trail uses an internal 3-axis accelerometer to sense how your vehicle is braking so it can send the right amount of braking power to your trailer. It measures the inertia of your tow vehicle and activates the trailer's brakes to slow at the same rate. The result is uniform braking across your towing setup. No push-pull action - just smooth, proportional braking every time.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hi, everybody, Andy here with etrailer.com. Let's take a look together at this Redarc Tow-Pro Trail proportional brake controller with custom wiring harness. Now this brake controller kit has been specifically designed to fit your 2016 to 2023 Toyota Tacoma and your 2015 to 2021 Tundra. Now on custom fit parts such as this brake controller kit, I do recommend taking advantage of our vehicle fit guide here at etrailer.com. Just input the year, make, and model of your vehicle, and our fit guide will confirm if this kit will work for you or if we have something comparable that will work for you. Now what's really nice about this brake controller kit from Redarc is that it's gonna require minimal dash space in your Toyota, and it's going to be relatively simple to install and operate.
This is going to have a factory look and feel to it. It's gonna look like it's always belonged in your vehicle, and the typical person would probably never know that you actually have a brake controller system installed in your Toyota. Now this brake controller is going to obviously activate your trailer brakes in proportion to your Toyota's braking action. It will automatically adjust your trailer's braking based on the deceleration of your tow vehicle. And this brake controller does come with a unique feature that's going to let you respond to any terrain or weather that you meet while on the road.
The user controlled mode is going to give you direct control over your trailer's braking, so that it can have exactly the level of power output that you need for any situation. So this is going to be perfect for off-roading or adverse weather conditions. And in this user control mode, this tow pro trail will apply your trailer brakes with the same preset amount of power each time you activate the brakes in your Toyota. You can set the power low if you're towing through sand or mud, so that the trailer doesn't stop with too much force or and act as an anchor, or when on a steep descent you can set the power to a higher level to ensure that the trailer's momentum doesn't cause it to push against the tow vehicle. Now the star of the show is this control knob, which is going to mount in your dash or other easy accessible area.
And it's going to allow for quick and easy adjustment of the braking power with just turn of this dial. And then it's also going to provide manual override by just pressing the knob to activate. And it's also going to offer simple diagnostics with a bright colored LED dial. I did want to point out that you're going to have additional inserts or blanks here for the knob so you can get that look that you are looking for for your particular Toyota, whether it's the Tacoma or the Tundra. So you're gonna have several options here to get that fit and that look that you're looking for with these three inserts or blanks.
So obviously this main unit is going to install out of sight. And you're not gonna have to worry about banging up your knee anymore on a bulky controller. You're not gonna have to worry about interference with airbags or other vehicle accessories. And of course there's not gonna be any hard to reach override lever or impossible to reach screen. And this spray controller can be mounted in virtually any position, direction, or angle with the included mounting kit that you see right here. So that's a nice addition to this kit is that the mounting kit is included with this. There's not gonna be any complicated wiring. This custom fit harness is going to let you plug in and go. And I do wanna point out that if you do not already have a seven-way plug at the back of your vehicle, take a look at our exclusive seven and four-way brake controller installation kit. We here at etrailer.com have put this kit together for you in case you are in need of a seven-way at the back of your Toyota. This will also give you that four-way as well, so you'll have both of those options at the back of your vehicle. So if that's something that you need, you can take that part number that you see there on your screen, ETBC7, pop that in the search field of our website. That will take you to that kit and you can add that to your order. So this is going to meet or exceed both U and ECER 21 and the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 201 regulations for sustainability and safety. And this brake controller is going to be for trailers with up to three axles, six brake assemblies, and it's designed for use with electric or electric over hydraulic trailer brakes. This is gonna work with your 12 volt or 24 volt vehicle electrical systems. One other piece of information that I wanna leave you with in case you are wondering about the size of the unit itself. We're sitting pretty close to four inches long and about 3 3/8 inches wide or so, and about an inch or an 1 1/8 tall. Just kind of give you an idea of the size of the brake controller itself. Well, I think that's going to wrap up our real quick look today. I do hope that our time together was helpful for you. Again, my name is Andy, thank you for joining me.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (1567 Customer Reviews)
This is one of our favorite brake controllers, with a tiny dash knob that looks like it came straight from the factory. It brakes so nicely it's like you're not even towing. The unique off-roading mode helps you handle rough conditions.This worked perfect in our 2020 Acura MDX. Love how it looks and operates. I removed the center council (see link to video on how to below) and mounted everything in there.
The control knob looks great and is out of the way. I removed the 12 volt charger port and put the knob in its place. The only catch was it was not easy to find the fuse for the brake controller. After research and trial and error, I found the fuse was #17 in the rear fuse box. I appreciate the great service and support from etrailer.
The Redarc controller that I ordered to install in my Lexus GX460 was perfect! I ordered the Tow Pro Trail version. The harness to connect the factory trailer harness under the dash was the correct one for my Lexus. lling the controller that se are a little more work than installing the ones that hang under the dash, but well worth it!
Nice brake controller. Have 2 of them. On both my cars it will occasionally blink red which means some sort of error but it still applies the brakes. Thinking the ground/neutral wiring on my trailer is the culprit. Installed with RED77FR on a 2024 Grand Cherokee L Summit (w/ factory Tow) despite site saying it's not compatible.
I saw the great online reviews of this controller and took the plunge. I bought my 2002 Chevy Silverado K1500 extended cab short bed truck new in 2001. It came with the HD Towing package which include a factory plug in trailer brake wiring loom. I took my time over a 2 day period to carefully install and triple check my install. The Chevy and Redarc wiring wiring descriptions made it easy to join the two harnesses. I used HD crimped plug in connectors further protected with shrank tubing. All wiring was bundled with zip ties after encasing in HD harness protective cover. Zip ties held in place behind the removable panel beneath the steering wheel. The control button is installed on the right side of the steering column within easy reach. Nice install. I read that the light would not go on until a trailer was hooking up. I was elated when we picked up our new cargo trailer and the controller knob light lit up upon hitching up. the first mile of travel allowed easy testing of the system and fine tuning came a few miles further down the road. GREAT PRODUCT!
Installed in my 2022 Ford Ranger, works great ?? The adapter for the lighter is a separate purchase.
The push button to activate the brakes independently is a really nice feature for calibrating the braking power based on the weight on the trailer.
The led indicators are also nice.
This is the third Redarc elite I've installed, the oldest being 4 years ago. They're all flawless, easy to use, more available and less intrusive than anything else. I can pull my single-axle motorcycle trailer empty and not be overpowered, or my 2 axle dump trailer without being underpowered. Spectacular in all regards.
This thing is awesome! I lucked out and the etrailer demo install video was on the same type of tow vehicle I have, so I was able to mostly just follow along for the install. It went in with minimal effort. I tow a 20 ft TT that weighs about 3500 lbs with a Chevy Colorado.
I finally pulled our trailer from storage and had a chance to try out the controller. It is fantastic! My previous controller used bluetooth. With it I had problems with over braking at low speeds. I was constantly adjusting it between town and highway, and I found the adjustment clumsy because my phone locks after a couple minutes of not being used.
The redarc fixed all of that and more! After dialing in the right setting, braking is like the trailer is not even there. It's that good! There is little to none jerking when I stop at low speed. And adjusting it is simple as it is one knob on the dash. This is how a brake controller is supposed to work! I towed 10,000 miles with my "other" controller, and I can't wait to try this out on our cross country trip this year!
And as always, the etrailer folks are great to work with and full of wisdom that they share so I don't have to learn the hard way!
Great workmanship and easy to install. I installed the main unit right below the steering wheel behind the panel per the video by redarc. If you install the dial where the 12v outlet plug is currently located, you can find another place to put your 12v port like i did. It was simple to adjust to my tandem axle trailer. Glad I purchased this instead of the more expensive factory controller.
My Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Brake Controller was installed earlier this year in my 2023 Ford Explorer Platinum w/tow pkg. Immediately it changed the trailer handling and gave me much more control. It was the recommended for my vehicle and it works just like a 'factory installed' unit that I've had in previous trucks. I recommend it!
Installation was as described in the Colorado video. My 2015 4x4 dash required a different location than where the knob is located in the video( where the 4x4 knob is ). The dial knob just fits inside the upper clips for the credit card slot. I used the left side for better visibility. I drilled a pilot hole and then slowly enlarged it, dragging it as needed to keep it centered under the dash clip. You will understand when you remove the card slot. Remove the lower dash to get to a hidden screw, then the card holder pops straight out.
Great prices and quick to ship. Well organized website. Wasn’t sure the REDARC install was something o wanted to handle. One disappointment… initially I called a listed installer found on your website - they stated they do not install product they do not sell. This pushed me to try to install myself. Lots of helpful information and install videos online made the difference.
It truly amazes me that Ford touts the towing capacity of my Ranger, yet not one dealership I called could offer a solution for a trailer brake controller to be able to pull my little camper. I finally turned to etrailer since they had helped me meet my towing needs in the past with a different vehicle. etrailer's Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Trailer Brake Controller was a perfect solution! They also supplied a terrific video explaining in great detail how to install it in my truck. I preferred the in-dash location using one of the extra twelve volt ports using the optional round adapter insert and found it to be very convenient after a summer of towing. Highly recommend both Redarc Tow-Pro Elite and etrailer!
The Redarc Trailer brake controller has worked well for the past year. The instructions and videos made it easy to install and get setup. My only, minor, complaint was the button cover provided did not fit in our 2016 4Runner. I was able to use the cover I pulled out with a little trimming of extra plastic on the back. We have towed our pop up in mountains and plains, on interstates and off road. The trailer brake has worked without an issue. Highly recommended.
Love the self-calibration and hidden controller. Great space saver and works as described. I did find the knob location in your video not very good; I could not see it through the steering wheel when driving. As you can see from the picture it is now visible from the driver's seat and easy to adjust when needed. Also, in this location the only hole I had to drill was 3/16" behind the knob and not visible or damaging. I was able to use the knob bracket that came in the kit and just push it into place, very stable.
I installed this on my 2009 Dodge RAM 1500. It replaced the other one I had. This was a challenge to install because of where I had to mount it under the dash. But it was also wired a little different. The former controller had the positive (red) and negative (black) wires reversed from this Redarc controller. When I installed the Redarc the way the other controller was wired the brake lights wouldn't work. Once I got them put right for the Redarc it is working right.
Easy to install and works great. Love the stealth mounting. I get compliments on just the one knob being visible.
Only way to fly. This brake system works like nothing else. Perfect
This is the second Redarc brake controller that I have purchased. First one works so well in our new Bronco that when we got a 3 axle toyhaller I needed to up grade the controller in our truck.Redarc was the first choice after being so happy with the other one in our Bronco. Super easy installation that plugs right into the truck wiring with the correct harness for your vehicle.
etrailer made it easy to get everything that you need in one purchase (unlike some seller's where everything is sold separately) and it was at my door reasonably fast
Overall love the Redarc controller and very happy going through etrailer
Great quality trailer brake controller, seats very nice, flush in the not use ash tray of my silverado. Lot of configuration options, ensure to read the instructions and watch the installation video, be advised it has no power until you plug a trailer, this had me going for a while :-). Thanks etrailer.
I have not used it yet. But i did want to know if i could use it on a small open motorcycle trailer. If i have it on for the lights, will it still effect the braking if i turn the dial to "0" on the dash? Thank you! But I can tell you, very easy to install.
The Redark trailer brake controller installed easily. In my 2020 Toyota 4Runner. It looks like it came installed from the factory. It’s small and easy to reach when driving. It came with a plastic install panel. This is designed for installing in a hole that you drill in your dash. It will not fit in a knock out space in your dash. There is one that fits the dash perfectly that you can buy from etrailer.
etrailer automatically bundled the Redark trailer brake controller with the correct plug and play wiring harness for my vehicle. It was nice not to have to search for the wire harness. Everything installed perfectly.
I haven’t tested the function of the brake controller yet. I’ll hook up to a trailer this week.
The items arrived in less than a week and the package was in good condition. The order tracking worked great. The tech videos on the etrailer website were really helpful. I’ll purchase from hem again.
So far it is anazing! I installed it splicing with the gm wiring harness, and put the box under my console, with the knob in one of the accessory port holes using the knob adapter. The controller calibrated quickly, and works great once you get the gain set correctly. The ONLY thing I don't care for is that the unit stays powered up, so the led stay lit while a trailer is hooked up. I guess it doesn't drain battery much, but I don't care for anything draining my battery, no matter how small.
Looks really nice, but I have not actually used it on the road yet, I have just driven around the neighborhood to test it and it looks and works great for the short distance that I have travelled, pulling a 10,000 gvw, car hauling two axle flat bed trailer.
After a year of owning and pulling a camper it has been flawless. Easy install. I will say do your research on the best way to set it up for your vehicle. I drove on dirt roads around 5mph and adjusted it until I was right on the edge of skidding the trailer by pressing on the controller.
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