Mount the control knob of this proportional brake controller on your dash for a factory look, and install the main unit out of sight behind the dash. Control your braking power with the turn of a dial, with manual override right at your fingertips.
Features:
Specs:
The dash-mounted knob puts control of your trailer's brakes at your fingertips. In addition to offering fast, simple power adjustment and an easily accessible manual override, it has colored LED signals that let you know what the brake controller is doing at a glance.
When you are calibrating the brake controller for the first time, the LED lights will signal your progress. To finish setting up the device, you will need to drive your vehicle in a low-traffic area and brake 20 times or so to let the unit learn its orientation and the direction of travel. If your trailer is connected, the LED light will flash green/blue as it processes the information. If there is no trailer connected, the unit will still calibrate, just without the knob lighting up. The knob will stay blue longer as the calibration process gets closer to being done. When the display turns solid blue, initial calibration is complete. The unit will remain calibrated for the next time that you tow. If recalibration is required, it will happen automatically and without LED indication.
Once the brake controller is activated, you can use the knob to set the maximum amount of power that will be applied to your trailer's brakes. Typically, this power is only readjusted when you experience changing road conditions or if you switch over from a heavy, loaded trailer to a much lighter, empty trailer, or vice versa. To get more power to your brakes, 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.
The Tow-Pro Liberty keeps the manual override within easy reach, great for stopping sway or controlling your trailer's momentum in emergencies. To engage the manual override, just press the control knob. This will activate the trailer's brakes and brake lights without you having to apply the brakes on your tow vehicle, perfect for limiting trailer movement while you're cruising.
Unlike most proportional controllers on the market, the Tow-Pro Liberty has almost no mounting restrictions. It comes in 2 pieces - the main unit and the control knob. Because the only part that you need to be able to access is the control knob, the main unit can be mounted out of sight and out of the way. You don't have to worry about banging your knee on a bulky brake controller or interfering with your vehicle's lower airbags.
The dash-mounted 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. You can pick up a universal mounting panel (331-TPSI-001 - sold separately) for 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 room behind the dash for the entire knob to install, including the part you don't see!
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' plug-in cable that has to be able to reach between both 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 Liberty. Do not zip-tie the box to wiring or cables that can shift as you drive.
Once you have the controller mounted in your cab, just plug the custom-fit adapter directly into your vehicle's built-in brake control wiring harness. The other end plugs into the brake controller. No hardwiring needed!
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 controller installation kit (ETBC7 - sold separately).
The Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty Brake Controller comes equipped with proportional braking to give you the best towing experience. 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 Liberty 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.
Hey, everybody. Ryan here at etrailer. Today, we're gonna be checking out the REDARC Tow-Pro Liberty trailer brake controller. If your trailer has brakes, you're gonna need a way to apply them. That way, you can slow everything down safely. And that's where a trailer brake controller like this REDARC here is gonna come into play.
What this is gonna do whenever you hit the brakes, it's going to apply the brakes on the trailer, bringing you to a complete stop. One of the things that really sets the REDARC apart from some of the other brake controllers is the size. You know, it looks a lot different. The only thing you're gonna be able to see is the adjustment knob here. And the rest of the main body of the brake controller, I guess you'd call it, sits up behind the dash.
So, you're not gonna have this big box that's always in the way and an eyesore bolted up to your dash. And with this one, I think it turned out really good. We actually had some factory switches and whatnot here already. We had a blank one, so we we're able to mount this up in there. And so, it looks almost factory and a really clean appearance, and still really easy to get to.
One of the things with a brake controller like this as well is the fact that it's what's called proportional. So, what that means, more or less, however hard you apply the brakes, the trailer brakes are gonna match that. So, it just makes it a lot smoother and a lot better braking experience. So, to kind of give you an example of that, let's say, if you're going down the road and approaching a stop sign, and you're halfway on the brake, trailer brakes are going to do the same thing. On the other hand, let's say, if you're going down the highway, maybe an accident up ahead or something along those lines and you gotta really stand on the brake to slow things down, trailer's gonna do the same thing.
So, you're not gonna feel the trailer dragging or wanting to push you around. You're actually gonna be stopping as one hole unit. This particular brake controller is gonna be good for trailers that have either one or two axles. And there are some adjustments so you can change your brake force. So, you have the knob here. That's 10. That's zero. So at zero, you'd have no braking force. And so, you can kind of fine tune it. So, let's say, a good place to start is probably five or below. Let's say maybe you got a light trailer and nothing in it, you're gonna pick something up, you might only need a one or two, something like that. But then you load it up and realize it's not braking quite as hard as you'd like it to, you can always dial that up a couple clicks. So, you can really fine tune it for your particular load and what you're gonna be doing, and your particular driving style. It's also gonna have a manual override button and all you do is you just push down on this. And so, I'm actually hooked up to a test box, which simulates a trailer. That's why we're getting these lights going and everything. But you can see when you push down on this, that light's gonna glow red and that means you're gonna be just applying the trailer brakes. So, let's say, if the trailer starts to get swirly, kind of gets away from you a little bit, you can hit that, slow the trailer down, straighten it back out, and continue on. As far as installation goes, ours was not bad at all and I think that'll be the case for most people as long as your truck has a factory tow package. Essentially, all you gotta do is find the connector, plug it in, mount up the the box, and then mount up your knobs. So, it's more tedious than anything, but as long as you take your time, you should be in good shape. I do wanna mention, for those of you, if your truck does not have that factory tow package, so if you don't have the factory seven-way connector back there, you are gonna have to get a couple of other things, which is just probably gonna be rare for most of these vehicles. But we'll need a four-way flat trailer connector, etrailer.com universal brake controller install kit, and the REDARC universal adapter plug to make everything work. But like I said, chances are really good this info will get you going in the right directions. And that'll finish up our look at of the REDARC Tow-Pro Liberty trailer brake controller..
The hardest part was getting the zip ties tightened around the module without completely removing the trim under the steering wheel. I chose near the shifter for my location so it’s easy to reach but still out of the way.
Works great! No more readjusting between hi way and Campground driving. Looks great. Straight forward instruction for installation.
This thing is so much better than the old controller I used to use. I like that it lets the break off after you stop moving even if you have your foot on the petal. Smooth breaking response all together. Plus, I was able to install the knob in an unused switch blank in my 2020 Pilot. You do have to be a little crafty to get it to fit there but it is possible.
I was surprised how nice this brake controller is - clean install with the unit up under the dash. I installed the knob in one of the 'blanks' in the dash for a really clean look. No banging knees on older-style controllers under the dash. Thanks!
Being new to towing a larger trailer requires research. After doing a lot of it, both through user reviews and manufacturer websites, we landed on the Rearc Liberty Brake Controller for our Tacoma. We have just over 1000 miles towing with this unit. It has performed extremely well. Towing for us includes city, highway, mountains, and even off-road to access our mountain home. Installation was straight forward and the ability to install the controller in virtually any position is an added bonus. I was able to install the dash knob in a blank panel giving the Tacoma a factory appearance, and controller located under drivers seat. I installed this unit on a non tow package Tacoma, so wiring was a bit intimidating at first. But using etrailer’s web site as a reference had everything operational in a couple afternoons. Great product so far and we look for years of use. Highly recommend.
Great controller and helpful service! Take your time installing the control switch in a convenient place. It's small but works well. I love the easy use of manually applying the trailer brakes by pushing the switch. Mounting the control module in a solid place is required. I bolted it to a dash brace and it works well.
The controller looks and works great. The colors are very easy to see what the controller is doing. No led colors are displayed when there is not a trailer plug in, so it almost disappears on the dash.
Reason I only gave 4 stars out of 5, like others said, the universal harness should have come with it like it does with the Elite. My truck is older so I needed the universal harness. You should only have to buy one if it is a direct plug and play for newer trucks.
Installed this in my 4runner that I use to haul several thousand pounds of metal boxes on an aluminum heavy variant tilt deck trailer. Install was fast and easy, the main unit is small and is easily tucked up under the dash. I drilled one small hole and placed the small lighted selector (small blue light) on the key side of the steering wheel area (see pics) and looks like it came factory from the truck. Its sasy to adjust and robust enough that it wont move settings on its own, even in rough off road conditions that a 2WD vehicle cant go. Ive had other controllers in the past but am super happy that I had lucked out and found this proportional one from Redrac with the dash knob.
This review includes the following items: Item #RED69FR - Wiring Harness, 30A Breaker kit and Item # ETBC7 Installation Kit for Trailer Brake Controller - 7-Way RV and 4-Way Flat and Item #RED24FR Controller. I wanted to be sure I had everything. A local place Custom Coach on Pulaski Hwy, Baltimore did a fantastic job on the install, Sorry I can't remember the techs name. I have a 2018 Kia Sorento SX V6, AWD with 4 pin Tow Pkg. car rated for 5k/500# load. Trailer is a 2022 Palomino Real Lite RL-186. I've logged 2 trips so far 1 to NYS mostly highway and to Cass, West Virginia area. The controller adapted quickly, I went to a '5' to a '4' setting even in the mountains it was smooth no jerking. The one picture shows installation ubder the dash totally out of the way. It works great!
Very clean option for a proportional trailer brake controller. Nothing to knock your knees on and easy to access for extra braking as I mounted it in the dash of my E350.
Just installed the system and can’t wait to try it out! The most difficult part was determining where I wanted the control knob and dealing with the OEM dash component getting in the way of where I wanted it. I appreciate the sophistication and simplicity of the system.
After 9 camping trips with my trailer, the brake system is working well.
The installation is super simple with its multi-directional mounting system. Great!
Install was quick and easy. The only thing that gave me grief was that darn "Trailer Brake Warning Fault" message that kept displaying on my message information display on dash. After troubleshooting for several days and calling etrailer for assistance with no solution, I tried calling Redarc with the included state-side tech support. The number puts you in touch with an Ausie down under so you have to adjust your call with thier time zone. Turns out, and VERY IMPORTANT,if you are replacing an OEM Trailer Brake Controller already installed in truck. The TBC Controller Brake Module has to be deactivated to make the fault go away. Truck still think it has a TBC and is looking for it. I used Forscan software to deactivated it through the OBDII port.
I love the features of the RedArc Tow Pro Liberty and its ease of use..
I bought this controller a year ago, and after going camping six times with my trailer last year, it started to malfunction. I did around 800 miles with it. It looses connectivity, lights go on and off even when I am not pressing on the brake pedal. I replaced it with some other brand from a different vendor than etrailer. Definitely not safe to use. Stay away from it. Harness that came with it is of poor quality. Two cables were lose, not fully inserted into the clip. It was installed by a pro mechanic who warned me about the poor quality of this product in general. etrailer customer service rep did not agree with me on those issues so I was stuck with this for a while. I was not able to return it and started using it.
Great product, shipped fast and I could not be happier with the "from the factory" appearance of the installation. I painted the embossed letters in the switch mounting plate so it would match the other switches. The brake controller works well and it really looks great.
Relatively easy install. I think it would be good if you would update the kit to include a 1 amp diode and instructions to install it. This is to prevent backfeed of electric current from brake controller which causes error issues on the 2018 Toyota Highlander.
Installation went just like the video. I needed a break controller on my 4Runner, but didn't like the look or placement of a "stranded" break controller. Redarc Tow-Pro fit and look, or lack of look that I was Looking for. On my 4Runner I did move the factory switch placements around so the searing wheel didn't block my view of the break controler.
I haven't had the opportunity to install this brake controller yet, but so far I like what I see. Especially the small profile of the controller and the dash knob. I bought this to tow a 17' Casita travel trailer. I am just waiting on the 7-pin tow harness from Hyundai before I can put it all together. The instructions indicate that all of the connections are plug and play, so I anticipate a pretty straightforward install.
After much research I opted for this Redarc brake controller, the ability to tuck away the main box for cleaner appearance and incorporate the contoller switch to a factory lnstall look. The longest process of install was simply deciding where best to mount box and control switch to personal liking.
After a couple short trips to allow the unit to calibrate per our trailer, we were on the road for the season of camping. A year later and hooking up for a first outing, we notice the unit does a quick recalibration, wasn’t expected, so for this reason only I give four star. Aside from that it works beautifully and responsively to braking controls to our RV unit.
The instructions say that this brake controller REQUIRES being mounted with the Redarc mounting bracket which is SOLD SEPERATELY. I don’t know why you would sell the mandatory mounting bracket separately… I had to order it and wait another 2 weeks before installing. Very frustrating.
I love this brake controller. I put it in my brand new 2023 Silverado 1500. It looks factory the way I installed it. No big bulky controller hanging under the dash. Would highly recommend.
Simple to install. Worked smoothly and is as aggressive as you need. No more knee banger. Unit installed easily out of sight. Control is easy to access on the dash. The Adapter for the blank switch cover is a must for a clean installation on the Toyota Highlander.
Works great and is out of the way. Just find a place under the dash that is secure and bolt or plastic wire tie it in. I had to buy the universal wiring harness also so I could wire it to my 7 pole. You would think it would come with one but I’m guessing there are many types of wiring for each vehicle manufacturer.
We just completed a 1200 mile journey with the Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty Brake controller in a 23 Explorer pulling a 5000 lb Travel Trailer. No Interstate roads on this trip, from Florida to northern Ohio through the mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky on secondary roads. The Redarc performed flawlessly.
It worked really well and was able to fit it in the 2016 gmc sierra dash so it looks factory. The controller works great and always check it before we head out on a camping trip. Being able to adjust it on the fly has saved our bacon a few times going through the mountains when we needed some extra braking power.
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