Electric Trailer Brake Controller Recommendation for a 1999 Jeep Wrangler

Question:

I have purchased a Scamp travel trailer from out of town. I will have to pick it up in a few days, and will need to prep my 99 Jeep wrangler for the tow home. I will have to pass highway patrol checkpoints to get the trailer home, so wont be able to make the one trip without a controller. I dont know if the Jeep will remain my tow vehicle of choice, but will be used at least to get the trailer home, and maybe a few trips if it tows ok. I saw the RF unit, and wondered if the added expense would justify any savings on the install, and be used on any vehicle I should use in the future. Alternatively, I could just use a Prodigy hard wired into the Jeep and remove it if I changed vehicles. Does the RF unit basically use just Power and ground from the tow vehicle, and just pass thru the light wiring through the 7 way plug? Thanks,

asked by: Russ

Expert Reply:

Regarding the way the Prodigy RF, # TK94FR, is powered, you are partially correct. It does receive power from the 12 volt circuit on the vehicle 7-Way, however, all of the other lights do pass through it so a functioning 7-Way is a must on the towing vehicle.

What I recommend is to install a regular brake controller that can be switch among vehicles like you have mentioned. This method will definitely save you some money.

Different vehicles are equipped with different wiring situations. The Jeep will have to be hardwired using a 4-Way (if needed) # 118409, and a 4 and 7 Way installation kit, # ETBC7. If the Jeep has a 7-Way already, you would need to route wire from the brake controller blue wire back to the 7-Way and replace the wire in the brake output position with the wire you ran and then follow the FAQ and video for ETBC7 for the rest of the installation I have provided.

Each vehicle is wired differently so depending on what other vehicles you may use the controller in there could be a simpler installation or it could be a hardwire again. For a brake controller, I recommend the Tekonsha P2, # 90885. It is one of our most popular controllers because it is easy to set up and use. I have included a link to the installation details for the brake controller for you.