How to Determine What Style Brakes a Trailer Has

Question:

I have an Anderson weight distribution hitch and will be getting a 2021 Tacoma with a towing package. Anderson says that their hitch does not work with surge brakes. Toyota wants to install a Curt Spectrum model proportional brake controller. Is this the same as a surge brake controller and if so sounds like it won’t work, is that correct? What type of brake controller should I be looking for to use with the Anderson weight distribution hitch? In other words what are the brake controller‘s that are not surge controllers called? Thanks for any help you can provide

asked by: Jeff R

Expert Reply:

Surge brakes actually has to do with the trailer, not the brake controller. If you take a look at the Demco Surge Actuator # DM72VR, the coupler will push back into the body of the actuator which then pushes a piston that compresses brake fluid and engages the brakes. There are quite a few weight distribution systems that do not allow use with this style of braking system and is a pretty common issue.

The Curt Spectrum # C51170 is a pretty well liked controller that will work with electric brakes as well as electric over hydraulic brakes. Electric brakes are just that. They will have a 7 Way plug on the trailer and the wiring will run back to the brakes. Electric over hydraulic is a little different, but will also have a 7 Way plug on the trailer. The big difference is that this plug will run to a box that has a hydraulic pump that will then engage the brakes. Weight distribution systems will have absolutely no issue working with these types of systems.

The Curt Spectrum # C51170 is also a "Proportional" brake controller. I think this may be where the confusion started. A lot of people have a lot of different terms for everything, which makes things very confusing sometimes. A proportional brake controller uses an accelerometer to sense how much the vehicle is decelerating and converts that information into how hard to apply the brakes on the trailer. Though I would definitely check your trailer to double check which style of braking you have, you were most likely told that the proportional brake controller was called a surge controller.

I hope that cleared everything up for you. But if it did not, or if you still have questions, let me know and I can try something else.

expert reply by: Lazer S