Recommended Wiring, Brake Controller, and WDH for 2016 Kia Sorento Towing 2022 Coleman Lantern 17B

Question:

Tow vehicle 2016 Kia Sorento AWD V6 has a 500lb hitch max and 5000lb tow capacity. Trailer were hauling 2022 Coleman Lantern 17B is around 415 at the hitch loaded and 4000 lbs. Travel trailer OAL is ~21 from hitch to bumper, 8 wide and 9 high. Need help picking a hitch plus sway bar, brake controller, and tire pressure monitoring. For the hitch.... Chains vs. brackets for the arms? What riser and what should the height be? Brake controller.... bluetooth or wired? Tire pressure monitoring for the trailer wheels single axle... are they all the same just valve stem caps and a unit that goes near the driver? Electrical....already have a 4 pin for my trailers but I need a 7 pin. I think Ill need to install a whole new line from the male end to the battery. But the dealer said I can just buy an adapter. Have never done this before and would really appreciate any help for my specific setup. Thanks

asked by: Steve C

Expert Reply:

Lets start with what you need to add to your 2016 Kia Sorento. I have two options for adding a 7-way to your vehicle. If you want a plug and play installation, we have the Tekonsha OEM Replacement Vehicle Wiring Harness # TK24FR. This would replace your existing 4-way.

The other option is to use the # ETBC7. This comes with an adapter, the additional wiring that runs from the battery like you mentioned and everything else you need to upgrade from a 4-way to a 7-way. The adapter that comes with this kit would also allow you to still use a 4-way along with the 7-way.

For a brake controller, I recommend adding a wired brake controller over Bluetooth. The big advantage with Bluetooth is that it allows you to easily move the controller between vehicles. This also tends to come with a higher price tag. Assuming you're only towing with your Sorento, I would choose the Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty Brake Controller # RED52VR.

The main unit for the brake controller mounts in an out of sight location so only the control knob is visible. The knob controls the braking power and also acts as the manual override. This is a high quality proportional controller that gives you a factory look without taking up space in your vehicle.

Moving to the trailer side, I would choose L-brackets over chains. The L-brackets are going to give you superior sway control over a chain and bracket system. For a great system that will work well with your tongue weight I recommend the Fastway e2 Weight Distribution w/ 2-Point Sway Control # FA92-00-0600.

This system has a tongue weight range of 250-600 lbs which puts you right in the middle with your 415 lb tongue weight. You will need # EQ91-00-6080 for a 2" ball or # EQ91-00-6100 for a 2-5/16" ball. The # ALL643216 will also be needed for installation. This has a maximum rise of 6" and drop of 1". You will need to measure to see if a different shank would be required, see the article below for how to measure for rise/drop. More than likely this will work for your Sorento as is.

For TPMS sensors you are looking at valve stem caps. We have a system with a monitor if that is what you prefer, or Bluetooth that sends it to an app on your phone. The TireMinder # TPMS-TRL-2 comes with an LCD monitor that has a solar panel and also charges via the 12V accessory outlet on your vehicle.

The # NCTP1002 uses the In-Command app on your phone to relay the information. If you don't mind the additional monitor I would choose the TireMinder. That is one less thing on your phone and you don't have to worry about the Bluetooth pairing.