Brake Controllers & LR4

Forty Deuce · Aug 12, 2020

So I bought a travel trailer for the family and I. As I told the wife, it’s nothing but an expense but we’re buying memories while the kids are still small and we only get 18 summers. I wished to share my experience buying a brake controller.

I tried a Bluetooth/wireless brake controller but wasn’t happy with it. I set my mind in the Tekonsha P3 Electric Brake Control. A lot of websites seemed to cut off at 2013 for brake controller wiring harnesses for Land Rover products. Selecting the right wiring harness became a challenge. The dealership was clueless and didn’t even have a suggestion. My Indy shop was confident a Ford harness would work fine. One industry leader in Land Rover parts told me there were no options for the LR4 after 2013 and nobody made one for my 2016 LR4. This was discouraging but also hard to accept. Eventually I located an LR4 owner who towed who informed me the Tekonsha P3 with the Ford wiring harness would mate cleanly with the LR4 electrical system. It did so flawlessly and I’ve been pleased with the set up.

I only post this so that if any of you find yourself going down the same road you can cut right to the end and just order a Ford wiring harness for your Tekonsha P3 and get to the fun stuff.

djkaosone · Aug 12, 2020

Yes, I heard from other sources that the Tekonsha P3 with the Ford wiring harness plug n play, specifically Tekonsha wiring harness 3035-P.

DonC · Aug 12, 2020

The Tekonsha P3 is truly plug and play with the ford adapter. I have been running it now for 3 years and zero issues. It takes longer to mount the controller then it does to install the wiring harness.

ktm525 · Aug 12, 2020

Forty Deuce said:
So I bought a travel trailer for the family and I. As I told the wife, it’s nothing but an expense but we’re buying memories while the kids are still small and we only get 18 summers. I wished to share my experience buying a brake controller.

I tried a Bluetooth/wireless brake controller but wasn’t happy with it. I set my mind in the Tekonsha P3 Electric Brake Control. A lot of websites seemed to cut off at 2013 for brake controller wiring harnesses for Land Rover products. Selecting the right wiring harness became a challenge. The dealership was clueless and didn’t even have a suggestion. My Indy shop was confident a Ford harness would work fine. One industry leader in Land Rover parts told me there were no options for the LR4 after 2013 and nobody made one for my 2016 LR4. This was discouraging but also hard to accept. Eventually I located an LR4 owner who towed who informed me the Tekonsha P3 with the Ford wiring harness would mate cleanly with the LR4 electrical system. It did so flawlessly and I’ve been pleased with the set up.

I only post this so that if any of you find yourself going down the same road you can cut right to the end and just order a Ford wiring harness for your Tekonsha P3 and get to the fun stuff.
View attachment 11435

Looking good. BTW it is isn't 18 years. By the time the spawn get 14-15 they really have no intrest so if they are already 3-4 then you have 10 years not 18. Have fun!

cperez · Aug 12, 2020

Forty Deuce said:
I tried a Bluetooth/wireless brake controller but wasn’t happy with it.

What were your main gripes with BT/wireless controllers? I may be towing an Airstream Basecamp at some point and will be revisiting this thread. I have heard consistently good things about the Tekonsha but wireless has obvious benefits if it's reliable.

ktm525 · Aug 12, 2020

ktm525 said:
Looking good. BTW it is isn't 18 years. By the time the spawn get 14-15 they really have no interest so if they are already 3-4 then you have 10 years not 18. Have fun!

avslash · Aug 12, 2020

ktm525 said:
Looking good. BTW it is isn't 18 years. By the time the spawn get 14-15 they really have no intrest so if they are already 3-4 then you have 10 years not 18. Have fun!

That is when you have to get creative.

Bring their friends along or just flat out coerce them.

"Oh, you want a car? Great, you'll be skiing with your old man at Christmas, right?". "Tuition is due? About time to chase some striped bass..."

mpinco · Aug 12, 2020

Nice Lance! Enjoy ......

Forty Deuce · Aug 12, 2020

cperez said:
What were your main gripes with BT/wireless controllers? I may be towing an Airstream Basecamp at some point and will be revisiting this thread. I have heard consistently good things about the Tekonsha but wireless has obvious benefits if it's reliable.

So, the issue I had was when other phone functions, s texts, calls, or other apps conflicted with the access to the brake controller app. If you had a dedicated phone it may not be as annoying but my iPhone serves a few functions and it became a matter of competing “screen time”. Also, the wiring plug seemed uncomfortably unstable. The wiring harness plugged into the tube shaped receiver which in turn plugged into the 7-pin. It just seemed like it wasn’t as solid as I liked and certainly not as much as the towing wiring plugging straight into the 7-pin direct.

Robert Kinsler · Nov 16, 2020

I just snagged the controller from British Atlantic along with the trailer wire harness and an ox hitch.

Love the lance! I want to do the 2185 but thr hitch weight really is too high and its out of my budget. Still hunting! Curious, did you buy new?

My little ones are 3,5,6

Brake Controllers & LR4

Forty Deuce

Well-Known Member

djkaosone

'11 LR4 HSE LUX 5.0L V8

DonC

Full Access Member

ktm525

Full Access Member

cperez

Full Access Member

ktm525

Full Access Member

avslash

Full Access Member

mpinco

Full Access Member

Forty Deuce

Well-Known Member

Robert Kinsler

Active Member

Similar threads

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Share this page