Oddly my 2023 Lightning XLT has the "max tow" package but does not have a brake controller. I looked at adding one from Ford but it would be several hundred dollars and I just didn't want to mess with it.
Somehow I became aware that Curt offers a "bluetooth" brake controller. I became curious and started reading. Then I noticed one on FBMP for a very good price.
I contacted the seller and we turned out to know some of the same folks. His included everything that came with it new, and he had recently traded his small truck in for a HD version that has a controller in it.
I cannot say enough about how easy this thing is to use or how well it works! You add the app to your phone, pair it via Bluetooth, and you're ready to roll! The unit itself plugs into your 7 pin outlet on your truck, and the trailer harness plugs into the Echo. In my particular case, once my truck goes into "tow" mode (it senses the wiring hookup) the controller reads the brake pressure from the truck automatically.
For those who wonder (as I did), "what happens if the Bluetooth connection fails?", the unit is programmed to operate under the last settings you input. Since it's powered by the 7 pin receptacle on your truck it continues to operate as it was previously.
Through the app you can also manually apply the brakes in addition to setting up "automatic" sensitivity. I cannot say enough about how nicely this thing works.
If you don't want to bother with installing a brake controller on your tow rig or you use multiple vehicles to tow i view this thing as a game changer. I'll be posting a video about it's operation in the near future too. If you have any questions, fire away!
Interesting to see it in action. I have an 2004 VW Touareg and have towed some vehicles with it but would like to eventually have a trailer with brakes and a controller. And connecting pretty much anything to VW wiring is never much fun.
It has a 7 pin connection and rated to tow 7700 pounds. I think the max I've done was about 7000 total with a U-Haul car trailer with the surge brakes.
I had a Curt Echo. My issue with it wasn't the bluetooth connection, but long, unsupported "dongleness" of the device at the trailer connector on my car-- I couldn't get reliable connections on all the pins.
In reply to Karacticus :
My Lightning has a pretty large "swing down" cover upon which the Echo sits. It came with a strap to attach it too. I agree with you though, it is long.
In reply to Loweguy5 :
Yeah, the tow vehicle I was using put it sideways like one of these--
Replaced the strap it came with for one with velcro and a latch, and while it wasn't going to fall out, after a while, I couldn't get it to reliably make all of the contacts anymore. Replaced it with a Tekonsha Prodigy RF unit. That one is mounted a the trailer, so doesn't offer the flexibility of easily moving from trailer to trailer like the Echo, but it's not left me in a situation where I get the choice of either lights or brakes, but not both.
Dang, I just learned something new! This is a lot better than trying to add a controller to my Mercedes! Thanks for sharing this!
This is what I use. One controller, 3 vehicles.
In reply to HoserRacing :
I've been super busy but will throw a video on my YT channel in the next week or so. Keep an eye on here for a link.
Wireless controllers are great! I have used a Tekonsha Prodigy RF for years now - it's a great way to tow with multiple vehicles and not install a controller in each of them, or not mess with wiring otherwise.
My two concerns with these Bluetooth-based controllers are their size, as someone else mentioned, and the lack of easy emergency control. The Prodigy RF has its own remote that is powered by a 12V socket and has a button that goes full-trailer-brakes if needed.
That said, if you can install a factory TBC (like on the F-150) it is generally worth the extra cost to have vs one of these inline solutions. It'll work with any OEM stability control and they tend to be a bit smoother on brake application. Buttttt if you don't want to deal wtih it all, the wireless options are reliable and super simple.
I used the Tekonsha Prodigy, which is identical to the Echo except you use a 12v handheld controller instead of an app, but it was flawless. Itworked so well, it almost makes me wonder why it isn't the standard instead of a fringe use item.
Asking a potentially dumb question. If you have a brake controller (wired, wireless, factory, etc), how does it function? When I step on the brakes, does it tell the trailer to apply the brakes on the trailer - and at a similar pressure? My car trailer (dual axle) doesn't have brakes but I've been contemplating adding them. I haven't to date because my tow vehicle (older X5) doesn't have a brake controller. Now that I know I could get a wireless version, I'm more interested.
And, if I add brakes, are they drum? Do they go on both axles? Or just one? If just one, front or rear axle on the trailer? Once I add brakes, do I wire them to the trailer so that they are part of the wiring plug that goes into the X5?
A typical braking setup relies on a voltage signal of your vehicles braking system, I think it's either 0-5 or 0-12v... the voltage is then sent to the trailer's electric (and usually drum) brakes in a linear fashion, 0= no brakes, and 5(12?)= full lockup. The harder you push the pedal, the higher the signal value.
Wireless brakes work much the same way, except they use a control box that sends the voltage signal to the trailer based on the tow vehicle's deceleration rate and a lot of fancy computer algorithms... So your trailer doesn't know the difference between signals.
The above is obviously simplified, but you get the picture.
Regarding brakes on a trailer, I'm not intelligent enough to speak on that, so I'll defer that one to the masses.
I have run one of these controllers for 3 years and across a few different trucks. I have been super happy with it. I do have a problem now and I have to call Lipert customer services and try to sort it out I can't connect to it with Bluetooth anymore. It is working but I can't adjust the settings.
I will try to update this post with how that turns out.
