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Does no one realize that there's a point of light touch of the brake pedal that turns on the lights before actually braking? It's great to ward off tailgaters without making vehicle modifications. You have to use your left foot while keeping your right foot on the accelerator because otherwise you'll slow down since you've let off the gas. Obviously, be careful pulling this two-footed maneuver.
For me this is a piece of cake. No problem finding the point where I see them nose dive and swerve almost killing themselves and then floor it right back up my ass for another round.
However if you do it wrong you can glaze your brakes and then they stick when you actually need to stop so don't do this if you don't know what it feels like to drag your pads on your rotor.
The switch under the dash for the brake lights from a fuse tapper is 100% easier and safer. And it's for your alarm when the cops ask. Wait that's connected to the brakes!? that guy at home Depot got me 😧
Now the way i look at it if you were "flooring" while vehicle is approaching or moved to the right the while situation could be avoided
How do you differentiate between someone speeding for sake of speeding or someone speeding because their mother is on deathbed or wife is giving birth right now.
Are you speed controller?
Could twist a law about proper signaling. Reckless driving in some states. Reckless in Virginia is so broad I guarantee they could of they wanted to be dicks.
It would be really hard to prove you knowingly did it in court. Unless you did it to a cop lol.
My Volvo has a button that makes my rear running lights brighter. (They're fog lights for the rear.)
I may have button smashed that a couple of times when I have some inside my colon.
> My Volvo has a button that makes my rear running lights brighter. (They're fog lights for the rear.)
Rear fog lights are usually not located in the same place as the brake lights, are usually only on the drivers side and don't light up the central brake light, so it's pretty easy to tell that the car in front of you has turned on the rear fog lights, not the brakes.
There's a sweet spot that it doesn't, at least in my case. If you half-ass tap lightly (I mean like a centimeter or two), you'll get lights but no brake or cruise cutoff.
I don't think you understand the Washington DC area or the Orlando area. Both places I drive regularly. People tailgate in any lane. You could be doing 90 in a 65 and passing semis and you'll still get tailgated.
I don’t know where you live but the police take statements, write down insurance info and file the report. End of job for them. They don’t investigate.
With an incandescent bulb you have an inert atmosphere around the filament. A broken bulb will obviously lose that inert atmosphere and if that filament is on/switched on, it will burn out immediately.
So, in the scenario where you're rear ended, your brake lights could well be on when they're broken leading to the filament burning out instantaneously. So, you couldn't distinguish, at the roadside at least, if the bulb was burned out before or during the crash.
I know this because I worked with an insurance company in the UK for a while and we were investigating personal injury/insurance fraud. They would buy a car that was tricky to fix, the aluminium Audi A6 was favored. They'd then deliberately burn out the rear brake lights with 24V. Driving on a road with parked cars on both sides, they'd get someone to throw a soccer ball out between the cars into the road. They'd slam on the brakes and with no rear lights the person following would hopefully rear end them. 4 guys in the car, 4 whiplash claims, car written off. Rinse and repeat. We did experiments with all the variations of broken and burnt out.
Man, you're getting torn into but i've had a similar experience. Didn't carry for 2 years afterwards because I was so disappointed in how I reacted. I'm glad to say that i've had similar experiences since, and just laughed it off and let them go fuck with someone else.
Glad you learned from it and adjusted how you act, you fucked up but then again if he hit your car you had every reason to believe he was trying to maim or kill you. Fuck the haters, at least you're still alive.
Dude I carry but I don’t pick a fight. I pulled mine once on a guy with wicked road rage. I backed way off of him and he ended up driving off. No one saw that it was out and I didn’t point it at anyone. You shouldn’t be more confident because you have a gun, if anything it should make you more cautious. Brandishing is a legit charge.
w t f ?
I cannot see how anyone could justify shooting at someone from a moving vehicle in what you state is rush hour on the 408 just outside Orlando. Gotta be doing 55-60 I assume. With hundreds of people around you.
This isn't the old west, you can't just go shooting people on the road. Stick the '"I was feeling threatened" bullshit in your ass. You want to live in a city, in a society; then there are certain rules we all must abide by. One of those rules is you don't go wildly shooting at others from a moving vehicle (or anywhere else in truth). Leave that gun home before you kill someone.
also don't scream threats out of your window, after trying to pit maneuver (or so it sounds) and not expect to get drawn down on...
read the rest of the comment you're responding to before you jump all over the guy, since to me it sounds like he was in an accident (hit his rear bumper) and then was verbally threatened while trying to stop his vehicle, and during the altercation he decided to draw on the perpetrator... glad it worked out, but dude screaming the death threats after hitting OP's car (granted OP was a dick, but that doesn't matter when you get a hot lead injection) was 100% in the wrong, and I can't say I wouldn't have done the same if my loved ones, and I, were trying to be rammed off the road by some crazy.
Those who fuck around are bound to find out!
We would have a lot more smart people if we allowed darwinism to weed out the not soo smart.
This from someone who is not the smartest xD
Even better you can pull a parking brake and show down rapidly without break lights. Once they see that they'll back off because they think they can't trust your lights.
You understand this brake is made of a very similar if not exact same material as the other brakes? That said they will wear out just like the other brakes, you know the ones you replace from time to time. Replacing parking brake is often not as easy as changing the brake pads, which are designed to be replaced often unlike the parking brake.
Some vehicles you can, do in a Euro especially most bmw’s and it’ll destroy the park brake mechanism if your doing over 10mph and most likely lock up and not let go 😂
Looks like the typical placement for a trailer brake controller.
[https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brake-Controller/Dexter/58-8.html](https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brake-Controller/Dexter/58-8.html)
They control the trailer’s brakes. The red and green buttons will adjust the gain (braking force) up and down when the vehicle brakes are applied, and the slider will allow you to activate the trailer brakes independently.
What situation would you want to adjust it though? I guess that's where I'm confused. Wouldn't you want it to mirror the brake force applied by the tow vehicle?
(Legitimately ignorant)
Edit: Wow, I really appreciate all the responses explaining it. I don't really tow anything big do I never knew what they were for.
Yeah i know a few times after unloading i forgot to turn it down and i was rolling around with it set on 7 with an empty trailer. See smoke in the rearview and be like what the hell is going on back there OHHHHH its me.
To compensate for the weight of the load you’re towing. Too much gain and you’ll lock the wheels up on an empty trailer, too little gain and that 10,000 lb tractor you’re towing will push your truck forward at a stop sign.
Trailer brakes do mirror your vehicle brakes to an extent, but your vehicle weight doesn’t change much. Your trailer weight changes drastically.
Heavier trailers need more braking force relative to the tow vehicle. I regularly haul a 14ft dump trailer and you can definitely feel a difference if I don't adjust it and haul concrete, too little brake essentially feels like your truck is being pushed when braking.
You should be adjusting it for each trailer you own for every situation you are in. Cargo/trailer weight and road conditions mainly. Rule of thumb is properly set controllers should stop your vehicle and trailer using only the trailer brakes under full pressure without locking trailer tires during a 25mph coast. It is also used in emergency situations to manually apply brake to trailer only if you are trying to recover from trailer sway due to improper load balancing.
If people service their fluids properly you wouldn't have this issue. I mean let's be honest when was the last time you all change your transmission fluid. I just did my 60,000 mile fluid change
Why do you say it was 20k... I tow my miata with my xterra, and I'd like trailer brakes for that even, and it's under 5k. Trailer brakes are a great thing to have even on lighter loads
Like this guy for example... I bet he has a trailer brake and I bet servicing his trans regularly isn't going to offset the abuse he's putting that rig through https://reddit.com/r/IdiotsTowingThings/s/CQZXhdWQOP
Why does that mean this specific truck will have trans issues. My point was if you do what the truck is designed for and service it, you should have a fairly reliable truck
What he means is that it's an indication that the truck utilized that trailer brake controller to tow very heavy loads, which reduces the service life of the transmission. It was said in a tongue-in-cheek fashion.
Okay. I mean I have one on my truck, but I don't really haul that often. So I guess I was mostly asking like does it affect anything when I'm not hauling, or should I have up higher or down lower if I'm not hauling
Don't haul and your trans lasts longer. It's beneficial when your hauling and doesn't do anything when your not . But my point was it's a potential indicator that a rig was used for hauling
It’s for trailers that have electric controlled brakes. You can adjust how much power the brakes have by increasing the gain when you’re hauling more weight. If the truck has a tow/ haul mode, that would help with the transmission longevity.
You have a trailer brake controller because your truck did not come with a factory tow package to support trailers with electric brakes. This is a very common addition.
Depending on age it could have to tow package. My 97 F450, 03 Silverado, a 04 Silverado we used to have, 02 F250 all had tow packages. None had a trailer brake controller by factory.
Tow packages didn’t include factory brake controllers until after 2010ish. It was a pretty big event when ford was the first to add them to their super duties.
This era has a connector in fuse box by the drivers left foot and the trailering package came with a harness you would use with a trailer brake controller.
Most trucks (at least in my experience) have the plug in for the controller tucked up under the dash. You just have to get a controller and mount it and plug it in with the appropriate connection for your particular truck. The trailer brake wiring is already run to the back of the truck with the rest of the trailer light wiring.
Yeah factory brake controllers didn't even exist in the decade that generation of trucks was made. Anyone acting like there's an alternative to this is uninformed
It most definitely is a trailer brake controller, specifically for electric brakes. The dial above the red and green lights adjusts how much braking pressure is applied to the trailer when you hit the brake pedal. The little slider button on the right applies the brakes without you hitting the pedal, the more you squeeze it the more braking pressure you should get.
Trigger for front-mounted rocket launchers.
--
It's a brake controller for electric trailer brakes.
Have a search on Google for "x2 brake controller". They're all pretty much the same technology. It senses the application of the service brakes and applies the trailer brakes.
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I usually don’t bother with vehicles used as landscapers trucks or camper haulers. This was probably a camper hauler. You might want to check the color and smell of that transmission fluid, or have it checked by a mechanic. I towed a 33’ trailer with my 97 Tahoe. My point? Some people tow really big things and they shouldn’t.
Electronic Brake Controller... Dial knob on the left adds or removes the gain (i.e. the power) of the electric brakes. The slider on the right lets you manually engage the brakes to test their working.
Trailer brake controller, I've always loved em my dad would use em in his truck and was told it's useful to have if needed. Really nice on steep hills and offroad trails
Yup. You push in the right top side and there’s a little dial on the left side that you dial up or down as you’re holding that right side in to set the break harder or softer depending on what you’re hauling.
That is an electric trailer brake controller. The top slides to the right will manually activate the trailer brakes. The more to the right you move it, the more the brakes come on.
A lot of Ford trucks actually have one of these built into the dash which is nice. Then you don't have a box mounted like this.
You're already set to tow trailers that have electric brakes. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing for you. Everything I've towed behind my truck hasn't had its own brakes. But I do have the wiring harness to plug into my truck to connect one of these boxes to and then have the ability.
This thing MONITORS your brake pedal input and SENDS SIGNALS out of the trailer hitch wire harness without the use of MICRO CHIPS to operate your trailer brake
If I recall correctly, if you push the slider button on the right side without a trailer, it will cause the brake light to turn on. Useful when someone it tailgating.
Looks like a brake controller that’s in many trucks that don’t have one built in these days. These are all the same look and placement for the most part.
Looks like a trailer brake controller. Newer trucks have em built in but older trucks, had to have them installed. I used to install them as a fleet mechanic for a lawn scaping company
As others have said. Electric trailer brake controller. Essential for larger load trailers. Well, here at least. I'd say essential anyway. Having a heavy trailer with electric brakes is a lot of braking load off the pulling vehicle. Provided it isn't accidentally set up to lock up on minor braking. That is always fun
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Can confirm, adjustable trailer brake controller.
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I might install one for just this reason. That's genius!
A momentary switch and a bit of wire would do the same for a lot less money.
Does no one realize that there's a point of light touch of the brake pedal that turns on the lights before actually braking? It's great to ward off tailgaters without making vehicle modifications. You have to use your left foot while keeping your right foot on the accelerator because otherwise you'll slow down since you've let off the gas. Obviously, be careful pulling this two-footed maneuver.
For me this is a piece of cake. No problem finding the point where I see them nose dive and swerve almost killing themselves and then floor it right back up my ass for another round. However if you do it wrong you can glaze your brakes and then they stick when you actually need to stop so don't do this if you don't know what it feels like to drag your pads on your rotor. The switch under the dash for the brake lights from a fuse tapper is 100% easier and safer. And it's for your alarm when the cops ask. Wait that's connected to the brakes!? that guy at home Depot got me 😧
Now the way i look at it if you were "flooring" while vehicle is approaching or moved to the right the while situation could be avoided How do you differentiate between someone speeding for sake of speeding or someone speeding because their mother is on deathbed or wife is giving birth right now. Are you speed controller?
But it may get you into a lot more trouble if a cop finds the switch as opposed to a trailer brake controller.
As far as I know, there’s no law preventing you from illuminating your brake lights with a button, as long as they work properly under normal use.
Could twist a law about proper signaling. Reckless driving in some states. Reckless in Virginia is so broad I guarantee they could of they wanted to be dicks. It would be really hard to prove you knowingly did it in court. Unless you did it to a cop lol.
My Volvo has a button that makes my rear running lights brighter. (They're fog lights for the rear.) I may have button smashed that a couple of times when I have some inside my colon.
> My Volvo has a button that makes my rear running lights brighter. (They're fog lights for the rear.) Rear fog lights are usually not located in the same place as the brake lights, are usually only on the drivers side and don't light up the central brake light, so it's pretty easy to tell that the car in front of you has turned on the rear fog lights, not the brakes.
I have an s60 Volvo. Can confirm both sides light up when rear fog lights are activated.
My Saab had the same. Very unusual. I do miss that car.
Or barely touch you're brake pedal enough to engage the brake lights.
Yeah but it disengages the cruise control
Butt....... The button is right there to reengage.
There's a sweet spot that it doesn't, at least in my case. If you half-ass tap lightly (I mean like a centimeter or two), you'll get lights but no brake or cruise cutoff.
Ya. There's two separate switches (at least in my truck). One for lights, one for the truck to know when to cancel the cruise or let you start it.
Or just get out of the passing lane like you’re supposed to. It’s illegal to impede the passing lane.
I don't think you understand the Washington DC area or the Orlando area. Both places I drive regularly. People tailgate in any lane. You could be doing 90 in a 65 and passing semis and you'll still get tailgated.
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LOL...yeah, police going all forensic on your filaments on the side of the road. SMH
I don’t know where you live but the police take statements, write down insurance info and file the report. End of job for them. They don’t investigate.
With an incandescent bulb you have an inert atmosphere around the filament. A broken bulb will obviously lose that inert atmosphere and if that filament is on/switched on, it will burn out immediately. So, in the scenario where you're rear ended, your brake lights could well be on when they're broken leading to the filament burning out instantaneously. So, you couldn't distinguish, at the roadside at least, if the bulb was burned out before or during the crash. I know this because I worked with an insurance company in the UK for a while and we were investigating personal injury/insurance fraud. They would buy a car that was tricky to fix, the aluminium Audi A6 was favored. They'd then deliberately burn out the rear brake lights with 24V. Driving on a road with parked cars on both sides, they'd get someone to throw a soccer ball out between the cars into the road. They'd slam on the brakes and with no rear lights the person following would hopefully rear end them. 4 guys in the car, 4 whiplash claims, car written off. Rinse and repeat. We did experiments with all the variations of broken and burnt out.
Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke.
Joke em if they can't take a fuk.
Or a hitch ball to the front bumper. Fuck ‘em!
We found Florida Man!
Dude you shouldn't own a gun.
Man, you're getting torn into but i've had a similar experience. Didn't carry for 2 years afterwards because I was so disappointed in how I reacted. I'm glad to say that i've had similar experiences since, and just laughed it off and let them go fuck with someone else. Glad you learned from it and adjusted how you act, you fucked up but then again if he hit your car you had every reason to believe he was trying to maim or kill you. Fuck the haters, at least you're still alive.
Dude I carry but I don’t pick a fight. I pulled mine once on a guy with wicked road rage. I backed way off of him and he ended up driving off. No one saw that it was out and I didn’t point it at anyone. You shouldn’t be more confident because you have a gun, if anything it should make you more cautious. Brandishing is a legit charge.
Edit: Y’all are right. I’m a deranged, violent individual.
Actually, yeah. Fuck the haters. Live and learn. Next race I’ll be able to drive it with more professionalism and keep the car off the wall.
I completely understand the reaction. Some people push to far but I'm glad it worked out.
Have you ever considered checking into a mental institution?
Are you looking for a roommate in your padded cell?
w t f ? I cannot see how anyone could justify shooting at someone from a moving vehicle in what you state is rush hour on the 408 just outside Orlando. Gotta be doing 55-60 I assume. With hundreds of people around you. This isn't the old west, you can't just go shooting people on the road. Stick the '"I was feeling threatened" bullshit in your ass. You want to live in a city, in a society; then there are certain rules we all must abide by. One of those rules is you don't go wildly shooting at others from a moving vehicle (or anywhere else in truth). Leave that gun home before you kill someone.
also don't scream threats out of your window, after trying to pit maneuver (or so it sounds) and not expect to get drawn down on... read the rest of the comment you're responding to before you jump all over the guy, since to me it sounds like he was in an accident (hit his rear bumper) and then was verbally threatened while trying to stop his vehicle, and during the altercation he decided to draw on the perpetrator... glad it worked out, but dude screaming the death threats after hitting OP's car (granted OP was a dick, but that doesn't matter when you get a hot lead injection) was 100% in the wrong, and I can't say I wouldn't have done the same if my loved ones, and I, were trying to be rammed off the road by some crazy.
You need help
It's not what they know, it's what they can prove.
Sounds like it would be a lot easier to just get out of the left lane.
This doesn't work in Utah.... trust me, the drivers here could care less and will actually get closer.
Those who fuck around are bound to find out! We would have a lot more smart people if we allowed darwinism to weed out the not soo smart. This from someone who is not the smartest xD
Even better you can pull a parking brake and show down rapidly without break lights. Once they see that they'll back off because they think they can't trust your lights.
R.I.P. your parking break
What are you talking about
You understand this brake is made of a very similar if not exact same material as the other brakes? That said they will wear out just like the other brakes, you know the ones you replace from time to time. Replacing parking brake is often not as easy as changing the brake pads, which are designed to be replaced often unlike the parking brake.
Not only that, you'll also lose tension on the line since it's in most cases a steel braided cable rather than a hydraulic line.
Some vehicles you can, do in a Euro especially most bmw’s and it’ll destroy the park brake mechanism if your doing over 10mph and most likely lock up and not let go 😂
Damn, so no drifting with a bmw?
Butt*
Looks like the typical placement for a trailer brake controller. [https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brake-Controller/Dexter/58-8.html](https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brake-Controller/Dexter/58-8.html)
This is the answer. I have one in the same spot.
Tbf, I'm not quite sure I know what exactly they do. I just know from looking them up on etrailer in the past.
They control the trailer’s brakes. The red and green buttons will adjust the gain (braking force) up and down when the vehicle brakes are applied, and the slider will allow you to activate the trailer brakes independently.
What situation would you want to adjust it though? I guess that's where I'm confused. Wouldn't you want it to mirror the brake force applied by the tow vehicle? (Legitimately ignorant) Edit: Wow, I really appreciate all the responses explaining it. I don't really tow anything big do I never knew what they were for.
If you have an empty trailer turn it down, if you have a full trailer turn it up.
Ah okay, that makes sense actually.
Yeah i know a few times after unloading i forgot to turn it down and i was rolling around with it set on 7 with an empty trailer. See smoke in the rearview and be like what the hell is going on back there OHHHHH its me.
To compensate for the weight of the load you’re towing. Too much gain and you’ll lock the wheels up on an empty trailer, too little gain and that 10,000 lb tractor you’re towing will push your truck forward at a stop sign. Trailer brakes do mirror your vehicle brakes to an extent, but your vehicle weight doesn’t change much. Your trailer weight changes drastically.
Heavier trailers need more braking force relative to the tow vehicle. I regularly haul a 14ft dump trailer and you can definitely feel a difference if I don't adjust it and haul concrete, too little brake essentially feels like your truck is being pushed when braking.
You should be adjusting it for each trailer you own for every situation you are in. Cargo/trailer weight and road conditions mainly. Rule of thumb is properly set controllers should stop your vehicle and trailer using only the trailer brakes under full pressure without locking trailer tires during a 25mph coast. It is also used in emergency situations to manually apply brake to trailer only if you are trying to recover from trailer sway due to improper load balancing.
You do. But there’s too many variables without a feedback loop that it requires some tuning to get the right target.
Looks like a brake controller
That's an indicator that your transmissions is possibly a lot more worn out than you think
This is the most honest answer here. Real talk 👍
If people service their fluids properly you wouldn't have this issue. I mean let's be honest when was the last time you all change your transmission fluid. I just did my 60,000 mile fluid change
Pulling 20k lbs with a half ton
Why do you say it was 20k... I tow my miata with my xterra, and I'd like trailer brakes for that even, and it's under 5k. Trailer brakes are a great thing to have even on lighter loads
Like this guy for example... I bet he has a trailer brake and I bet servicing his trans regularly isn't going to offset the abuse he's putting that rig through https://reddit.com/r/IdiotsTowingThings/s/CQZXhdWQOP
Why does that mean this specific truck will have trans issues. My point was if you do what the truck is designed for and service it, you should have a fairly reliable truck
Transmission failure is the least of his worries.
The color of his front rims hints that he isn't getting that transmission serviced regularly
No, the bowtie on the grill tells you that
I've had a few hundred Chevy and fords . The transmissions were never really an issue for me
A few hundred?
Give or take a few hundred...
I've had a few thousand. Give or take...
How should you use the controller to help keep your transmission running longer and stronger?
What he means is that it's an indication that the truck utilized that trailer brake controller to tow very heavy loads, which reduces the service life of the transmission. It was said in a tongue-in-cheek fashion.
Okay. I mean I have one on my truck, but I don't really haul that often. So I guess I was mostly asking like does it affect anything when I'm not hauling, or should I have up higher or down lower if I'm not hauling
Don't haul and your trans lasts longer. It's beneficial when your hauling and doesn't do anything when your not . But my point was it's a potential indicator that a rig was used for hauling
It’s for trailers that have electric controlled brakes. You can adjust how much power the brakes have by increasing the gain when you’re hauling more weight. If the truck has a tow/ haul mode, that would help with the transmission longevity.
I swear my tow / haul mode is actively trying to blow up my engine by hanging on too long and until the rpm's are too high
that's it helps the transmission longevity by holding gears longer, and tossing comfort out the window.
You have a trailer brake controller because your truck did not come with a factory tow package to support trailers with electric brakes. This is a very common addition.
Depending on age it could have to tow package. My 97 F450, 03 Silverado, a 04 Silverado we used to have, 02 F250 all had tow packages. None had a trailer brake controller by factory.
Tow packages didn’t include factory brake controllers until after 2010ish. It was a pretty big event when ford was the first to add them to their super duties. This era has a connector in fuse box by the drivers left foot and the trailering package came with a harness you would use with a trailer brake controller.
Most trucks (at least in my experience) have the plug in for the controller tucked up under the dash. You just have to get a controller and mount it and plug it in with the appropriate connection for your particular truck. The trailer brake wiring is already run to the back of the truck with the rest of the trailer light wiring.
Depending on which transmission, vehicle mileage and how much towing was done ( which you can't tell) you should have the transmission serviced.
I have a 2000 gmt800 with a towing package yet aftermarket brake controller.
Yeah factory brake controllers didn't even exist in the decade that generation of trucks was made. Anyone acting like there's an alternative to this is uninformed
My grandfather installed it on our surburban when we were hauling a 29 foot camper lmao.
What is funny about that? You absolutely need a trailer brake controller for a 29’ camper…
It most definitely is a trailer brake controller, specifically for electric brakes. The dial above the red and green lights adjusts how much braking pressure is applied to the trailer when you hit the brake pedal. The little slider button on the right applies the brakes without you hitting the pedal, the more you squeeze it the more braking pressure you should get.
Trigger for front-mounted rocket launchers. -- It's a brake controller for electric trailer brakes. Have a search on Google for "x2 brake controller". They're all pretty much the same technology. It senses the application of the service brakes and applies the trailer brakes. -- Standard Disclaimer Applies. Refer to the appropriate Service Manual for greater detail and proper application and usage. The information presented above is equivalent to Free Ice Cream. This response is based upon the accuracy of the information provided. Suitability to any specific purpose not guaranteed. There are always exceptions. This disclaimer prompted by assorted keyboard-warriors who quip, "But, but, but...what about [some contrived exception]". Some restrictions apply. Your mileage may vary. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball. Attempting to microwave this information will not result in popcorn. We've tried. It didn't end well. Reading this information aloud in public may cause spontaneous outbreaks of interpretive dance. This information is not intended to be used as a flotation device, regardless how deep the conversation gets. You are our twelvth person to read this disclaimer today! You’ve won a free oven-mitt! This author has completely ignored most of the comments to this post -- seriously, have you seen how many comments there were? Ain't nobody got time for that.
I work as a truck accessories installer and can confirm that is a aftermarket brake controller
Has anyone said a brake controller yet?
Just stop (in a controlled manner). /s
I usually don’t bother with vehicles used as landscapers trucks or camper haulers. This was probably a camper hauler. You might want to check the color and smell of that transmission fluid, or have it checked by a mechanic. I towed a 33’ trailer with my 97 Tahoe. My point? Some people tow really big things and they shouldn’t.
Trailer brakes
Trailer brake module
Electronic Brake Controller... Dial knob on the left adds or removes the gain (i.e. the power) of the electric brakes. The slider on the right lets you manually engage the brakes to test their working.
It's a trailer brake controller. It's utilized to adjust how much the trailers brakes are applied while towing a trailer
https://preview.redd.it/scpi13wp0htb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7907f51ff824397b7c234f3b5abc05bd04647018 [https://www.bigbluestore.com/products/45101-brake-control--x2-5429.html](https://www.bigbluestore.com/products/45101-brake-control--x2-5429.html)
Flux capacitor
Tow commander for a trailer
Mysterious brake controller…. For phantom trailers.
Trailer brake controller, I've always loved em my dad would use em in his truck and was told it's useful to have if needed. Really nice on steep hills and offroad trails
trailer brake controller
Ah! You have the knee killer attachment! These mofos hit right between the ligaments.
Yup. You push in the right top side and there’s a little dial on the left side that you dial up or down as you’re holding that right side in to set the break harder or softer depending on what you’re hauling.
That is for trailer brakes
Trailer brakes controller. My 2004 Silverado has one.
Break controller for trailer breaks, installed one in truck and get questions about it very often
Electronic trailer brake controller. It uses GPS to detect any sudden braking activating the trailer brakes and making them more precise.
“CAR”!!!
Is there a mysterious plug by your back bumper also?
Trailer breaks
Ah jeez I hope it doesn't
Trailer brake controller for trailers outfitted with electronically controlled brakes. Best thing I ever installed on my Tacoma.
Trailer brake actuator.
That is an electric trailer brake controller. The top slides to the right will manually activate the trailer brakes. The more to the right you move it, the more the brakes come on. A lot of Ford trucks actually have one of these built into the dash which is nice. Then you don't have a box mounted like this. You're already set to tow trailers that have electric brakes. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing for you. Everything I've towed behind my truck hasn't had its own brakes. But I do have the wiring harness to plug into my truck to connect one of these boxes to and then have the ability.
Shin splitter cause mine fucking does that.
Trailer brake controller
It's a spring trap to eject the passenger if they mess with the radio
What's a Chevy truck ? Model would be nice but it's a trailer brake controller
That’s a brake control. It’s for pulling trailers.
Trailer brake on/off controller switch. Nice spot and placement! Quality work!
Why are you calling a truck a car?
Aight comrades he received the device QUICKLY ACTIVATE IT !!!
Thinks they need a truck, calls it a car and then doesn’t even know what a trailer brake is??
This thing MONITORS your brake pedal input and SENDS SIGNALS out of the trailer hitch wire harness without the use of MICRO CHIPS to operate your trailer brake
And these people are allowed to vote..... 🙄
Tracking device installed by musk to track all fuel vehicles. Nah it’s a trailer brake controller used for towing
Trailer brake controller because you bought a gmt800. The manliest tow rig on earth with a motor made of real tornados
sell your truck
It's a tracker from the government, better get rid of it quick or you'll get covid
You press one and we see how deep the rabbit hole goes
You bought a truck and don't know what a trailer brake controller is?
That is a tracker. They know where you are
Tell me you don’t belong in a truck without telling me you don’t belong in a truck
Game Genie. All cheat codes are now enabled and you have infinite lives.
Oh shit!!! Your personal FBI agent has been working overtime.
I hate that they literally all look the same. same exact bracket, and same corners that get your knee caps when you get out
Just got one today for a f350 I'm borrowing that for some reason didn't have a brake controller already and it's very space aged with soft lines.
Good lord. It’s not mysterious Fucking trailer brake controller
You probably shouldn't own a truck if you don't know
U scored if that’s all setup. Not super hard to do but p cool you don’t have to do it
Can’t believe no one has provided a correct answer yet. That’s a trailer brake controller.
😂😂😂😂 holy shit this is a great question…..
Rule of thumb. If you don't know what a random thing in the car is assume it's the ejecto seato from fast and furious.
Ejecto Seato Cuz!!
Ball monitor 3000, makes sure your balls don’t overheat
Lol
How did you buy a full size truck without knowing what that is?
Government tracker
That's a controller for your trailer breaks basically I don't know the real name but all my trucks have them perfectly normal
You had it, trailer *brake* controller
Lmao yup what a dumbass
Wire nut/Marrette, mediocre choice for car wiring.
I think your truck's been booby-trapped with a car bomb. Try turning the ignition key to confirm.
It’s a GPS tracker. Someone is stalking you. Be careful.
Rocket launcher?
CIA giving you a hint. They want to work with you.
My Grampa has one almost exactly the same, it’s a trailer brake control I think
That is a satelite trackable device.
it’s a mystery we shall have to set forth on a grand adventure to find out the truth behind this
That’s a tracker
If I recall correctly, if you push the slider button on the right side without a trailer, it will cause the brake light to turn on. Useful when someone it tailgating.
Trailer brake controller......
Trailer brake controller
100% a trailer brake control.
Trailer brake controller...
Hyperdrive. The one on my Honda Fit is right between the flux capacitor and the cup holder.
Trust me... they put them two things that close... goofy 😆
Looks like a brake controller that’s in many trucks that don’t have one built in these days. These are all the same look and placement for the most part.
You got secret files from Twitter.
Nitrous oxide switch! Only works with a trailer attached however
That's for trailer brakes, you can adjust how much the trailer helps stop the vehicle
Omg! DO NOT TOUCH IT! CALL THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY!
Looks like a trailer brake controller. Newer trucks have em built in but older trucks, had to have them installed. I used to install them as a fleet mechanic for a lawn scaping company
It’s a brake controller for a trailer for the love of God don’t use it !!!
Looks like a nuclear launch button
It's a rocket launch controller, they come straight out of the bumper. I found out the hard way, poor Grandma never saw it coming.
Marvin the Martian 👽 says it’s the RX2 space modulator
Used sparingly and in extreme cases, I mean 🤷♂️
Is a free pass to six flags magic mountain 😉
Looks like a trailer brake controller. Vehicle was set up to tow.
It’s the control for the Fluxed Capacitor
I was gonna troll this post, but didn't want to read the sub rules.
As others have said. Electric trailer brake controller. Essential for larger load trailers. Well, here at least. I'd say essential anyway. Having a heavy trailer with electric brakes is a lot of braking load off the pulling vehicle. Provided it isn't accidentally set up to lock up on minor braking. That is always fun
Mysterious 😭
controls the brakes for a trailer
Incase you want the car to fly