What is the size of the Controller Box (not to be confused with the Brake Controller in the Motor Home)?

The Controller Box is 6" x 10" x 3 1/2". It has holes at the base for mounting and has the brake cable and wire harness plug on one end.

Where do I install the Controller Box in my car (not to be confused with the Brake Controller in the Motor Home)?

The engine compartment is the most common location. But, it can be placed anywhere outside the passenger compartment. Under the vehicle is OK as well. It can be placed anywhere that allows the brake cable to reach the brake pedal, the wireness harness to reach the front of the towed vehocle and the power wire to reach the battery. It can get wet but can't be submerged.

I'm not sure what to set my Brake Controller in the Motor Home to?

If it is a Hopkins time based controller, set it to 50% as a starting point. If it is a Prodigy inertia based controller, set it to 6.3 boost as a starting point. You may need to adjust these settings based on driving conditions, load, etc.

Will the battery in my towed vehicle go dead if I am on the road for a long time?

No. The Smart Brake power wire trickel charges the towed vehicle's battery from the Motor Home while enroute.

Does the Smart Brake come with a Break-a-way safety mechanism?

Yes. The Smart Brake includes a teather connecting the back of the Motor Home to the front of the towed vehicle. Should their be a break-a-way situation, this teather is pulled and the Smart Brake applies the brakes in the towed vehicle.

What about turn signal lights for my towed vehicle?

The Smart Brake system will apply the brake lights in your towed vehicle (assuming your towed vehicle brake lights go on even if the engine is not running) but it will not activate your towed vehicle's parking lights or turn signals. There is room in the 7pin female RV plug (from the Smart Brake) on the front of the towed vehicle so wires for the parking light and turn signal wires could be connected.

Do I have to have a supplimental braking system for my towed vehicle if my state doesn't require one?

The simple answer is, no you don't. You will however need a supplimental braking system should you travel through a state that does require one. Some states may not require a braking system but require a means to stop your towed vehicle should there be a break away. Please check our State Towing Laws page for more information about your state.

What does Proportional Breaking mean?

When towing, there are 2 vehicles which have a combined total weight. So the question becomes, how much braking should be accomplished by the motorhome, and how much should be accomplished by the towed vehicle? You want it to be in direct proportion to each vehicles' own weight. The Smart Brake provides proportional braking via a signal adjustment (or gain) to the towed vehicle's brakes from the Brake Controller in the motor home.

What does Progressive Breaking mean?

When the motor home brakes are applied, whether hard or soft, a mirror effect occurs in the braking of the towed vehicle. In other words, the more braking force applied to the front vehicle, the more force applied to the rear vehicle. Other units only have one pre-determined "average" push on the pedal for brake assistance. So what happens if you're in a panic situation, and need ALL the braking you can get? Is one pre-determined "average" push on your towed vehicle's brake pedal going to be enough help? We think that if you're in an emergency and have to stand on the brakes, you'd probably prefer the full force of both vehicles' power brakes to slow you down. With our unit in a panic situation, you will in fact stop faster by using both vehicles' power brakes full force than if you were driving the motorhome by itself.