Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 Electronic Brake Controller from Speedy Towbars
In this post we take a look at our Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller that we had fitted by Speedy Towbars.
Trailers more than 750kgs require trailer brakes for safety reasons. To control these trailer brakes, you will need an electronic brake controller such as the Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3. In our discussions with Speedy Towbars, who we highly recommend for any towing related advice and products, they recommended the Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller as the best and most advance electronic brake controller for any 4WD available in Australia. Based on Speedy Towbars recommendation and their own custom wiring specifically for the Tow Pro we had them fit the Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller to our 76 Series Toyota Land Cruiser.
Tow Pro Elite Features
The Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 has several features including:
- Two types of braking: proportional mode (inertia sensing) and user-controlled mode.
- Active calibration.
- Dash mounted control knob (ADR21 safety compliant).
- Suitable for 12-volt and 24-volt electrical systems.
- Operates electric and electric/hydraulic brakes.
- AL-KO ESC approved.
- Australian made and designed.
- Very small unit at 85mm x 100mm x 30mm.
- Lightweight unit at 200 grams.
- 2-year warranty.
- Requires a 30-amp fuse between Tow Pro unit and starter battery.
- Very easy to install.
- Three-axis accelerometer measuring acceleration in any direction.
- Tow Pro unit can be mounted in any orientation.
Speedy Towbars Custom Wiring
The Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller is fairly simple to install however we would highly recommend having the experts fit this for you. When it comes to installing the Tow Pro there are a few additional features that Speedy Towbars include in their fitting process that highlights why we had Speedy Towbars install our Redarc Tow Pro when installing our towbar.
Speedy Towbars have been fitting towbars and towbar accessories for almost 20 years so over this time they have developed several their own products to ensure their customers are receiving the best possible installation. To highlight this point when it comes to installing the Redarc Tow Pro, Speedy Towbars have developed their own custom Australian made wiring specifically for fitting the Redarc Tow Pro. This custom Australian made wiring includes the required 5mm blue and 4mm red cables that connect to the trailer brakes (through the 7-pin plug) and brake input signal on your 4WD to the Tow Pro unit. This wiring size is the recommended size by Redarc during the installation, however Speedy Towbars have found that most installers (professional and DIY) use 4mm wiring through the installation process as this is a common wire size. The other issue is that the wiring is not colour coded correctly (blue and red) which becomes an issue in the future when you need to try and identify which wire is which. Speedy Towbars have also developed their own custom Australian made wiring to go from the Tow Pro unit to the vehicle starter battery. This wiring has been made to the correct size and matches the recommended colours being black and white for easy identification. Within this custom wiring the positive cable includes a full waterproof fuse link that is made to fit reducing any joins or additional wiring. This greatly reduces the risk of something disconnecting or going wrong in the future with less joins in your wiring.
While fitting an electronic brake controller you will most likely fit an anderson plug to run power to your trailer battery. We had Speedy Towbars run power to the trailer from our second battery rather than our starter battery to reduce the load on our starter battery. This does ensure that our trailer battery is receiving power even when pull over and stop for an hour or two ensuring our trailer fridge is constantly running. Speedy Towbars have also developed their own custom spun wiring for running power to a trailer with 8B&S size cables that has been custom labelled for easy identification.
As a result of all these great additional products Speedy Towbars have developed specifically for the Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller we had them install our Tow Pro as we knew it would be fitted correctly eliminating any potential problems in the future.
Two Types of Braking
The Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 is the only electronic brake controller that offers two types of braking: proportional mode (inertia sensing) and user-controlled mode. Proportional mode will be used in most instances during highway driving compared with user-controlled mode which will more likely be used in off road driving. Speedy Towbars have a small display unit in both of their showrooms showing you how the two braking modes work.
Proportional Mode (Inertia Sensing)
Proportional mode or inertia sensing trailer braking measures the braking force applied to the vehicle brakes and the Tow Pro unit then applies the trailer brakes to a proportional level. This mode of braking is the default mode set on the Tow Pro and can be seen on the control knob by the blue LED light indicator. Proportional mode braking will be the most common mode used when towing during highway driving. The proportional mode of braking provides a safe and smooth application of the trailer brakes. The level of braking will be dependant on the control knob setting which can be set between 0 and 10.
Proportional mode braking basically applies the trailer brakes proportionally to how you have applied the brakes in your 4WD. If you have only slightly applied your 4WD brakes, then the trailer brakes will only be applied slightly. If you have applied your 4WD brakes fully to avoid a collision, then the trailer brakes will be applied fully to ensure you stop quickly and safely.
User-Controlled Mode
User-controlled mode provides you with complete control of your trailer brake level no matter what pressure you apply to your 4WD brakes. This mode of braking has been designed for off road use allowing you complete control of how the trailer brakes will be applied. User-controlled mode is engaged on the Tow Pro by setting the control knob to 0, applying the brakes, press the control knob twice quickly, and then releasing the brakes. When user-controlled mode is set, the LED light indicator will change from blue to green.
User-controlled mode braking would be used in situations off road where you might have a steep descent where you are driving in low range. In such a situation you will usually be using engine braking to descend. If the Tow Pro were set to proportional mode, you would find that the trailer would be pushing your 4WD as you would not be applying the brakes fully. Having the Tow Pro unit set to user-controlled mode will allow you to set the control knob to a higher setting meaning that as soon as you apply the brakes lightly, the trailer brakes will be applied fully based on the control knob setting. This ensures that the trailer is not pushing your 4WD down the descent but instead helping you progress slowly and safely down the decline.
Active Calibration
The Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller comes with active calibration assisted by its three-axis accelerometer. The three-axis accelerometer allows the Tow Pro unit to measure acceleration in any direction. This means that the Tow Pro unit can be mounted in any orientation and still sense the braking level accurately. The Redarc Tow Pro Elite will then calibrate automatically when driving which Redarc call active calibration. During this active calibration process while towing your trailer, the LED light indicators will flash between blue and green. When calibrated the LED light indicator will be a solid blue. This process that is undertaken automatically and ensures that the Tow Pro unit will sense the applied brake level accurately.
Adjusting Braking Level
The Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller comes with a brake control knob which is fitted somewhere within easy reach on your vehicle dash. The control knob has numbers from 0 to 10 with an LED light indicator behind them. You control the braking level by adjusting the control knob from no braking at 0 to the highest level of braking at 10.
Finding the right braking level is going to be different for everyone depending on the weight of the trailer or caravan you are towing as well as the road conditions. In our circumstances we are towing our camper trailer DOT373 that has a GVM of 1,600kgs (usually loaded between 1,300-1,400kgs). We have found that when we set off on a trip, our water tanks (160 litres) and fridge are full, we have the Tow Pro control knob set between 3 and 4. On our way back home when our water tanks and fridge are closer to empty, we find we reduce the Tow Pro control knob closer to 2. If we are driving down the Toowoomba range (as an example) we might increase the braking level between 4 and 5. The braking level will depend on the load you are towing so will be a bit of trial and error to find the settings that work best for you.
If the trailer braking level is set too high you will feel this as the trailer brakes will be trying to stop your 4WD. If the braking level is set too low, you will feel the trailer pushing your 4WD. Trial and error will find you the best settings for your setup.
Speedy Towbars Installing Our Tow Pro
We have highlighted above why we chose to have Speedy Towbars fit our Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller to our 76 Series Toyota Land Cruiser. Not only do Speedy Towbars use their own custom Australian made wiring to ensure you will not have any wiring issues, but they also complete a fantastic job mounting the Tow Pro unit out of sight, as well as having the correct blank off inserts for all vehicles to ensure the control knob is fitted professionally in your vehicle’s dash.
Speedy Towbars fitted the Redarc Tow Pro unit to the side wall above our accelerator pedal. The Tow Pro unit is small, so it is fairly easy to find a good mounting spot out of the way and this will be different for every vehicle. As Speedy Towbars are fitting brake controllers every day, they will know the best location for the Tow Pro unit for your vehicle.
When it came to mounting the Tow Pro brake controller knob, we did not want to use one of our 76 Series Toyota Land Cruiser blank offs as we already had these used for spotlights and other accessories. Most of the blank offs in the 70 Series Land Cruiser are on the driver side but we wanted our Tow Pro control knob in the centre of the vehicle dash so that the passenger had access if the driver was unable to adjust the brake level settings or in an emergency. We therefore asked Speedy Towbars to use the cigarette lighter (which we will never use) to mount the Tow Pro control knob. To do this Speedy Towbars used a Colorado blank off as this fitted perfectly when the cigarette lighter was removed. Having the Tow Pro control knob sitting in the centre of the dash is a far better option as it is easy for both the driver and passenger to see and reach.
The total time it took Speedy Towbars to install our Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller was around 1 ½ hours. Speedy Towbars have advised that most brake controller installations take between 1 to 1 ½ hours depending on the type of vehicle.
The total cost from Speedy Towbars to supply and install our Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller in our 76 Series Toyota Land Cruiser was $615. For more information on Speedy Towbars, you can touch base with them through their website here. To see the Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 electronic brake controller on the Speedy Towbars online store click here.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this post on our Tow Pro and the installation by Speedy Towbars. If you have any comments or questions, please post them below this post. To keep up to date on future posts join the 4WD Adventurer Community here. For more posts on our 4WD build check them out here.
Thanks for reading legends.
The Thoughts of Peter.