RE: [A/S] Brake Controllers?

["David & Bret" <dtbw_1999@xxxxxxxxx>]

The brake controller that Hensley WAS selling was simply the BrakeSmart unit
in an orange case.  Hensley is no longer selling the unit as I suspect they
found that they could not justify charging more than MasterBrake (the
manufacturer) was selling the BrakeSmart branded unit directly and thru a
variety of other 3rd parties.  The BrakeSmart is a way ahead of all the
other controllers (IMHO) due to many factors.  First it uses a solid-state
pressure transducer that reads the actual brake pressure from the master
cylinder which the BrakeSmart reads and translates into the appropriate
electrical output to the trailer.  Second of all it automatically detects
and adjusts that electrical output to compensate for brake-fade during hard
stops.  This problem is causes by the fact that the drum brakes on the
trailer start fading faster than the disc brakes on the tow vehicle.  When
it occurs, the effect is while the trailer brakes are still working, the tow
vehicle starts decelerating quicker than the trailer and the result is that
the trailer starts pushing rather than pulling (ie lagging vs leading) the
tow vehicle.  BrakeSmart is the only unit that works to overcome this
effect.  Third, the unit automatically checks the brakes each time you
connect and tells you how many brakes it found.  This allows you to know
that all your brakes are working and no loose connections or cut wiring is
playing havoc with your ability to stop the combined rig.  

Lastly, the unit installs on GM products easily (I helped a good friend
install his on his 2005, 3500series Burb.  Yes it is a bit more involved
than a Prodigy, but less so than a Jordan.  While I still run a Jordan on
our tow vehicle, at some point I will change it for the BrakeSmart as there
is no doubt that in my mind that they have the best (ie smoothest, best
control) controller on the market today.

David