05 Silverado Trailering Package Question

you need a controller

electric trailer brakes are NOT an 'on-off' proposition, they are activated in proportion to the deceleration of the towing vehicle

Thats what I thought...just was not sure what GM did beyond the 7 pin plug. Got any recommendations on brands or mounting locations?

Not really so, some can sense rate of deceleration and most cannot. (I have used them for 30 years now) All of the elctronically controlled ones use signal from brake light switch to activate and most of them to can tailor the activation curve too (how faster they apply and their max application rate too) to fine tune it to load and driving methods.

Tekonsha Prodigy is the best of the bunch... From Texas about $125....

There is provisions for the brake controller. Did the dealer forget to give you the harness? My 04 came with harness that just plugged into a socket under the dash on the left side. The controller than hooks into this harness. No need to cut and splice any wires. I second the prodigy controller. It does sense deceleration and adjusts voltage accordingly.

He wouldn't need to get the harness from the dealer, Tekonsha sells pre-wired harnesses for the most popular towing vehicles...

You sir, are my hero for today. It sparked my memory of the dealer saying "don't lose the 7 to 4 pin adapter that is in your passenger side door". So I went and looked in the door compartment...and LO AND BEHOLD....the harness, and directions to hook it up were right there along with the adapter. You'll never guess where it plugs in.....into a socket under the dash on the left side......

damn...I just had a blond episode.

Now to look for the controller and a tidy place to mount it. I am thinking in the center console under the radio perhaps.......

Thanks!!

Eightupman

When mounting the controller, keep in mind that you want it within easy reach. There's an emergency-activation slider on it that can also be used to lightly apply trailer brakes only to control sway. As mentioned before, look into getting a Tekonsha Prodigy, then get Tekonsha's pre-wired harness with the plug to fit your truck on one end and the Prodigy plug on the other (the Prodigy is a removable unit).

I'll second that Mike, on the Prodigy and the harness. It is plug and play. Great controller and has always worked perfectly in 30K + miles of towing a 7k lb. travel trailer. MR

I have reservations on the motion sensing ones as some of they produce varing results on steep grades but they are getting a bit better about that now.

Here ya go, $124.95 with model specific pigtail and free shipping:

Thanks for the info!

Eightupman