Brake Controller Install

After reading a great thread started by "Kayak Taco" on an ingenious mounting option he figured out on mounting the controller out of the way, I copied his idea with a proportional brake controller. After reading his thread I looked up dimensions on assorted controllers and found the one I liked and was small enough to work with. I went with a "Trailermate X10" proportional brake controller, it was a little tight but after a lot of cutting on the change compartment with a Dremel tool it went fine, initial trailer calibration will need the use of a 90 degree ring pick or allen wrench to reach and adjust the bias and gain adjustments but that's no big deal.

Also I spent about an hour looking for the service connector, it was not where the owner’s manual stated and was different from where others have found theirs on this site. Mine was above the kick panel up the wiring harness, near the corner of the firewall and the side of the truck. It was taped behind another connector that had foam wrapped around it. There is another white connector where the owner’s manual stated the service connector should be but it has a grey plug in it and this of course is NOT the trailer brake service connector. I can't stand this practice of hiding things just to make it difficult for the average person to work, all car companies are guilty of this crap. KEY, look for the thick BLUE wire!

 

My 04 taco with the brake controller mounted where the ashtray was. I don't use the ashtray anyway. No drilling required, just unscrewed the 2 screws that hold the ashtray track in place and used the same 2 screws to mount the controller bracket. There was already a hole behind the ashtray assembly to run the wiring thru. Easy install and its out of the way of my knees and still within reach. Sorry for the nighttime cell phone pic.

 

Great location. Same place I installed mine.

 

Thanks for your description!! Mine was hidden exactly where your was on my 2013. The foam and the blue wire were the key