Non Towing Tacoma

I have a 07 Taco without towing package, but would like to install an electric brake. Just towing a camper that weights 2500, but would like the extra braking support. Anyone know what has to be done? There is not a pig tail in the glove box so need to know how to wire and what controller to get.

 

My Tekonsha Prodigy has 4 wires:

+12v Fused (Hot)
Ground
Brake Controller Output
Vehicle Stop Lamp

Assuming your camper has electric brakes and not surge brakes, the Brake Controller Output would go to the 'electric brakes' pin (pin 2 on a 7-way connector) on your vehicle/trailer electrical connector.

The Vehicle Stop Lamp wire basically splices into the wire that lights your vehicle brake lights (you hit the brake, the vehicle brake lights are activiated and when that happens, it now sends a signal to the brake controller that you are hitting the brakes, so the brake controller does its magic and sends voltage to the trailer brakes via the brake controller output wire. The more voltage/power the controller sends, the more the trailer brakes will be applied. Good controllers will sense how hard you are braking and apply the trailer brakes porportionally.

Youy may want to read the 'Tacoma Towing Bible' sticky in the towing forum...a lot of info, including more detail on brake controller installs.

 

I understand the wiring on the 7 plug. What I'm waiting to know how to install the wiring from the engine to the brake controller. Doesn't it have to be run to the engine compartment and connected somehow so it's tied into the trucks brakes?

 

I towed a 2000lb trailer for a while without a brake controller. Had no problems, but the force of the trailer was making my bumper shift and not look "perfect"..

Valley Hitch has a really easy 6 bolt mount receiver for under $200.00 FYI..

 

The wiring I listed above IS for the brake controller.

It needs a fused 12v hot wire and a ground wire. The only connection to the truck brakes is tapping it into the truck brake light wire. When you press the brakes, that wire gets voltage to illuminate the brake lights.

Now the brake controller will know when you're pressing the brakes.

The outout of the brake contoller has to go thru the 7 pin harness to the trailer so the trailer knows when you're pressing the brakes so it can apply its brakes.

The brake controllers have inertia sensors (that's why they usually have to be mounted at certain angles) so they know how hard you are pressing the brakes based off the sensors in the controller - it can then in turn apply more or less voltage on the output wire so that the trailer applies its brakes light or hard depending on how hard you are braking in the truck.

Again, this is assuming your trailer has electric brakes. If it has surge brakes, you don't need a controller.

 

On my 07 Prerunner (that didn't have the tow package) the plug was there under the dash.. all I had to do was tap the Green wire for the Brake signal, and run Wires back to the Hitch for the signal to the trailer and 12v+.. I got the l/r blinkers from a kit in the rear tail lamps. (I think it was green!, I could be wrong)