My previous post sought confirmation that I needed to buy and install a trailer brake controller for my 2006 HSE and I received same this evening. I was just about to pull the trigger on the $140 Atlantic British kit but their website's surprisingly skimpy info on the controller's actual use makes me wonder if this particular controller is actually the one I ought to buy. I can't tell for sure from the photos, but it looks like the AB offering lacks a button or anything similar that would allow me to briefly engage the trailer brakes without tapping the pedal to deal with minor sway issues. The travel trailer I'll be pulling is relatively light and I live in a pretty windy part of the world, so sway is something I'm going to have to deal with a lot. The other thing that worries me is that there doesn't seem to be any sort of visual gain indicator. It looks like you only have up and down buttons for changing the gain, so while you would have no problem getting more or less gain from where you are now, you might not be able to quickly go to specific setting that you know works well for the weight you are hauling, the slope of the road, etc. On the other hand, stuff from AB fits nicely, the $140 pricetag seems reasonable, and the underdash location it's designed for gets the box out of my vision when I don't need it.

So here are two questions:
(1) If you have AB kit ETBCA, what's been your experience when actually towing something?
(2) If you've used a different brand\model of controller, which one do you recommend? I see a lot of references here to the Tekonsha brand coupled with an adapter for Ford trucks in order to mate with the LR3's wiring, but those seem to be meant for sitting on the dash. They also seem pretty pricey for something I might need twice a year.

Thanks,

Nick in Palm Springs

 

The controller looks like a Buyers 5422003. The red button is how you manually apply the brakes. That one doesn’t look like it has a display for the setting, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t tow a lot.

 

I have the Tekonsha 90160 Primus IQ, and the Tekonsha 3035-P Brake Control Wiring Adapter (for Ford)
Mounted easily near (but not in the way of) the OBD port - not in my way in the slightest

Looks like ~$130 all-in these days
Tekonsha is a well known name - works great, I tow a few times/yr also

 

I use the Aussie Red arc tow pro elite, its remote mount unit with a dial you place in easy reach which gives you full control of the units adjustment and emergency braking feature.

 

Last night when I was doing more research on this topic I found douglastic's April response in a similar thread in which he recommended the Tekonsha Primus IQ. I checked it out and besides having the features I wanted, it also was set up for easily removing and replacing the controller from the underdash bracket as desired if you didn't want it fixed in place all the time. Given that I don't need a controller 345 days a year, that sounded pretty good (of course, that means I have to find another secret spot in the LR3 to store it when not in use, and I think I'm running out of options). Ordered that controller last night along with the 303500 adapter wiring. Price point with both harness and controller is about the same as the Atlantic British version, and though I much prefer to order from AB even when they are somewhat more expensive or when what's offered isn't exactly what I hoped for because they keep older LRs alive, this time I had to help pay for Bezos' wedding. Sometimes you do things you don't like...

Next step should be interesting. The trailer I'm renting for this camping trip in late July is a 2025 model, and I asked the owner if the rear lights were LEDs. Of course they were. So after spending a lot of time surfing the Interwebs, I came to the conclusion that the most efficient path towards dealing with the LR3-Doesn't-Recognize-Trailers-With-LEDs problem was to try the least expensive\least complicated solution first before spending a lot of time building a resistor\relay gizmo. That provisional solution involves the purchase last night of a CURT 57003 7-Way RV Blade LED Electrical Adapter that claims it can make older vehicles recognize LED trailer lights. Cost was about $26. Reviews are mixed about whether this thing works as hoped, and it seems like the record when it comes to later model Rover vehicles is depressing, but I found two reviews that suggest LR3-era Rovers might be the few where it'll work: "Worked with my 2007 Range Rover full size towing a trailer with LEDs" (5 stars) and "Even though the instructions list only a few German cars, I am happy to report that this works great on my 2008 Land Rover LR2 and my 2015 T@B trailer with LED lighting...I no longer have to turn my auto headlights to manual to stop the flickering" (5 stars). For 26 bucks, that's good enough for me. When I'm able to test it against a new LED-fitted trailer within the next month, I'll report what I found.

Nick in Palm Springs

 

Curious if that gadget will work for you
Would love to know if it does

The LED flicker is no big deal
Having the trailer icon light up on the dash is probably more important, so the truck "knows" it's pulling

That said, I've had no issues towing up to 6k lb as-is, using no sway or WD bits