Why No OEM Trailer Brake Controller?

I'm new to the forum. Just purchased a 5th Gen and want to add a trailer brake controller.

Does anyone know the reason why Toyota doesn't offer an OEM controller? It seems very odd to me that the vehicle would come pre-wired with a 7-pin adapter and pigtail for a controller... but then not offer an OEM controller for sale. Am I missing something?

 

^The pigtail was probably deemed competitive when the 5th gen came to market 15 years ago.

 

I found it nice to have the option of installing what I want. I've got the REDARC Elite, and I love it. Very discreet and nothing screwed to my dash.

 

While it would be nice, I would have found it very odd if it had come with a brake controller. Even on some 1/2 ton pick-ups (far better tow rigs) a built in brake controller is an option or included in a specific towing package.

 

It could be just a simple liability issue.

And of course the bean counters.

 

Anemic as the current engine is, Toyota probably figures anyone towing with the 4R won't be pulling much over 1000 - 2000 lbs (despite the tow rating). For that light a trailer a controller is not really necessary. I also have an F150 rated to tow 12,000 lbs, and a Dodge/Cummins dually rated to tow ~ 30,000 lbs and neither of them came with a brake controller. Either an extra-cost option from the factory or aftermarket were my choices so I installed aftermarket on both trucks.

 

To my understanding, you need a brake controller for anything over 5000lbs. Since our rigs max out at 5k, that would be my logic as to why none of them come with it. Had a 2018 Silverado with a 9300lb towing capacity, no brake controller on my specific trim. Is what it is I guess.

 

It might just be that in typical Toyota fashion, they just don't change much. It will be interesting to see if it's an option on the new one.

 

6th gen 4Runner has that option (brake controller).

 

What year of 4R do you own?

 

That's crazy to me. I was surprised the 6th Gen technically had a higher capacity. Since they're going with the 4-banger/turbo engine. That's the whole reason I rushed to get a 5th Gen when they were still an option.

I've always respected Toyotas for the "keep it simple" mentality. But I guess fuel economy political pressures are what they are.

 

Complying with emission regulations is likely part of it also.

 

Im sure the marketing team at the time had data that very few buyers of the 4Runner tow much. People that want to tow travel trailers and boats are usually looking at full size pickups, etc... 5k is really anemic for that stuff.

These days with overlanding getting so popular and lots of teardrop and mini campers I can see towing being more desirable on smaller vehicles hence adding it as standard on the 6th gen.


+1 to the recommendations above to just install a Redarc. Thats what I did for my little hobby trailer, and am really happy with it. Also note that while law doesn't require brakes until 5000 or something like that, the owners manual recommends it for anything over 1500. I installed brakes on my little trailer and I can tell you it that even if not necessary it makes you feel a lot more confident on the freeway knowing it will stop well in an emergency.

 

2020 Venture (listed in my profile) with almost 10,000 miles on it.

 

I added a brake controller from Redarc. I sometime haul a trailer when camping (it has electric brakes).

 

Since the Runner is abysmal at towing, it wasn't a needed option. Now it's just something else to put in the brochure.

1500lbs requires a some type of brakes either surge or electric. I think Toyota figured they offer better towing options.

 

AFAIK and remember, 1500lbs. was the tipping point for a brake con. in CA.
All my trailers have e-brakes and I installed the bc in my 4R & TJ.
Besides the safety aspects of having trailer brakes, I personally don't want to explain to a Judge why I disregarded someone else's safety.
And in CA. and many other states, criminal & civil lawsuits are what feeds some people to take a simple accident and try to turn it into a payday.

 

I used to tow 3500# with a 3800 Pontiac and it did a fine job. Probably 1/2 the HP that is on tap with the 4.0.

If you can't pull over 2000 with a 5th gen 4RUNNER, perhaps the vehicle isn't the problem.

The best light duty tow rig I ever drove was a 2006 Dodge Charger Daytona. With a 3800# load distributing hitch, it would tow my 3500# trailer at 10 MPH faster (65 MPH compared to 55 MPH) with 2 MPG better fuel economy than my 2500 Ram. More stable to boot.

The best heavy duty tow rig I ever drove was a '72 Peterbilt with a 400 Cummins backed by a 13 speed Roadranger with 4.33 gears on 24" rubber

I pulled 80,000# loads of cattle over the hills and hollows of southern Indiana and Kentucky.

 

I also installed a redarc liberty & have had no problems. My popup is 2200 lbs & no towing problems

 

Correct. Trailers need to have brakes north of 1,500 lbs. As a Californian, I'm happy the law exists. You see some sketchy shit driving around at times.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handb.../#:~:text=Trailer Brakes,of 1500 lbs. or more.

Although, technically, you don't need a brake controller as some trailers have surge brakes.

 

Many 3/4 ton trucks don't have trailer brake controllers either. When I ordered my 4WD F250 a few years ago, I had to pay extra for it.

 

So odd. Those trucks are designed and built to tow heavy loads. I don't see any reason to buy a truck larger than a 1/2 ton unless you are towing. (Large exception for coal rollers, but they're idiots, so)

 

Okay let's talk common sense here. No OEM can anticipate what sort of brake control is going to be required.

If you wanted to pull a single axle 3500 lb trailer with brakes behind your new 4Runner, would you want to pay for a controller that was capable of controlling 4 axles and stopping 12,000#?

Most of those 12,000 pounds towing capacity capable vehicles are probably never used to pull more than 5,000. Unfortunately the automakers have the public thinking they need a lot more tow vehicle than they actually do.

I pulled 80,000 lb loads of cattle with 400 horsepower!

Of that 80,000 lb, the tow vehicle weighed slightly more than 20,000!

I used to pull a two horse trailer with a tack room behind a 1998 Dodge durango. The horses I carried had a combined weight about 2,400 lb. and the loaded rig was surely pushing 6000 lb. That little Durango with a 318, 3.93 gears and a good load distributing hitch was the perfect tow vehicle for that rig.

 

In a thread talking about brake controllers, you are bringing up horsepower. I'm not worried about getting a trailer moving, I'm worried about stopping it when needed.

FWIW: My 2015 dually weighs ~8,000 lbs and has a rating of ~ 30,000 lbs. ~1-4 ratio. That's the same ratio you claimed above.

While that Durango may have worked, I doubt it was the perfect tow vehicle.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. It seems like every 2 weeks another thread about towing pops up and everyone wants to share what they have done in the past to prove that's what everyone should be doing.

 

Well, not just towing, but also hauling. 3/4 ton gas trucks typically have 2500-3k worth of payload, for 1 tons that can go up to 6-7000 lbs. So even though a lot of buyers of 3/4 and 1 ton trucks may never tow, they need the payload capacity for service bodies, tools, campers, flatbeds, what have you. Think auto service trucks, utility service rigs, mobile welders/machinists, construction workers who have ladders and tools to carry, animal services, plow trucks, people who have slide in campers, etc.

Sure, there are 1/2 ton trucks that have payload limit that exceed 2k lbs, but day in and day out if one is frequently carrying over 1k in weight, it's almost always better to use the next size up for the tires, axles, brakes, the whole driveline.

 

That’s fair. I agree with all of the above. I have a truck camper and know all about payload issues.

my point, is how many of those people you just mentioned also will use their truck to tow something. I would guess it’s north of 90%.

I find it odd that someone with a truck that size couldn’t go to U-Haul or Home Depot and rent a truck without an add on.

 

It comes down to minimizing cost in order to maximize their chance at winning bids for fleets. Ford, GM and Ram all compete for the same fleet business, if the fleet order analysts determined that a specific configuration of HD/SD trucks are used a lot for just hauling, it helps them to not include it by default so they can reduce the starting price by 50 or 100 dollars, and those who need towing equipment usually have a tow package that adds the controller.

This also allows them to nickle and dime retail customers who are trying to save money. I think on Fords, the trailer brake controller is included above a certain trim, but if you order an XL like I did, it was a 270 dollar option.

 

Ah, yea. Trim level makes sense.

 

Wrong truck for towing

 

There's no reason a 5th gen 4RUNNER can't safely and efficiently tow 5000# with the proper load distributing hitch and brake control..