Tested: Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3

I used to hate towing caravans on cold, wet mornings. Low-speed brake lock-ups and squealing tyres trumpeted my progress before I even left the tourist park.

Then, reducing the power to my electronic brake controller every time I hit a country town and winding it up again when I hit the city limits. If you tow, you probably know what I mean.

It used to annoy me so much I seriously investigated swapping from drum to disc brakes, as I had found the AL-KO system I reviewed on an Australian Off Road Aurora to be more progressive and user-friendly in all temperatures

But now I still have my Dexter drum brakes and I’m happy, thanks to Redarc’s latest electronic brake controller (EBC) – the Redarc Tow Pro Elite Version 3, the only brake controller to offer both Proportional and User-Controlled modes – that recently replaced the decade-old controller on my Land-Rover Discovery 3.

Although a premium unit at the time, my old Prodigy was what these days is called a ‘manual’ controller. You set the current to be delivered to your trailer brakes via your wiring plug and when a brake light signal is given, the trailer brakes are applied to the set level: fast or slow, hot or cold.

And as I tow a lot of different caravans – single, tandem and the occasional tri-axle – of vastly different weights, old and new, town and country, I needed to re-adjust the controller for each of them to suit the conditions.

The Elite Version 3 is the third generation of Redarc’s Tow-Pro brake controller, since the original was released nearly five years ago.

The main change in the latest version is in the smoothness of its operation, particularly when towing heavy trailers, thanks to software upgrades.

Redarc still claims complete compatibility with all new vehicle technology and its Active Calibration works with electric and electric/hydraulic trailer brakes, supports 12 or 24 volt vehicle systems and ensures an ADR approved installation.

It has also been approved for use with AL-KO and Dexter ESC and DSC sway control systems.

The main visual change to the upgraded Tow-Pro Elite is the size and installation of its remote head to allow a quicker and easier installation. It also ensures the remote head will fit into thicker and curved dashes found in European vehicles and trucks.

Manual-only operation these days is generally found in lower-cost brake controllers with more advanced units like Tow Pro Elite V3 additionally offering proportional braking.

The Proportional mode uses a three-axis accelerometer that provides accuracy of braking measurement across a range of conditions to deliver optimum braking in response to how hard the vehicle is being slowed.

So, If you brake softly, so does the brake controller. This means you can barrel along the freeway at 100km/h with the system ready for emergency braking, but still capable of gentle braking for towns and bends without manual adjustment.

This has added benefits on gravel roads, allowing you to  slow down to take in the sights, or avoid a rough section or bulldust hole all with ease. But when you brake hard and fast, so does the brake controller.

Given this flexibility, most people will simply set the Redarc Tow Pro Elite in its Proportional mode in highway touring conditions, in which the dashboard button glows blue and the caravan feels like an extension of your vehicle.

User Controlled mode, on the other hand, in which the knob glows green when activated, provides complete control over trailer braking force, without considering inertia.

For example if you go beach driving, you might choose to set the controller in a low force mode, as you don’t want your caravan to dig into soft sand.

To change modes, you need to stop the vehicle, apply the brakes, double-click the dashboard knob and then release the brakes.

There is also Manual Override mode, which you might want to use if you're tackling a steep descent with a loaded trailer in tow, applying the trailer brakes only to make it a  stabilising ‘anchor’.

In this mode, triggered by pressing the centre of the dashboard control button when driving, only the trailer brakes are activated  according to the Proportional or User Controlled mode already pre-selected.

Once you get experienced with the Tow Pro, you can potentially use the Manual Override to minimise trailer sway, increasing the tension between the trailer and tow vehicle to maintain a straight line. But a warning here: don’t try this until you’ve had plenty of practice on a deserted road or track!

The final neat feature of the Elite V3 is its Park Brake that automatically applies the trailer brakes if the tow vehicle’s brakes are applied for longer than three seconds. This applies the trailer brakes in an intelligent manner to decrease the risk of rolling forward or backwards when stationary.

If the controller determines that the trailer's brakes are not required to keep the vehicle stationary, the controller’s electrical output is decreased to zero.

Having a three-axis accelerometer that can measure acceleration in any direction, the Tow-Pro Elite main unit can be mounted in any orientation and still sense the brake level accurately.

This overcomes the possible intrusion of traditional brake controllers into the driver’s leg space and any potential interference with lower airbags in newer vehicles. The small selector knob can then be mounted seamlessly in a blank switch panel, an unused area of the dashboard or centre console, within vision and easy reach of the driver.

If you don’t want to spend the RRP of $350 plus fitting on the Elite model, Redarc still sells the more basic Tow-Pro Classic for a RRP of $279, which offers a single mode of braking force at the turn of a dial.

Both units can be found online for around $25-$30 less if you shop around. Fitting, if replacing an existing older controller, should cost you $70-$100.