I'm looking for a new controller - my cheapy ( Kelsey-Hayes) doesn't get it - <br><br>What are the differences between the Prodigy and the Jordan 2020, except the voltage/ammeter gauges? Is there an advantage to the ammeter over the voltmeter?<br><br>TIA Stan

 

[quote author=Bearfoot2 link=board=11;threadid=17088;start=15#161503 date=1058556832]<br>I'm looking for a new controller - my cheapy ( Kelsey-Hayes) doesn't get it - <br><br>What are the differences between the Prodigy and the Jordan 2020, except the voltage/ammeter gauges? Is there an advantage to the ammeter over the voltmeter?<br><br>TIA Stan<br>[/quote]<br><br>I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong ???. The Prodigy uses inertia to figure out how much breaking needs to be applied. As you apply break pressure in you truck the simultaneous inertia is then calculated and the trailer breaks are engaged to what the Prodigy feels is necessary for the trailer that it is set up for. <br> The Jordan 2020 is attached to the break lever and increases the amount of amps sent to the trailer as you increase the amount of pressure you apply to the break lever. It has an amp adjustment **** that can be set for each different trailer that you might pull, single axel will need less amps than a tandem and so on. <br><br>Check this thread out on coast resorts forum:Jordan vs. Prodigy<br><br><br>Kyle<br>

 

[quote author=Bearfoot2 link=board=11;threadid=17088;start=15#161503 date=1058556832]<br>I'm looking for a new controller - my cheapy ( Kelsey-Hayes) doesn't get it - <br><br>What are the differences between the Prodigy and the Jordan 2020, except the voltage/ammeter gauges? Is there an advantage to the ammeter over the voltmeter?<br><br>TIA Stan<br>[/quote]<br><br>Stan,<br>You will get lots of &quot;opinions&quot; about the advantages or disadvantages of the Prodigy vs the Jordan. The Prodigy is a very good controller - - it was light years ahead of my time based. <br><br>When the brake pedal is depressed sufficiently to activate the brake lights, the Prodigy applies an initial surge voltage to the trailer brakes (the amount is dependant on where you set it) to start the stopping process, whether you have or have not actually applied any braking yet to the truck. It then uses electronics to try and decide how fast the truck is decelerating. From this deceleration decoding, it applies a braking voltage to the trailer. It works very well. It has some quirks under unusual circumstances, especially on slick pavement and when using an exhaust brake on steep hills in a low gear.<br><br>The Jordan physically has a small wire attached to the brake pedal of the truck. The brakes on the trailer are applied in direct proportion to the amount of pedal depression on the tow vehicle. The result is a very smooth braking making it feel like the trailer is a part of the truck. <br><br>The amperage draw of the trailer brake circuit is a better indication of what your trailer brakes are doing than the amount of voltage being applied (in my opinion). Voltage can be applied across an open circuit and nothing happens. It takes current to make the magnet work.<br><br>Most of the adherents of the Jordan have been the Prodigy route and liked the Jordan better. I only have heard of one person going back to the Prodigy and it was because he could unplug the Prodigy quickly and use it in another vehicle - - he really liked the Jordan the best. Prodigy is so much better known because you can buy them everywhere. Jordan is only available from the manufacturer and a couple other places.

 

Many, many thanks to everyone for your replies, and a special thanks to snowman for the link to Coast Resorts Forum. After reading all the pros and cons of both, Prodigy and Jordan (and a number of others), I'm ordering a Jordan today.<br><br>Once again I want to thank those who make this forum possible. :-* :-[ The information contained herein is priceless, ;D the camaraderie is great 8) and the humor is sometimes fascinating. <br><br>Stan

 

Bearfoot2<br>You will be VERY pleased with the Jordan! There is no comparison with other activators that I have used.<br>george

 

I have a Prodigy and have been ecstatic with it. I only have maybe 2K miles of towing use on it, but it has behaved perfectly in every situation for me so far.<br><br>I have never driven a truck with the Jordan, but have heard nothing but good things about them. I am sure you will love it. It sounds like an awesome controller.<br><br>The one thing I find curious is that almost everyone I have ever spoken to or conversed with on forums that said the Jordan was better than a Prodigy admitted to never having driven a truck with a Prodigy. I know there are some that have used both, but in my experience, they are the vast minority of the people telling others not to buy the Prodigy.<br><br>I would not hesitate for a second to recommend the Prodigy to anyone. I would not try to convince someone not to buy a Jordan though.

 

[quote author=thecatsfan link=board=11;threadid=17088;start=15#161880 date=1058660637]<br>I would not hesitate for a second to recommend the Prodigy to anyone.[/quote]<br><br>thecatsfan, I wouldn't hesitate to get a Prodigy either. I think I'd be happy with either.<br><br>I went for the Jordan for several reasons. I like the direct hook up to the brake pedal - I've only got one truck to use it in, don't need a &quot;quick change&quot;. I like that it is a &quot;family&quot; owned and operated business. I'm partial to helping the &quot;little guy&quot;. (Mass production is more likely to have errors. If there is one bad one out of a million, I'm always the one to get the bad one!!!) I like that it is made in the USA with US parts. Not earth shaking reasons, I'll admit, but they are valid - IMHO.<br><br>Stan

 

[quote author=Bearfoot2 link=board=11;threadid=17088;start=15#161884 date=1058661559]<br>If there is one bad one out of a million, I'm always the one to get the bad one!!![/quote]<br><br>I can understand that. I have the same luck some days. And buying from a small business is something I try to do also. But I prefer to deal local in those situations. And I'm sure you will love the Jordan. Sounds like a great controller.

 

[quote author=thecatsfan link=board=11;threadid=17088;start=15#161880 date=1058660637]<br>The one thing I find curious is that almost everyone I have ever spoken to or conversed with on forums that said the Jordan was better than a Prodigy admitted to never having driven a truck with a Prodigy. <br> [/quote]<br><br>I hear ya there. Such a true statement in many areas. I have had both; a dealer talked me into the Prodigy. It is a great controller no doubt. It just scared the heck out of me a few times. It is not one that I would recommend on Ice and Snow, loose gravel, nor an exhaust break for that matter. I had one back when I lived in Littleton, CO. I used it for a few months and then tried the Jordan. It was night and day in many different situations that I seem to find myself in. Plus, I just felt more comfortable thinking I had more control over my loaded trailer with the feel of the break pedal. Again, I know the Prodigy is a great controller, especially since most people use it. In my case the Jordan just seemed to be much better. I help most of my family here in Bend, OR tow TT’s and boats to where ever they want to go, since most of them try and tow with vehicles not suit for the weight nor he conditions, and it is just so simple to amp adjust and go.<br><br>Kyle<br>

 

The ice and snow, and loose gravel situations don't bother me. I don't tow in ice and snow and doubt I will need to. If I do, I'll do what I did in the past and adjust the trailer brakes down to a low power level. I drive so ridiculously slow under those types of situations that a small bump could probably stop me.<br><br>Gravel is nothing new and my Prodigy has worked flawlessly on the gravel roads around CO. Surprising to hear that others have had problems.<br><br>Exhaust brake? That one worries me a little. I am getting my exhaust brake soon and am wondering how that is going to work. I never would have expected a problem as well as it has worked everywhere else. I only know one person with a Cummins and an exhaust brake. He has a Prodigy and has never had a problem, but others have said they weren't good. I wonder if the different type of exhaust brake on the Ford and Dodge have an impact on it. I don't know.

 

Well after being put down rather abruptly in an earlier post regarding the Jordan/Prodegy discussion I said to myself that I would never comment on this again, but want to make a comment on it from the perspective of an experienced truck driver that has driven many miles at speed over ice and snow. In slippery conditions if braking is necessary of any significent pressure, the trailer brakes must be at least as positive in application as the truck or a jack knife is emminent. The operation of an inerita type of controller works backwards for this concept. They give you a surge of braking when first applied and then back off to the level that the inerita of the stop demands as controlled by the braking pressure of the pulling vehicle. Meaning that the amount of braking of the trailer is controlled by how much braking effort is done by the truck.<br><br>The Jordan cured this problem by using a cable that applies the trailer brakes proportionate to the pressure of the pedal. In slippery conditions this means that a properly adjusted Jordan will apply the trailer brakes more or equal than the truck brakes. The old thought with a truck is, if the front axle slides, you can control it, if the trailer brakes slide you can control it, if the drivers slide, you are dead, the truck will jacknife.<br><br>The only way that a safe stop can be accomplished in slippery conditions is direct control of the trailer brakes. This can be accomplished with the Prodegy using the manual lever or with the Jordan with the pedal. I had close to 100,000 miles on a Prodegy and after installing a Jordan I felt safe for the first time with electric brakes on the trailer.<br><br>If this offends some sorry, safety on the road is more important than brand hype and ease of installation,.

 

Haulin in Dixie,

You are so right, that is where I was coming from with the ice and snow stuff. I was on I-80 entering WY with a completely empty 28’ Race trailer in the middle of one of those common blizzard that WY is well know for. It was a 5% down grade and the OTR driver in front of me started to Jack-Knife [undecided], and other OTR Driver behind me had enough time to come on the CB and tell me that I had to get around or I was gonaa be crushed as he was starting to lose control of his rig. At first I didn’t even touch the break pedal. I reached down and used the manual trailer control and then slowly applied the break pedal until all were in sync. I was able to ease through the whole thing with the driver following me right behind me following in my line on the break down lane. We radioed to make sure the other OTR driver was ok and thankfully he was able to keep all on the road. At the bottom of the hill, we stopper white knuckled and all at a fuel station and had a cup up coffee. The funny thing was when I parked my pickup in the parking lot (very slight grade,) closed the door, and got my footing on the shear ICE, set my alarm, and then my pickup and trailer slid ten feet away from me into a snow bank [undecided]. It was very slipper and ridiculously windy! In short, I feel that the Jordan and the gray matter working upstairs ???(for driving skill/luck) saved my behind. It could have been just not my time, but WOW I was very happy to have been using that controller at the time. The OTR drivers were both amazed as well, and stated they did not think the would have been able to accomplish that with the ones they have on the personal vehicles. Which brands they had I don’t know. Yep, you guessed it I don’t want to go through that again!

Gary,

I think proper adjusted is the key, for all applications. You’re right it ain’t no slouch either! Both are good. I just don’t want to try that situation again with any controller, heck I don’t want to be in that situation ever again, but I do make the trips to CO and NE via that route several time a year.

Cheers to a safe drive, anywhere we are on the roads. My hats off to the many OTR Drivers out there every day that face all kinds of crap every day. 8)

Kyle

 

Haulin in Dixie,<br><br>I for one appreciate any comments and suggestions. None of us are going to learn anything from one another if we can't express our opinion for fear of someone else gettin' their undies in a wad! &gt;<br><br>The points about the Jordan and your use for OTR are very valuable. I also agree with Gary though. I was taught to use a light brake setting on the trailer as I have seen too many trailers lock up under light braking and come around ahead of the tow vehicle in that situation. And I agree that adjustment is key. I am one of the rare people whi actually test their brake settings everytime I hook up. Most never check them until they don't think they're working.<br><br>I approach towing in bad weather that I am only going to be towing under those circumstances if I can decide how fast and how far I have to go in those conditions. So, I have the luxury of setting the brake controller light and driving slow. I can always add brake pressure by using the hand controls. I'm quite confortable with that. But it's usually too late to reduce brake controller settings by the time you realize you need to.<br><br>But all of your comments and suggestions make sense and are taken as good advice. I am willing to bet that all of you have more experience under those conditions than I. Of course to me, that's a good thing. ;D I'll drive in any weather, but towing, that can get pretty scary!