Prodigy Mount

[Trios]

I pulled the brake controller out of my pickup (http://gmtnation.com/f103/1985-chevy-c30-srw-diesel-w-utility-bed-10355/) and mounted it in the GMT last night. I didn't really like the idea of mounting it directly to the kick panel, and I also wanted to make the change as minimal as possible and try not to dremel/damage/destroy anything in the process. In addition, my Prodigy wouldn't like being so close to vertical on the kick panel. So, after taking apart the kick panel and looking at how things are put together, I came up with a solution with a thin metal bracket.

I started with this:

View attachment 33951

Here's where I was going to mount it:

View attachment 33952

I was going to use the upper-right kick panel screw to hold it in place, but I found that it was too close to the steering wheel/ignition switch and could cause driveability issues there.

So, I tried again, this time coming up with a longer bracket that mounts slightly to the right:

View attachment 33953

Notice the curve in the top of the bracket; this lets it go above where the kick panel installs and then come back down between the panel and the dash. This did necessitate removing one of the 'prongs' (I don't know what else to call it) on the kick panel itself; normally it would insert into a square hole that this bracket is now covering. It just means you have to align it manually on that side before you press the panel into the mount. The bolt on the bottom of the bracket is just a regular nut/bolt combo that I drilled through that metal plate to mount. I also used a very short (to prevent damage behind it) self-tapping screw that you can see in the above pic that went into the plastic behind the panel to add some rigidity to the mount.

View attachment 33954

The kick panel installs perfectly over the bracket without being pushed out. Someday I'll paint the galv steel flat black and replace the screws with shorter ones, but that's what I had on hand last night.

When I'm not using the controller, I have its pigtail tucked into here:

View attachment 33956

All wired up:

View attachment 33955

Overall, the only permanent changes to the truck are 1) Removal of the alignment peg in the kick panel, 2) a small hole for a self-tapper under the kick panel in the dash, and 3) the hole in the metal plate behind the panel for a bolt.

 

[The_Roadie]

I sliced the panel to recess mine, but I know I'll have it forever. It's my nature.

 

[Trios]

I sliced the panel to recess mine, but I know I'll have it forever. It's my nature.

I saw these pics on the OS, but I couldn't bring myself to do this to my rig. I can't be certain how long I'll own it (though I certainly have no plans to sell). I enjoy coming up with solutions to problems - I'm the guy at work that they bring issues to when nobody else can think of a 'conventional' solution...my schemes may be wacky sometimes, but they usually work.

Usually.

 

[C-ya]

I mounted mine on the left side of the lower dash. Doesn't interfere with me (nor I with it) or the OBD2 adapter.

 

[DocBrown]

I mounted mine on the left side of the lower dash. Doesn't interfere with me (nor I with it) or the OBD2 adapter.

This is where I mounted my pod. Worked great. Never got in the way.

 

[Trios]

I don't want to have to hunch over to reach down if I want to activate the brakes manually. Sometimes you can get a little bit of tail wagging that can be fixed with a slight brake application.

Also you need to be able to activate the brakes manually while going 20-30 mph in order to set the brakes properly without locking them up; hard to do when you gotta hunch over.

 

[Mark20]

I don't want to have to hunch over to reach down if I want to activate the brakes manually. Sometimes you can get a little bit of tail wagging that can be fixed with a slight brake application.

Also you need to be able to activate the brakes manually while going 20-30 mph in order to set the brakes properly without locking them up; hard to do when you gotta hunch over.

I've always mounted the controller so the passenger can also reach it. Once my wife got the pop-up camper into sway and she did not know what to do (I had explained it to her). I was able to reach over, activate the trailer brakes and get it under control.