Towing with a 2006 Cayenne S

[Vman]

I have a 2006 Cayenne S with a dealer installed tow package and an aftermarket but dealer installed Tekonsha Voyager controller.

Will the Voyager controller work or am I better off ditching it and going to surge brakes or an analog controller? Seems a ton of horror stories with early Cayennes and the Teknohsa Prodigy controllers due to some voltage mismatch (controller went off at 4v and cayenne would spike at 7 v..so brakes would hit under accelleration.)

Surge brakes suck when backing up, as I am told they don't work as you have to manually unlock them. I have heard mixed reviews on surge brakes working well on steep descents, some say they are fine, others say they suck. Living in CA and having to go over the grapevine...brakes are important.

The max hitch load - tongue weight in the owner's manual makes no sense it is now listed at 308 lbs, yet the car is suppose to be able to tow an over 6,000 lb braked load up to 12% grade...which would mean a tounge weight of around 600 lbs. Note - my car does not have air suspension....is hitch load going to be a problem? Even the lightest open trailer with a 2500lb race car and race tires will come in around 4,000lb and need to put about 400 to 500 lbs of load on the hitch to pull right.

Options

Trailex open trailer with surge brakes and incadescent lights (they have given up on selling electronic brakes and leds lighted trailers to cayenne owners due to problems 1,000 lbs with tire rack.

Featherlight open trailer with electronic brakes and led's lights 1600 lbs with tire rack.

Any advice would be great. Note - I have decided against a enclosed trailer due to the limited wheelbase of the Cayenne S when combined with high winds over our California passes could prove a bit too exciting.

Thanks,

VMAN

Edited April 5, 2008 by Vman

[jnphil]

I have the prodigy controller in mine and it has worked fine. You just have to connect the brake sensor wire directly instead of going through the harness. I have heard that the Voyager works well too.

FWIW, I do haul a 20' enclosed and really haven't had too much trouble. The 20' is as long as I wanted to go given the wheelbase but highly recommended over an open.

I have a 2006 Cayenne S with a dealer installed tow package and an aftermarket but dealer installed Tekonsha Voyager controller.

Will the Voyager controller work or am I better off ditching it and going to surge brakes or an analog controller? Seems a ton of horror stories with early Cayennes and the Teknohsa Prodigy controllers due to some voltage mismatch (controller went off at 4v and cayenne would spike at 7 v..so brakes would hit under accelleration.)

Surge brakes suck when backing up, as I am told they don't work as you have to manually unlock them. I have heard mixed reviews on surge brakes working well on steep descents, some say they are fine, others say they suck. Living in CA and having to go over the grapevine...brakes are important.

The max hitch load - tongue weight in the owner's manual makes no sense it is now listed at 308 lbs, yet the car is suppose to be able to tow an over 6,000 lb braked load up to 12% grade...which would mean a tounge weight of around 600 lbs. Note - my car does not have air suspension....is hitch load going to be a problem? Even the lightest open trailer with a 2500lb race car and race tires will come in around 4,000lb and need to put about 400 to 500 lbs of load on the hitch to pull right.

Options

Trailex open trailer with surge brakes and incadescent lights (they have given up on selling electronic brakes and leds lighted trailers to cayenne owners due to problems 1,000 lbs with tire rack.

Featherlight open trailer with electronic brakes and led's lights 1600 lbs with tire rack.

Any advice would be great. Note - I have decided against a enclosed trailer due to the limited wheelbase of the Cayenne S when combined with high winds over our California passes could prove a bit too exciting.

Thanks,

VMAN

[Vman]

Thanks

I have the prodigy controller in mine and it has worked fine. You just have to connect the brake sensor wire directly instead of going through the harness. I have heard that the Voyager works well too.

FWIW, I do haul a 20' enclosed and really haven't had too much trouble. The 20' is as long as I wanted to go given the wheelbase but highly recommended over an open.

I have a 2006 Cayenne S with a dealer installed tow package and an aftermarket but dealer installed Tekonsha Voyager controller.

Will the Voyager controller work or am I better off ditching it and going to surge brakes or an analog controller? Seems a ton of horror stories with early Cayennes and the Teknohsa Prodigy controllers due to some voltage mismatch (controller went off at 4v and cayenne would spike at 7 v..so brakes would hit under accelleration.)

Surge brakes suck when backing up, as I am told they don't work as you have to manually unlock them. I have heard mixed reviews on surge brakes working well on steep descents, some say they are fine, others say they suck. Living in CA and having to go over the grapevine...brakes are important.

The max hitch load - tongue weight in the owner's manual makes no sense it is now listed at 308 lbs, yet the car is suppose to be able to tow an over 6,000 lb braked load up to 12% grade...which would mean a tounge weight of around 600 lbs. Note - my car does not have air suspension....is hitch load going to be a problem? Even the lightest open trailer with a 2500lb race car and race tires will come in around 4,000lb and need to put about 400 to 500 lbs of load on the hitch to pull right.

Options

Trailex open trailer with surge brakes and incadescent lights (they have given up on selling electronic brakes and leds lighted trailers to cayenne owners due to problems 1,000 lbs with tire rack.

Featherlight open trailer with electronic brakes and led's lights 1600 lbs with tire rack.

Any advice would be great. Note - I have decided against a enclosed trailer due to the limited wheelbase of the Cayenne S when combined with high winds over our California passes could prove a bit too exciting.

Thanks,

VMAN