Sucks about the damage. It's too late to point it out but I'm guessing you'll be still towing in future so maybe worth mentioning that not all controllers are created equal. There are 3 main kinds available;
Non variable Simplest kind available. Regardless of how hard you brake, the controller applies the same amount of braking to the trailer. Most of these kind are cheap and have just one knob to adjust the amount of pressure, and a button to activate the brake independantly. Worst kind there is, and guys who have them are constantly fooling with the knob if they carry different loads each time. It's hard to get the right amount of braking for different scenarios, say if you set it light and need to lock up it wont have enough power. If you set it heavy and you're just coasting and need a little speed reduction it will jerk the tow vehicle hard.
Time based variable This type is adjustable as above, but applies greater pressure over time. You can usually choose where it starts on the "ramp". The longer you have the brake activated, the harder it brakes. This kind seems ok most of the time as compared to the non variable. When you apply the brakes coasting, you get a light braking. Trouble is if you need continuously a small amount of braking you have to keep releasing and reapplying the foot brake because it applies more and more pressure over time. It's not much use in a panic stop scenario, you lock up the tow vehicle and the trailer applies very light brakes.
Gyro based variable These are the best kind. The old ones had a pendulum arm which swing by G force. You apply a small amount of brake, the arm swings a little and applies a small amount of brake. You lock up, the arm swings hard and locks up trailer too. Apply brakes progressively and so does the controller. Modern types are gyro based but work just as well. Modern electric versions of this have many options.
I use the tekonsha P3 prodigy. It's a modern electric version of the gyro. Seems complicated but it's pretty straightforward and can control both electric and hydraulic brakes. which is handy if you have both types of trailers. Install and setup is pretty straight forward. To set it up, go for a drive and use the manual engaging lever on the controller. It applies brakes progressively as you pull the lever more. Pull it all the way. If the trailer doesn't lock up, turn the voltage up and try again until it just locks up. Then turn it down one or two clicks. That's it.
It senses your braking and applies the same amount as you do to the trailer. It will lock up hard if you do, aplly soft if you do, and there's a manual lever if you need to hold the trailer in place for whatever reason. There's a disable button if you don't want brakes reversing. And there's a boost button for the size of your load. It has no boost, 1,2,3 and a picture of a bigger trailer comes up as you increase boost. Boost is the only button I use. I drive a chip truck with chipper and have no boost empty, level 1 if half full and level 2 if completely full. The unit works flawlessly and has self diagnostics so it warns you if the brakes are not connected or have come loose, or just aren't working. Cost of entry is about a hundred bucks.
Shaun
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