So after seeing some posts around potential counterfeit trailer brake controllers, I decided to purchase three different units and tear them down to see the differences. The three units I purchased are:

1. Ford Unit (From Tasca Parts): $200+
2. “Ford Unit” (From eBay Seller): $50..
3. A Unit that isn’t branded Ford, but is sold for $100

Threads I’m referencing:
https://www.f150forum.com/f118/trail...ailure-539736/
https://www.f150forum.com/f2/2017-f-...roller-554675/
https://www.reddit.com/r/f150/commen...trailer_brake/

Here is the video if you want this more in depth.


I decided to look at each one, weigh them before I took them apart and compare all the plastics to see the differences. There were significant differences on both the inside and outside.

Comparison of the Inside:


$230 OEM Ford vs $50 "Ford" unit


Off Branded Unit (Looks exactly like OEM front face)


"$50" Ford Unit

$230 OEM unit


Hopefully this helps someone when they are looking at what units to purchase for TBCs. There are definitely some MAJOR differences between the ones you can buy from Ford (OEM) and other channels... Even ones that are marked "Ford" but not sold through a Ford channel.

 

Nice write up! Thanks for posting this. Although I added an OEM from the start, I'm sure this will be useful for anyone tempted to buy a cheaper counterfeit controller.

 

I purchased one of those mid-priced unit before I bought OEM from Ford. The cheaper version wouldn’t stay connected and it was also determined to be the cause of multiple incidents of dead battery issues after only two a half days of not driving the truck. Cheaper costs more…

 

Anyone even considering buying a TBC from other than a Known Dealer or Tasca should definitely view this video before deciding where to throw their money.

 

Thanks and yea I do agree. I was shocked when I looked at how many components are in the Ford OEM unit vs the alleged knockoff unit. Taking them apart, you really do get what you pay for in terms of a trailer brake controller... I'm not surprised so many people have had issues with the knockoffs or off branded units.

 

Thanks for spending the money and taking time to do this. Perhaps a moderator can make this a sticky.

 

You are welcome! It's definitely an interesting topic that I wanted to investigate further. Luckily my channel covers most of my costs of what I do on YouTube.

If there are any other parts you think would be interested in comparing let me know! This is the only one that really hit home with me since I saw so many people commenting with issues on my install video.