The Brake Controller You Can Swap Between Vehicles in 5 Minutes
No drilling. No install costs. No being locked into one vehicle.
Our plug-and-play kits get you hitched and towing — properly and legally — without touching your dash.
- Swap between any vehicle in minutes
- Use in work vehicles with zero modifications
- Remove and reinstall whenever you like
- Road legal in every Australian state — ADR approved
From $320 • 36-month warranty • Free bench testing if anything’s ever not right
First time towing? Here’s what you need to know.
In Australia, if you’re towing a trailer or caravan over 750kg, you’re required by law to have a brake controller — a device that activates your trailer’s electric brakes in sync with your vehicle. Most people fit a permanent unit: drilled into the dash, wired to the battery, fixed in place. That’s fine if you only ever tow with one vehicle and you own the rig.
But what if you’re:
- Borrowing or hiring a trailer for the weekend?
- Sharing a caravan between two vehicles?
- Driving a work ute you can’t modify?
- Just not ready to commit to a permanent install yet?
That’s what a portable brake controller solves. Same legal compliance, same braking performance — but it plugs in, does its job, and comes out when you’re done. No tools, no drill, no sparky.
Three steps. Then you’re towing.
Step 1 — Plug In
Connect to your vehicle’s accessory socket. No wiring. No tools.
Step 2 — Leave Within Reach
No need to mount. Sit it in the console or cup holder — cable runs to the rear.
Step 3 — Hook Up and Go
Connect your trailer. Do your checks. Drive. The controller does the rest.
No tools. No electrician. No drama.
We build to suit your trailer plug — not the other way around.
We offer multiple plug configurations so your kit works with your trailer exactly as-is:
| Plug Type | Common Application |
|---|---|
| 7 Pin Flat | Most common — caravans, box trailers, boat trailers |
| 12 Pin Flat | Newer caravans with additional electrics |
| Large Round | Older heavy trailers and trucks |
| Small Round | Common in Western Australia |
Browse configurations and order →
Not sure which one you need? Tell us your vehicle and trailer and we’ll spec the right kit.
Portable doesn’t mean cheap. These kits are built to last.
We know what you’re thinking: “It’s just a plug-in thing — how good can it really be?” Fair question. Here’s the honest answer.
Every unit we sell is built in our own workshop, using components we’d fit to our own vehicles.
- Australian-made Tycab cable — tougher and more temperature-stable than imported alternatives
- Fully soldered trailer plug joins — no loose connections, ever
- Dual-wall heat shrink throughout — seals out moisture for the long haul
- Narva accessory plug — consistent, reliable power draw every time
Over 30 years of workshop experience behind every kit. HS Motors has been keeping vehicles on Australian roads since the 1970s.
Worried a portable unit won’t perform as well as a permanent fit? The braking control is identical. The only difference is where the controller lives — on a bracket instead of drilled through your dash.
Every single unit is bench tested before it ships.
Not spot-checked. Not batch-tested. Every. Single. Unit.
We built our own test rig specifically for this — because packing and shipping without testing isn’t something we’re prepared to do.
- Run through simulated braking conditions
- Checked for correct output and performance
- Verified before it goes in the satchel
If it doesn’t pass, it doesn’t ship. Simple as that.
Why HS Auto Parts developed Aussie Brake Controllers
We Work on the tools in the workshop every day - When we can't find what we need we build it.
30+ Years in the Business working in our own Mechanics & Auto Electricians business in Melbourne.
Every unit we sell is built in our own workshop, using components we’d use on our own vehicles.
I Personally Back our Parts.
-Michael Toone (HS Chief Gearhead)
19,000+
Auto parts sold
99.7%
Positive feedback rating
36-Month
Warranty on every kit
Bench Tested
Every Unit tested before shipping
Is a portable brake controller right for you?
If any of these sound like your situation — yes, it is.
| Your Situation | Why Portable Works |
|---|---|
| Hiring or borrowing a trailer | Take it with you. Return the trailer without it. |
| Sharing a caravan between two vehicles | One controller works in both. No install on either. |
| Company or fleet vehicle | Zero modifications required — job done. |
| Weekend towing only | No permanent fixture cluttering your dash 50 weeks a year. |
| First-time tower | Start with portable, upgrade later if your setup changes. |
| Hiring a caravan or camper | Legal compliance without touching the hire vehicle. |
Legal in every Australian state. No exceptions.
- ADR compliant (Australian Design Rules)
- Legal in every Australian state and territory
- ESC compatible (Electronic Stability Control)
- Suitable for all trailers and caravans with electric brakes
Not sure whether your trailer has electric brakes or what configuration you need?
Message us — we’ll sort it out for you at no charge.
The rule in Australia is straightforward: if your trailer or caravan has electric brakes fitted, you need a working brake controller.
No exceptions.
Our portable units meet this requirement fully:
Common Questions
Yes. Our units are ADR compliant and legal in every Australian state and territory. If your trailer or caravan has electric brakes, a portable controller meets the legal requirement — no permanent install needed.
For braking performance, yes. The control and response is identical. The difference is where the unit lives — on a dash bracket rather than drilled in. Build quality matters though, which is why ours use Australian-made cable, fully soldered joins, and dual-wall heat shrink. Cheap portable units do exist — ours aren’t one of them.
It depends on your trailer. We offer 7 Pin Flat (most common), 12 Pin Flat, Large Round, and Small Round (WA). Not sure? Tell us your vehicle and trailer — we’ll spec the right kit for you at no charge.
Under 5 minutes for most people. Plug into the accessory socket, leave the unit within reach, connect your trailer, do your safety checks and drive. No tools, no wiring, no electrician.
No. That’s the point. Plug-in setup only — no wiring, no modifications to your vehicle whatsoever.
36 months on every kit. If something’s ever not right, send it back — we’ll put it on our bench test rig and tell you exactly what’s happening. No charge, no guessing.
Yes. Because there are no modifications required — no drilling, no permanent wiring — it’s suitable for hire vehicles, fleet vehicles, or any vehicle you can’t modify.
If something’s ever not right — send it back. We’ll test it.
If your kit ever seems off — wrong output, feels inconsistent, anything — send it back to us. We’ll put it on the test rig and tell you exactly what’s happening. No charge. No guessing. No “we can’t replicate the issue.”
36-month warranty on every kit. Built to last. Backed to prove it.
Questions before you buy? Message the team. You’re not going into a support queue — you’re talking to the people who built and tested your kit.
Ready to ditch the drill?
Stop paying for permanent installs on vehicles that change. Go portable, go reliable, go legal — in under 5 minutes.
From $320 — ready to ship. Free bench testing included. 36-month warranty on every kit.
- Workshop built and tested
- Australian-made cable
- ADR approved
- Ready to ship
- 36-month warranty
