Factory brake controller

[Joseph Sobiech]

Why go through all that when the voltage at the truck plug is the problem? When you see a pile of horse manure you don’t go looking for a zebra.

Lol I will check it out asap. Truck is in shop with my snowmobile trailer with eletric brakes sence Monday hope they are finding the problem.

 

[Wiredawg]

MaxBrake hands down the best EVER!!! Sad but it started making my actuator buss when connecting. No Idea why. So I went back to my OE flashed controller. Works but NOT impressed so I installed a P3. Not impressed again! I don't like applying the brakes and basically no trailer braking until there is stopping force to get voltage to brakes.

Anyone know what my issue may be with MB???

Ron, Did you mean buzz? I'm definitely no expert, but my guess is pulse modulation is making act and react. Nothing is simple any more, so learning the factory brake controller is, at least for me, the way to try to optimize its performance and understand the limits of its operating range. How to make it work with almost anything we plug into it.

I'm sure some more educated folks, hot shotters?, could chime in. I'm sure they see/ hear a lot of brake controller info.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Cummins12V98]

Sorry, yes "BUZZ" sound from the Hydraulic Actuator for the RV's Disk Brakes when connecting truck to trailer.

 

[Wiredawg]

Sorry, yes "BUZZ" sound from the Hydraulic Actuator for the RV's Disk Brakes when connecting truck to trailer.

Yes, I think the PWM voltage and hydraulic brake pulses are the crux of the issue. In the OPs case, I believe any additional impedance from connections, optimally adjusted brakes, lubed/cleaned electro magnets, could all play a part in this. And, OP could still have a problem with his truck and controller.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm planning on going through my fiver and my truck, learning connectors and components in a few months when I'm back on my feet.

I'll keep watching and adding as we go thru this.

Cheers Ron

 

[EZeis]

MaxBrake hands down the best EVER!!! Sad but it started making my actuator buss when connecting. No Idea why. So I went back to my OE flashed controller. Works but NOT impressed so I installed a P3. Not impressed again! I don't like applying the brakes and basically no trailer braking until there is stopping force to get voltage to brakes.

Anyone know what my issue may be with MB???

Does the maxbrake have an electric over hydraulic setting?


Earl

 

[Joseph Sobiech]

So I have just been told that this is the way the brake system works and that I would have to put an after market system on my truck. I don't understand the Dodge truck is capable of pulling up to 31000 pounds with the right set up when you can't stop a trailer this is unbelievable.

 

[Wiredawg]

So I have just been told that this is the way the brake system works and that I would have to put an after market system on my truck. I don't understand the Dodge truck is capable of pulling up to 31000 pounds with the right set up when you can't stop a trailer this is unbelievable.

Joe,
I had a feeling this was the answer you would get. We're still happy to help if you want, to figure out how to optimize your setup to get it to work for you. I'm even thinking about opening, greasing with dielectric grease, and reconnecting associated towing circuit connectors on the truck. Your truck could be the baseline for this effort.

Anyway, still thinking and studying. I have 10 plus weeks convalescence from surgery to research and help.

Let us know what you think,

Ron

 

[Joseph Sobiech]

Joe,
I had a feeling this was the answer you would get. We're still happy to help if you want, to figure out how to optimize your setup to get it to work for you. I'm even thinking about opening, greasing with dielectric grease, and reconnecting associated towing circuit connectors on the truck. Your truck could be the baseline for this effort.

Anyway, still thinking and studying. I have 10 plus weeks convalescence from surgery to research and help.

Let us know what you think,

Ron

I feel like I'm the only person in the whole world that has this problem there is got to be many people out there with the same problem anyone who his pulling over 18000 pounds my guess would be. I just got off the phone with a ram and I have a case number they are going to look onto it. I would love to know how many people out there that have the Same problem. I have been a mopar fan my whole life all my vehicles that ever owned have been mopars this is my 6th truck 2nd diesel I cant imagine owning anything else and now I was just told to buy after market parts. After spending a ton of money on a truck.

 

[RaceC]

Here is my experience with a 2016 3500 and a 14,000 lb 5th wheel trailer.
Factory ITBC and electric drum brakes on trailer = Not Good. Poor rapid stop braking below 30 mph.
Prodigy P3 and electric drum brakes on trailer = Good braking. Except for the jerkiness letting off the brakes at 5 mph.
Factory ITBC and disk brakes on same trailer = Very Good. Stops much faster and the brakes engage/disengage smoothly.

From my reading on this problem, lighter trailers (<10,000 lb) with drum brakes work OK with the factory ITBC. Heavy trailers with drum brakes do not stop fast enough at <30 mph.

This problem does vary by model year.

 

[jhenderson]

Joe,
I had a feeling this was the answer you would get. We're still happy to help if you want, to figure out how to optimize your setup to get it to work for you. I'm even thinking about opening, greasing with dielectric grease, and reconnecting associated towing circuit connectors on the truck. Your truck could be the baseline for this effort.

Anyway, still thinking and studying. I have 10 plus weeks convalescence from surgery to research and help.

Let us know what you think,

Ron

How does any of that increase voltage at the truck connector?

 

[Joseph Sobiech]

Here is my experience with a 2016 3500 and a 14,000 lb 5th wheel trailer.
Factory ITBC and electric drum brakes on trailer = Not Good. Poor rapid stop braking below 30 mph.
Prodigy P3 and electric drum brakes on trailer = Good braking. Except for the jerkiness letting off the brakes at 5 mph.
Factory ITBC and disk brakes on same trailer = Very Good. Stops much faster and the brakes engage/disengage smoothly.

From my reading on this problem, lighter trailers (<10,000 lb) with drum brakes work OK with the factory ITBC. Heavy trailers with drum brakes do not stop fast enough at <30 mph.

This problem does vary by model year.

Thank you.

 

[Wiredawg]

How does any of that increase voltage at the truck connector?

Bad, incomplete, damaged, corroded connections, even on a new truck, can increase circuit resistance that can reduce circuit voltage. The sensor input voltage signals are all probably low voltage, that can have even a greater impact. The ITBC is part computer. May not make a difference, but can't hurt either. When I worked for the government, I used to coordinate trouble shooting command and control systems, and came up with some pretty interesting causes.

I use dielectric grease on every connector I touch. I inhibits corrosion and moisture for a better connection.

Ron

 

[Cummins12V98]

Does the maxbrake have an electric over hydraulic setting?


Earl

I think so. It worked fine for a long time, went to hookup and the actuator was applying the brakes for no reason.

 

[SnoKing]

I feel like I'm the only person in the whole world that has this problem there is got to be many people out there with the same problem anyone who his pulling over 18000 pounds my guess would be. I just got off the phone with a ram and I have a case number they are going to look onto it. I would love to know how many people out there that have the Same problem. I have been a mopar fan my whole life all my vehicles that ever owned have been mopars this is my 6th truck 2nd diesel I cant imagine owning anything else and now I was just told to buy after market parts. After spending a ton of money on a truck.

Try EOH heavy. I along with others have found the controller works better even for standard brakes. That is what I run on our 16k 5er.

 

[jhenderson]

No special setting needed with MaxBrake. It actually sensed the brake system hydraulic pressure and applied the appropriate voltage to the trailer system.

 

[Cummins12V98]

No special setting needed with MaxBrake. It actually sensed the brake system hydraulic pressure and applied the appropriate voltage to the trailer system.

Thanks for the clarification. Now tell me why mine makes the actuator apply pressure just from plugging RV into truck???

 

[jhenderson]

Because it’s gone to hell. Dutch and Di had a few misc parts leftover from being a dealer but even those are gone now. Too bad MaxBrake went under. It’s by far the best controller I’ve ever owned. The guy who bought my 3rd gen loves it.

 

[Wiredawg]

No special setting needed with MaxBrake. It actually sensed the brake system hydraulic pressure and applied the appropriate voltage to the trailer system.

You know, come to think of it, I have not reset (read forgot) my controller from heavy electric over hydraulic used for my RV to towing my car hauler and my dump trailer, 6K and 7K axles respectively. I know empty, I have to turn the gain down to keep from burning the tires off of them. I would have thought heavy electric would provide more signal/voltage than EOH, but then there you go about ASSuming.

See, I think the more folks throw info at this, the better we'll figure out important facts about it.

Can't hurt OP to try.

Cheers, Ron

 

[SnoKing]

You know, come to think of it, I have not reset (read forgot) my controller from heavy electric over hydraulic used for my RV to towing my car hauler and my dump trailer, 6K and 7K axles respectively. I know empty, I have to turn the gain down to keep from burning the tires off of them. I would have thought heavy electric would provide more signal/voltage than EOH, but then there you go about ASSuming.

See, I think the more folks throw info at this, the better we'll figure out important facts about it.

Can't hurt OP to try.

Cheers, Ron

You can set up multiple trailers with different settings on the RAM controller rather than changing gain back and forth.

 

[Wiredawg]

You can set up multiple trailers with different settings on the RAM controller rather than changing gain back and forth.

Yep, I set all three trailers up, but have only used Heavy EOH. I forget to change it, so have never actually towed Heavy electric. My dump trailer is heaviest electric brake trailer at 7K lbs empty, so I have to turn gain from 10 to 3 or 4 to keep from locking brakes. Loaded up to 16K lbs, bring it back to about level 7 or 8. I store/ haul my MF 28Hp 4wd tractor with backhoe in the car hauler, about 7 to 8Klbs total. Gain around 6 loaded, about 2 or 3 empty.

I never thought about this until right now. If it had not worked or not worked well, I would likely have remembered the brake controller settings, and selected the correct(?) one.

So you guys have even drug info out of me I had not recognized. Basically, I'm only running heavy electric over hydraulic all the time for all my trailers ranging from 2.7K lb car hauler (empty) with electric brakes to 21.4Klb Mobile Suites with electric over hydraulic brakes.

Just like saying on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In: "VERY INTERESTING!"

Bottom line: OP should try towing with ITBC configured for heavy electric over hydraulic setting.

Cheers, Ron