I want to add a factory break controller.

[Jeff Slopek]

I purchased a 2017 Dodge Ram 3500. It has an exhaust break but did not come with a break controller. I have been looking online and I can purchase the gain switch and harness. Question is, if I purchase these to items will it be plug and play or will I need to flash the OBD to recognize the controller?

 

[EZeis]

Sales code will need enabled. Can do it at the dealer or add it yourself with alfaobd. Exhaust brake was standard.

Earl

 

[MrZippy]

Or you could add an after market progidy P3 controller with the RAM harness and it would be a much better IBC. Costs half what you'll have in the ram unit, and it takes about 20 minutes to install. I bypassed my stock RAM IBC, due to it not being able to handle the 15K fifth wheel brakes.

 

[Killgore]

X2 on the Progidy P3. We've had one for about five years and it has been flawless. We're pulling and stopping over 19,500 lbs. (etrailer.com)

 

[EZeis]

I had two P3 units and didn't care for them. Never knew how they would brake. Every time I stepped on the brake I didn't know if it would be enough power, too much power or kinda synced. The second one the buttons kept sticking. Contacted customer service, got back to me a month later, after I threw it out.

OEM controller is much better. Smooth and synced. No gamble of what it's going to do like the P3. My factory controller is much like the Brakesmart I had back in the day. Factory unit works excellent with my recent disc brake conversion. Much rather have the factory controller. Had no issues with it, no weird crap like the P3 would do. To this day I don't know why so many recommend them. Guess they never had better? I've had all kinds over my life. Even the old school hydraulic tap. Now those worked excellent too. Had the Jordan cable to the brake pedal. Early electronic ones with setting the level of the pendulum. Anyways, my 18 Ram factory unit and the Brakesmart have been my top two so far.
I pull a 13k 5th wheel. OEM controller will smoke the trailer tires, especially with the disc brakes.

Earl

 

[EZeis]

Or you could add an after market progidy P3 controller with the RAM harness and it would be a much better IBC. Costs half what you'll have in the ram unit, and it takes about 20 minutes to install. I bypassed my stock RAM IBC, due to it not being able to handle the 15K fifth wheel brakes.

Did you have the settings correct? You'd be surprised how many don't realize there are 4 settings besides gain. 15k trailer, you'd want heavy electric or heavy eoh depending what you have for brakes.


Earl

 

[Cummins12V98]

Max Brake died. OE controller flashed. Not pleased still. P3 no better actually not as good. Going back to OE.

part of my issue was the brakes on the RV.

 

[EZeis]

Max Brake died. OE controller flashed. Not pleased still. P3 no better actually not as good. Going back to OE.

part of my issue was the brakes on the RV.

Gotta have good brakes and wiring to start with along with correct controller settings.

On heavy eoh on gain of 7, I can lay skids with the trailer. At 7.5 I laid a long set of skids and a huge smoke cloud at 70mph when the traffic suddenly stopped. That's why I dropped it to 7. May have to go to 6.5.


Earl

 

[Cummins12V98]

Gotta have good brakes and wiring to start with along with correct controller settings.

On heavy eoh on gain of 7, I can lay skids with the trailer. At 7.5 I laid a long set of skids and a huge smoke cloud at 70mph when the traffic suddenly stopped. That's why I dropped it to 7. May have to go to 6.5.


Earl

Two calipers with bad grommets.

all new EBC brakes, new rotors and new calipers. GOLDEN.

I miss my MAX Brake!

 

[EZeis]

Two calipers with bad grommets.

all new EBC brakes, new rotors and new calipers. GOLDEN.

I miss my MAX Brake!

I was looking at buying a maxbrake to try but they went out of business before I bought one. I still have my Brakesmart. Brakesmart and my 2018 OEM controller have been the best I ever had. Followed by the old hydraulic tap ones.


Earl

 

[SnoKing]

This is now the best aftermarket controller available.

https://www.brakecontroller.com/direclink.htm

I loved my Maxbrake!!!! Should have keep it when I sold the 2001.5. SnoKing

 

[EZeis]

This is now the best aftermarket controller available.

https://www.brakecontroller.com/direclink.htm

I loved my Maxbrake!!!! Should have keep it when I sold the 2001.5. SnoKing

Saw that brand and few years back. Not sure how much better than a P3 it is. If I didn't have the ibc and love it, I'd buy one to try. I'm extremely sceptical of all brake controllers. Company and owners claim they are the best and when you try it, you're like WTH, this is total garbage. Hence why I've tried so many brands, types and styles of controllers.


Earl

 

[Cummins12V98]

I still have my MaxBrake and was told I need to do a hard reset? When I plugged the 7 pin when hitching the hydraulic actuator started buzzing like it was applying the brakes. Can't remember what the controller said. I unplugged and re connected OE.

REALLY would like to get the MB back up and running, any Ideas?

 

[EZeis]

I still have my MaxBrake and was told I need to do a hard reset? When I plugged the 7 pin when hitching the hydraulic actuator started buzzing like it was applying the brakes. Can't remember what the controller said. I unplugged and re connected OE.

REALLY would like to get the MB back up and running, any Ideas?

You probably need the module for your hydraulic unit to think you have electric brakes. Or wire 4 magnets into the circuit. Is maxbrake compatible with eoh? Is there a setting for eoh? Any one of the modules from any brand would work. All it does is fool the controller into thinking you have electric brakes so it doesn't run the pump.

Earl

 

[Cummins12V98]

It worked great for at least a year with this current 15 and was on my previous 11 HO for 3 years with both RV's having EOH/Disk brakes. It just tweaked out.

 

[SnoKing]

Got to have pictures or it never happen. SnoKing

 

[AH64ID]

part of my issue was the brakes on the RV.

Very common issue when people complain about the OEM IBC. It’s much more sensitive to trailer brake issues.

With brakes in good working order it’s a great controller. I prefer factory to my maxbrake. That’s simply due the integration, as they both work the same for me and the 3-4 main different trailers I tow. I do miss the park brake function thou, but I don’t miss not being able to read the screen with polarized sunglasses on.

 

[SnoKing]

Wrong thread.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Very common issue when people complain about the OEM IBC. It’s much more sensitive to trailer brake issues.

With brakes in good working order it’s a great controller. I prefer factory to my maxbrake. That’s simply due the integration, as they both work the same for me and the 3-4 main different trailers I tow. I do miss the park brake function thou, but I don’t miss not being able to read the screen with polarized sunglasses on.

With my 100% new brake/bearing/OilBath Seal upgrades the brakes worked great with the P-3 I currently have hooked up. Just don't like the P-3 and will re install OE that has been flashed and see how it works.

Somewhere along the way I would still like to get the MB working.

 

[SnoKing]

With my 100% new brake/bearing/OilBath Seal upgrades the brakes worked great with the P-3 I currently have hooked up. Just don't like the P-3 and will re install OE that has been flashed and see how it works.

Somewhere along the way I would still like to get the MB working.

Both the BrakeSmart and MaxBrake were in the 350 cost range. I passed on the BrakeSmart early on because on cost. Along came MaxBrake and I hated my Prodigy controller, so I bought a MaxBrake. Should have bought the BrakeSmart years earlier!

Now the higher cost was the death of both, as people generally did not want to spend that much for a brake controller and factory ones were becoming standard fair. SnoKing