Factory Trailer Brake

[Kevin719]

I occasionally tow a 7k car hauler, on my 01 Cummins I adjusted the brake controller with the trailer empty and when it was loaded I would increase the boost on the controller to increase the braking. Now I set up my 2018 2500 factory controller empty under the light electric setting, do I need to do something when the trailer is loaded, do I switch to heavy electric or does the system automatically adjust and I leave it alone?

 

[jhenderson]

A 7K trailer is still light. Simply adjusting the gain should be all you need to do.

 

[LandShark]

It's pretty much a guessing game since Ram gives us no info on how to set up the Integrated Braking System. If the empty trailer brakes well at Light and low gain you may be fine to just bump up the gain a few numbers, as jhenderson suggested. Otherwise, go the the Heavy level and try a lower gain. It's easy to check with the manual lever, and I do that every day when I'm hooked up.

I find that electric drum brake performance is somewhat random at best, so your results may vary. Let us know what you find out.

 

[Kevin719]

Thanks for the input, I guess I'll load it up and experiment with it.

 

[jhenderson]

Either the light or heavy setting will provide full voltage to the brakes. The difference is how aggressively they ramp up early in the braking process. Remember, the trailer brakes are there to stop the trailer. Not the truck and trailer. They should prevent the trailer from pushing the truck at a stop. They should not slow the truck any faster than the truck stops when not towing with the same brake pressure.

 

[JackFate]

Try light electric 6-8 setting

I run 8 light electric pulling #8000-9000#

 

[Cummins12V98]

No matter how well light works give heavy a try also.

 

[Lynx0849]

I run 10 light with MY 7000 lb trailer. All the brakes on trailers are different.
I tow down to a flat area, take it to about 15mph and apply the manual lever. Based on how it feels, I change the gain.


Pro

 

[jhenderson]

I run 10 light with MY 7000 lb trailer. All the brakes on trailers are different.
I tow down to a flat area, take it to about 15mph and apply the manual lever. Based on how it feels, I change the gain.


Pro

What truck has a factory controller? You only list an 05. They didn’t have one. As for 15 mph ; it’s well documented that the later factory controllers pull voltage out below 30 mph. That means too much brake at speed using your method.

 

[Lynx0849]

What truck has a factory controller? You only list an 05. They didn’t have one. As for 15 mph ; it’s well documented that the later factory controllers pull voltage out below 30 mph. That means too much brake at speed using your method.

Sorry, I have not been able to update my sig.
Ram 3500 2015 Cummins


Pro

 

[jhenderson]

Your year truck is the same year as mine. After running actual voltage tests on road, with the trailer attached. I found the max voltage to the trailer at less than 30 mph to be 6.8 volts. That’s one of the reasons the factory was forced to come up with a TSB. In 15 the part number changed for the factory controller along with programming for trailer sway control. Unfortunately they spoiled the basic function of the integrated brake controller. The flash helps a little but doesn’t cure the low voltage. That’s why you need to set the gain so high at 15 mph. At road speed your brakes are set too aggressively.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I run 10 light with MY 7000 lb trailer. All the brakes on trailers are different.
I tow down to a flat area, take it to about 15mph and apply the manual lever. Based on how it feels, I change the gain.


Pro

Have you tried Heavy with less gain?

 

[SnoKing]

I found that Heavy Electric over Hydraulic worked better with the drum brakes on our 2017 16K 5th wheel. SnoKing

 

[EZeis]

It's pretty much a guessing game since Ram gives us no info on how to set up the Integrated Braking System. If the empty trailer brakes well at Light and low gain you may be fine to just bump up the gain a few numbers, as jhenderson suggested. Otherwise, go the the Heavy level and try a lower gain. It's easy to check with the manual lever, and I do that every day when I'm hooked up.

I find that electric drum brake performance is somewhat random at best, so your results may vary. Let us know what you find out.

My owners manual states light is under 10,000 lbs and heavy is 10,000 lbs or more. It also tells you how to set the gain. 2018 truck and manual. So your owners manual doesn't have that info in it?

Earl

 

[Slaw32]

Ok , how do I get to heavy setting . When I hook up trailer light load is all I have . How do you get to heavy load?

 

[Newsa]

Ok , how do I get to heavy setting . When I hook up trailer light load is all I have . How do you get to heavy load?

That's weird. It's on the first trailer towing screen if i remember correctly. It automatically comes up when you pull the lever on the controller or plug in a trailer.

Maybe try arrowing (backing out of) light trailer brake?

 

[gsbrockman]

Ok , how do I get to heavy setting . When I hook up trailer light load is all I have . How do you get to heavy load?

Which radio do you have....3.0 or 5.0?

 

[Slaw32]

Which radio do you have....3.0 or 5.0?

pretty sure it's the 3.0

 

[gsbrockman]

pretty sure it's the 3.0

Backup camera in rear view mirror or stereo screen?

 

[Slaw32]

Stero screen