What do you have your Brake Controller set to.

[JoeFon]

Just purchased a new 2016 Crusader 294RLT fifth wheel dry weight 9033lbs. I was trying to set the brake controller before leaving the parking lot and could not get wheel lock up. I had the new controller set to max 13volts b3. Service department says this is right. I say they are crazy and the trailer brakes need to be adjusted. What setting are you all using for about the same weight trailer?

[53flattie]

I have a trailer that's about half that weight, and mine is set to 5.5, b1. Even though your trailer is more than twice as heavy as mine, I don't think you should need the full max gain and boost setting. Perhaps your 5th wheel brakes need adjusting?


2015 Rockwood 2306
2015 Tundra CrewMax

[Kenny kustom]

Adjust the brakes.



2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Kenny kustom

Adjust the brakes.



2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

Correction, have the dealer adjust them.
It's under warranty.
I wouldn't have left the lot!

[youroo]

When the Brake MFG.assembles the brake assembly the shoes are (Backed Off) so when the Drum is installed there is clearance! NOW between the time that the Drum is installed on the axle and the RV leaves the Factory (SOMEONE) has to adjust the Brakes!! F/R says Dexter-Dexter says F/R,the end result is The DEALER should (Check and Adjust) BEFORE the Owner even shows up for their PDI! We have been through ALL of this very Issue with brakes! Youroo!!

[drittal]

2015 Ram owners may be experiencing the same issue as the OP. Ram went to a new ITBM that uses ABS and and accelerometer to adjust the pulse width modulation to the trailer brakes.

2015 Ram owners with 8k and up trailers are finding they cannot lock up their brakes using the slide bar. Trips to Ram result in being told everything is functioning as intended and it's a trailer issue. The resulting trip to the trailer dealer finds the brakes are properly setup and functioning properly.

My father's 2012 Ram with ITBM locks my brakes no problem. I can't lock my brakes at 10 gain on light or heavy electric.

There is 20+ pages on this and the associated frustration with RAM and the dealerships over on a Ram forum.

[ebcobra93]

I have a Prodigy P3 controller with a much smaller TT (2016 Roo 183). I have this same issue and have posted on the forums about it (month or so ago). The brake controller is maxed out, but I never achieve brake lockup while calibrating per the Prodigy set up procedure. The brakes do engage strongly, but not enough to lock them up. All of the feedback I received suggest that the brakes should be adjusted.

I talked to a tech at Prodigy about the issue and they say that it sounds like the brakes may need to be adjusted, but that they have heard of a few other instances where the TT brakes just don't grab hard enough even on the highest setting (and when the brakes are adjusted properly).

I have adjusted the brakes myself without any change in their performance. I just put the trailer in storage for the winter and will re-visit this again in the spring. My next step will be to get the brakes looked at by the dealer, although they tell me that the brakes were verified to be adjusted properly when I picked up the trailer earlier this year.

[clr]

I have a 2010 F350 with the Integrated Brake Controller IBC and I run with the gain set at 7 for my 40 5er. I agree you should check the RV brake adjustment first. Just keep in mind that will a IBC (computer) integrated with traction control and anti lock braking systems it is next to impossible to lock up the RV brakes when you are rolling. You will find several threads on this subject. Some of the new Ram TV do have a problem with the voltage being applied to the RV brakes but since you have a GMC that is not your problem. If after you get the RV brakes checked you still have a problem read the voltage on the plug going the brakes of the RV and let us know the reading with max breaking. Hope this help you, but you may not be having any real problem here.

[j free]

Just a thought. The TV have more advanced antilock break systems on them could this be affecting the TT breaks from locking up. My F350 also dose not lock up the breaks and I have the manufactures trailer system. However I can manually press the button and the trailer will stop the truck and trailer with no issues. Just a thought.

[Night Stone]

My bc is the Tekonsha p3, I don't have a heavy trailer but I have a smaller trailer and have it set to b2(tandem axle) and at 6.5. At that setting my brakes locked up, but the dealer had to do some work on my trailer brakes to get them to lock up. They have found the front axle brake's wiring was not completely connected from the factory since we bought it new. They also found one ground wire that is causing a short.

So as others stated above, you need the brakes adjusted and especially while its still under warranty. Mine was out of warranty when I discover the issue, which cost me 800 out of pocket for the diagnose and repair. They had to trace out what was causing my brakes not to lock up with the bc.

[TGR]

It could be that your new trailer's brake shoes aren't properly seated to the drums. This was a problem I had when my trailer was delivered.

Here is the seating procedure provided by Lippert (although it will work on other setups):

Prior to any adjustments, your trailer brakes should be burnished-in by applying the brakes 20-30 times with a 20 m.p.h. decrease in speed, e.g. 40 m.p.h. to 20 m.p.h. Allow ample time for brakes to cool between application. This allows the brake shoes and magnets to begin seating to the brake drum.

[billb800si]

One last thought.

Check the actual voltage output at the plug. There have been cases where the Ram Trailer Brake controller is indicating higher ( up to Max.) output but the voltage at the pin in NOT 13 volts.
Cleaning all the connections has helped some in the past.
Happy trails,

[drittal]

Originally Posted by billb800si

One last thought.

Check the actual voltage output at the plug. There have been cases where the Ram Trailer Brake controller is indicating higher ( up to Max.) output but the voltage at the pin in NOT 13 volts.
Cleaning all the connections has helped some in the past.
Happy trails,

Cleaning has helped some. However, measuring at the plug is tricky due to the pulse width modulation.

On the ealier Rams, it will read 12v because the PWM is close to 98%.

On the 2015, the voltage will read around 7v because the PWM is only 70%.

Here is a 2013 ram on a scope. You can see the 98% cycle.


Here is a 2015. It is measuring a full 12v peak, but the cycle of ~70% is only showing 7v at the plug.

[billb800si]

Originally Posted by drittal

Cleaning has helped some. However, measuring at the plug is tricky due to the pulse width modulation.
On the ealier Rams, it will read 12v because the PWM is close to 98%.
On the 2015, the voltage will read around 7v because the PWM is only 70%.
Here is a 2013 ram on a scope. You can see the 98% cycle.
Here is a 2015. It is measuring a full 12v peak, but the cycle of ~70% is only showing 7v at the plug.

================
Drittal,
It seems you've done your homework.
Thanks,

[CWSWine]

On my for F350 I have a setting in my DIC for trailer braking. It came from the factory set at light braking - I moved it to medium brake which helped but after setting it to heavy braking now I an lock up my trailer wheels at a setting of 8.

[drittal]

On my 2015 ram if I use my multimeter on the brake wire and test when on light electric, it reads 9.3 v.

On heavy electric it read 7.4v.


Do you see anything wrong that Ram says is normal???

[Ham Camper]

I have my gain at 6.5 Worked great in 9630 miles and many mountain roads.

[Brewhedd]

I tow a 5600 lb TT with a Silverado and my brakes won't lock up either. I assumed it was the controller which has a sensor to detect stopping G's and apply more braking at higher G's. I can slide the button on the controller and it applies much less braking than when I am braking along with the truck. I actually can stop quite quickly when towing and letting the controller do it's thing. I have it set at 7.5 and B1.

[Appalachian Ed]

I have an F250 gasser pulling Rockwood 8289WS 5er. Dry wt of 8400. I have the built in controller set at 5.5 and it feels like the trailer is part of the truck when stopping. Feels perfect.