Brake Controller

[Captainron19]

New owner here …. Bought and picked up our Cherokee 234DC last week (2022 leftover) our setup came with a Curt wireless brake controller. The co troller worked beautifully for our 2 hour ride home ….. today we took the Rv to show our families and I connected the brake controller and assured it had a connection on my phone but as we were driving every time I hit the.m brakes on my truck the brakes on the rv locked up. I disconnected the unit from blue tooth and reconnected but it still happened. The profile for the break setting was set at 50 with a sensitivity of 4 (setting we set up before bringing it home) I even tried lowering it to 30 with a sensitivity of 2 but the brakes continued to lock up ….. had to completely remove it for the remainder of our driving today ….. I have to call the service department tomorrow but thought I would look here for any obvious answers

[bikendan]

Did you buy this trailer used because they don't come with brake controllers.
Not a fan of wireless BCs.

By the way, Welcome Cap, to FRF from another retired firefighter.
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[Captainron19]

Thanks ! I did buy it new (2022 leftover)
Retired long? Coming up on 4 years now for me ….. 29 on the job

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Captainron19

Thanks ! I did buy it new (2022 leftover)
Retired long? Coming up on 4 years now for me ….. 29 on the job

So how did the trailer "come" with the brake controller? Did you buy it from the dealer? Also did a monitor come with the rear observation camera?

Retired at the end of 2014, after 20 years.

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[Captainron19]

Originally Posted by bikendan

So how did the trailer "come" with the brake controller? Did you buy it from the dealer? Also did a monitor come with the rear observation camera?

Retired at the end of 2014, after 20 years.

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The BC was an add on to my purchase. The backup camera came with the RV and is “supposed” to connect to my phone via Bluetooth

[5picker]

There was another thread here recently about a Bluetooth brake controller not working properly and at least two on another R/V forum. The consensus was get something else.

[Captainron19]

Originally Posted by 5picker

There was another thread here recently about a Bluetooth brake controller not working properly and at least two on another R/V forum. The consensus was get something else.

Can you recommend a better one? Still gonna call the service department today but they did give it to me no charge

[5picker]

Tekonsha is the most recommended brake controller on just about every forum.

Oh... and "free" shouldn't matter. Braking is one of the most important aspects of R/Ving.

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by Captainron19

Can you recommend a better one? Still gonna call the service department today but they did give it to me no charge

For a very nice OEM look, I had the Curt Spectrum in my Dodge Durango. The only issue is that it is a permanent install (in most cases). Once it is installed, it stays with the vehicle. Worked and looked great!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Tekonsha is the most recommended brake controller on just about every forum.

Oh... and "free" shouldn't matter. Braking is one of the most important aspects of R/Ving.

x2 on the Tekonsha!

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[wheelin14]

Clarification needed. The RAM that OP is towing with has NO built in controller? What about having a dealer install a RAM controller that would respond to brake petal push intensity (late model RAMs only)?

About Curt Wireless controller: is this one that plugs into the 7 pin connector at the back of the truck with the trailer harness then plugging into it? It is my understanding that the wireless connection is only used to change settings. The controller then starts up from the brake light signal and senses deceleration to determine how much signal to send to the trailer. It seems like a defective one would be more likely to not operate at all instead of full brake, but who knows.

I use the Tekonsha P3 except that it is very reactive to road bumps—rumble strips drive it to full brake. This is a function of using the B3 setting—B1 and B2 would not be as reactive. I have to use the manual lever on bumps since it overrides the decelerometer. Because of this I would not have a controller that didn’t have a manual lever that I can use.

[Captainron19]

Thanks for the info.... Yes you are correct - my Ram (2019 1500 5.7 Hemi) did not have a brake controller so yes this one is the type that goes into the 7 pin connector then the trailer line goes in to that Here is the opne I have

Originally Posted by wheelin14

Clarification needed. The RAM that OP is towing with has NO built in controller? What about having a dealer install a RAM controller that would respond to brake petal push intensity (late model RAMs only)?

About Curt Wireless controller: is this one that plugs into the 7 pin connector at the back of the truck with the trailer harness then plugging into it? It is my understanding that the wireless connection is only used to change settings. The controller then starts up from the brake light signal and senses deceleration to determine how much signal to send to the trailer. It seems like a defective one would be more likely to not operate at all instead of full brake, but who knows.

I use the Tekonsha P3 except that it is very reactive to road bumps—rumble strips drive it to full brake. This is a function of using the B3 setting—B1 and B2 would not be as reactive. I have to use the manual lever on bumps since it overrides the decelerometer. Because of this I would not have a controller that didn’t have a manual lever that I can use.

[bikendan]

Captainron, did your Ram not have the full factory tow package? It would normally come with a factory brake controller.

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[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by Captainron19

Thanks for the info.... Yes you are correct - my Ram (2019 1500 5.7 Hemi) did not have a brake controller so yes this one is the type that goes into the 7 pin connector then the trailer line goes in to that.

If your truck came with the 7-pin connector installed by the factory but not a brake controller, it is more than likely pre-wired for one. There is likely a connector somewhere between the steering column and brake pedal and adding a brake controller is as easy as finding the correct wiring harness, plugging it in, and mounting it.

[Chuck_S]

There are short wiring pigtails available for the Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller to plug in in under the dash in many (some? most?) Ford, Dodge/Ram, and Chevy pickups and SUVs.

-- Chuck

[pgandw]

Can't say enough good about the Tekonsha. I use the Prodigy 2 instead of the 3 due to being more compact and cheaper (smaller display). when I switched out my dealer-provided Escort for the Tekonsha, it was night and day. No more jerky stops, just dial in the controller in so camper and tow vehicle stop together. Have now moved the Tekonsha to a total of 3 different tow vehicles, and used with 2 campers.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2022 Hyundai Palisade

[Captainron19]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

If your truck came with the 7-pin connector installed by the factory but not a brake controller, it is more than likely pre-wired for one. There is likely a connector somewhere between the steering column and brake pedal and adding a brake controller is as easy as finding the correct wiring harness, plugging it in, and mounting it.

I did the Vin Search as stated by someone else in this thread and the specifics mentioned nothing about a pre-installed brake controller connection. Are you possibly referring to the connection under the column where that the DMV inspector uses or to hook up a diagnostic checker? And I do have the round 7 pin adapter on the rear of my truck

[Captainron19]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

There are short wiring pigtails available for the Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller to plug in in under the dash in many (some? most?) Ford, Dodge/Ram, and Chevy pickups and SUVs.

-- Chuck

Are you possibly referring to the connection under the column where that the DMV inspector uses or to hook up a diagnostic checker or is there a completely separate one?

[Chuck_S]

Dive deeper! The connector is deep under there. The brake connector is the grey plug pointing down in the center of the photo. (There's a blue data collection module in my OBD2 port.)

If your Ford has an open spot in the dashboard the OEM Ford brake controller will probably fit. Will need FORSCAN to set it up with the dash display. Otherwise just plug a Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller in there. Prodigy has a cable for it. There may be a required fuse and relay that was probably in the glove compartment and either the dealer or someone else pinched.

-- Chuck

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

Dive deeper! The connector is deep under there. The brake connector is the grey plug pointing down in the center of the photo. (There's a blue data collection module in my OBD2 port.)

If your Ford has an open spot in the dashboard the OEM Ford brake controller will probably fit. Will need FORSCAN to set it up with the dash display. Otherwise just plug a Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller in there. Prodigy has a cable for it. There may be a required fuse and relay that was probably in the glove compartment and either the dealer or someone else pinched.

-- Chuck

OP has a 2019 Ram 1500. OEM brake controllers may or may not be installable if not originally equipped. Newer Chevy/GMC trucks cannot be retroactively fitted with a factory brake controller because the supporting infrastructure was not included in the firmware and CPUs. There is no way for even dealers to add it by doing a reflash. Aftermarket controllers were my only option for my 2016 Silverado. Not sure how that works with Ram or Ford. That information can undoubtedly be found on Ram and Ford forums.