Busboy

I surrender I'm giving up on the integrated brake controller in my 2011, after talking with the dealer today Dodge has done nothing to improve it to the likes of the 2012 and more so on the 2013's and up. I've already disconnected everything as anything is better than this junk so it will have to ba a P3 as there are no pressure sensing directly proportional types available anymore.. shoulda, coulda, woulda but too late now.

6.7L MegaCab

What happened to it?

Busboy

Ive had it replaced once but both have never really given enough braking even on 10 when towing a heavy trailer, when I pass through towns I have one hand on the controller to avoid rear ending anyone but I recently had to make a sudden slow down from hi way speed while along side a semi on divided hi way, my lane was blocked off so I had to get in behind the semi who was also slowing down. I almost jack knifed it when changing lanes as the trailer was just pushing the rear of the truck around, I was towing a 5ver and I keep "lots" of pin weight. When I got home a month later I checked the brakes on the 5ver and all were adjusted right up and would lock the wheel when the breakaway was pulled. I haven't tried the new P3 controller yet but it has way more options than the factory one so I think it will be much better. I'll post the results after I try it, I left the factory one installed as the plug and play P3 has the manual lever on the underside and wouldn't work in the original location so I installed it underneath the steering wheel on the column, very easy to reach and in full view when traveling in a straight line.

BobTipton

...also sucks. I do the same as you and use the manual slider to help with braking. We tow a 14k fiver full-time. I've thought about installing a Prodigy but have always been afraid it wouldn't play well with the factory one and the ECM. Also, don't know where I'd put it as space is pretty tight under the dash. Can you post pics of your install location?

Thanks,

Bob

Busboy

I haven't posted a picture since the site changed how it was done so we'll see if it works. P3 in a 4th gen auto truck by Busboy | Diesel Truck Resource

Pretty easy. You can see the exact location and that is where it has to go as there are components in the column the screws have to clear. I took the column shroud off and drilled 2 holes for screws with nuts on the outside. With the manual handle on the under side it rules out an in dash mount. This location makes it easy to read and also to use the manual handle. Just unplug the factory controller and get a plug and play cable to plug directly into the P3 then if you go back to the factory one for any reason you can just plug it back in. It does generate a message on EVIC "service trailer brake system" every time you start up, you can clear it with the push of a button or ignore it. You can also get the dealer to take off the factory controller but if you wanted to go back to the original one the dealer would have to re enable it again.

6.7L MegaCab

Wow! Sorry to hear about that. I looked in the FSM to see what it had to say about how the ITBM works:

The Integrated Trailer Brake Module (ITBM) is powered with an ignition ON voltage source and has a single ground connection. The ITBM communicates on the CAN Bus for vehicle speed signal, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) active signal and the VIN information. There is also a hard wired brake switch input into the ITBM. The ITBM uses this information along with an internal accelerometer to determine how much braking to apply to the trailer brakes. The output is a Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) circuit for control of trailer braking intensity during stops. The ratio between vehicle braking and trailer braking is adjusted by the user with the plus/minus (±) switch on the face of the module. The ITBM is used to control the trailer brakes based on the deceleration reading of the vehicle and will send the output to control the trailer brakes only when a trailer connection is recognized.


Definitely feels like it is proportional on my truck, albeit light though. I haven't been too fond of it, but haven't been too keen on the mass produced models. Lots of folks seem to have the Prodigy, so it ought to be worth something.

If you are ever in Vegas and need the factory controller disabled, look me up. I am able to turn it on and off using the AutoEnginuity Scan Tool.

How are you liking the Prodigy?

Busboy

Thanks for the offer of deactivating the factory controller but the amount I drive that truck I don't mind pressing the button to cancel the msg, besides it gives me a built in back up. I have only used the P3 with 2 3500lb utility trailers as I've been moving one of my kids, it worked well on both trailers but not really a test. We were hoping to go out camping one last time but have been too busy, I will take the 5ver out to try it though probably after Thanksgiving and post up what I experience.

6.7L MegaCab

You're welcome!

Good call for a back up brake controller! Looking forward to hearing your experience with the P3 pulling the 5ver.

Busboy

It's not even funny the difference between the factory brake controller and the P3 I installed. The P3 allows for saving 5 custom settings for different trailers or say empty and loaded for the same trailer. There is also a "boost" setting zero, 1, 2 or 3, this gives a starting point for the braking and can be used for the trailer to "lead" the truck in braking, there is a "reverse" mode for backing that allows 3 minutes. Settings are zero to 14 in 1/10ths, I started out with Boost 2 (B2) which was recommended for a 14,000lb 5ver I also set the level to max (14), I didn't even get out of the yard before I realized this was way too aggressive, backed it off a little at a time and settled for 11.0 with B2. The braking was far beyond what I have experienced in the 5 years since I bought the 2011. For anyone that is not happy with the factory controller I would highly recommend the P3 and so easy to install using the plug and play patch cord from the P3 into the factory plug, while I realize it's not a Maxbrake or Brakesmart it's the next best thing and far superior to what came with the truck.

1-2-3

New to the 4 gen's today. An idea, while fumbling with the fancy dash screen settings, the built in controller has heavy and light settings. Have you adjusted them? Just a thought.

Busboy

Only on the 2012's and up, the 2010/11 doesn't have that feature.