2017 Longhorn 5.7 and 3.92 rear end towing.

[JohnCh]

Trailer break question. I’ve got a 63 streamline I bought earlier this year that has a dry weight of 3600 lbs and is 26 feet. Maybe 29 or 30’ with the hitch. I pulled it with an F150 3.5 Ecoboost a few times with no issues. It supposedly has electric breaks, but who know if it really does... it’s 55 years old. No water tank (originally had a water tank) and no septic tank, straight up full hook up or no bathroom. Two 30 lb propane tanks and a battery on the tongue. It does have an AC added and the original propane fridge was replaced with a full size electric fridge. So add maybe 150 lbs. Supposedly 350 lbs tongue weight. I do use a weight distribution hitch with friction sway control. The state of Texas, I think, only requires a break controller if the trailer is 4500 lbs. Question is, do I add a break controller or just take it out and see how it works out. My part of Texas is pretty flat.

 

[69GWC]

I would ad one, better to be safe for you and everyone else on the road.

 

[RamInfo]

It isn’t what you can pull that counts, it’s what you can control and stop. It may be flat where you are at but what’s to say you will never take a trip to the west Texas hill country?

With that much length I’d want a brake controller and trailer brakes just to be able to use the trailer brakes to quell an incipient sway. And, to make sure I could brake it or stop it safely on a downhill west Texas sweeper.

Brake controllers are not that expensive and an OEM unit could easily be added on a truck as new as yours.

Best,
DG

 

[crash68]

Brake controller for the truck and have a trailer brakes rebuilt also.

 

[JohnCh]

Yes, I just checked online and it’s less than $500 to have one added at a dealer. Just got a recall notice on the cruise control, so I’ll bring it in for that and have one added. I guess it’s kind of a no brainer to add one. Apparently someone lived in the the trailer for many years not moving it, so maybe breaks will work. I’ll find out pretty quickly once the tbc is installed.

 

[Gorgerax]

Yes, I just checked online and it’s less than $500 to have one added at a dealer. Just got a recall notice on the cruise control, so I’ll bring it in for that and have one added. I guess it’s kind of a no brainer to add one. Apparently someone lived in the the trailer for many years not moving it, so maybe breaks will work. I’ll find out pretty quickly once the tbc is installed.

Is that $500 for the OEM brake controller? I just got a 2010 that does NOT have factory brake controls but It is wired for one. I've seen posts here where guys buy the parts (@ $200) and install it themselves. Apparently, there is then a need to have the dealer "flash" something so that it reads out in the Uconnect display (Not sure of the correct terminology!) but $500???

I'm considering just going with a cheap CURT & adaptor harness and will be in it less than $50! Is that a bad idea? Does the factory trailer brakes $450 better?

 

[JohnCh]

Yes, I just checked online and it’s less than $500 to have one added at a dealer. Just got a recall notice on the cruise control, so I’ll bring it in for that and have one added. I guess it’s kind of a no brainer to add one. Apparently someone lived in the the trailer for many years not moving it, so maybe breaks will work. I’ll find out pretty quickly once the tbc is installed.

This is from the mopar store online. $440 installed. That’s all I really know.

 

[Purplert]

Oem controller is roughly $200-250 online. Install yourself and pay the dealer for a hour to add the codes for it (shouldn’t be no more then $100 for an hour if that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Dive-Ho]

On my 2013 1500 I bought the mopar IBC for $205 online and paid dealer $100 plus tax for install and flash .

 

[GsRAM]

Is that $500 for the OEM brake controller? I just got a 2010 that does NOT have factory brake controls but It is wired for one. I've seen posts here where guys buy the parts (@ $200) and install it themselves. Apparently, there is then a need to have the dealer "flash" something so that it reads out in the Uconnect display (Not sure of the correct terminology!) but $500???

I'm considering just going with a cheap CURT & adaptor harness and will be in it less than $50! Is that a bad idea? Does the factory trailer brakes $450 better?

A $50 curt brake control is probably a timer based unit and those are garbage. I had one and hated it. If you don' want to spend $300 plus on a factory itbc, then I'd suggest the prodigy P3, which is a proportional braking unit. Very good and very smooth.

 

[JohnCh]

This is from the mopar store online. $440 installed. That’s all I really know.

View attachment 132309

I can’t get this dang thing to come up again with the installed price. Not sure how I did that before.

 

[14hemiexpress]

Brake controller for the truck and have a trailer brakes rebuilt also.

I second this get them rebuilt/rebuild them. Or if nothing else at least get them inspected no telling what's going on with them.

 

[JohnCh]

Just to update. Factory controller being installed today. I’ll hook up and see what happens. I know they were worked on at some point as I found an old magnet in one of the cabinets. Entrailer has complete assemblies for about 100 bucks an axle so I’ll just change them out if they don’t function.

 

[JohnCh]

I second this get them rebuilt/rebuild them. Or if nothing else at least get them inspected no telling what's going on with them.

Got the brakes rebuilt. On the first drum to come off, parts just fell off into the drum. Brakes were not functional at all. One was even missing the magnet. So new brakes and a TBC now, all is tested and working fine. Thanks for the suggestions, one side had dried out grease so I’m really glad I did this.