Has anyone upgraded to an ITBM

[Jakebrake12]

I posted this on top of another thread. Anyway, I hear from my dealer that the 2017 Ram 1500 that I purchased with a "tow package" does not have an ITBM.
Just wondering if that is even upgradeable? Otherwise I guess I'm putting in an after market electric brake controller which sounds like a nuisance. There is no plug and play, it would have to be spliced in, computer reflashed etc., so I am hoping to avoid that without incurring a whole lot of expense.

 

[crazykid1994]

It’s possible to install the oem brake controller. Just need to flash the computer after install. Also a few companies make aftermarket but it doesn’t integrate into the computer

 

[MADDOG]

I'd go for the OEM upgrade and have the truck's computer flashed to add it.

 

[GsRAM]

I posted this on top of another thread. Anyway, I hear from my dealer that the 2017 Ram 1500 that I purchased with a "tow package" does not have an ITBM.
Just wondering if that is even upgradeable? Otherwise I guess I'm putting in an after market electric brake controller which sounds like a nuisance. There is no plug and play, it would have to be spliced in, computer reflashed etc., so I am hoping to avoid that without incurring a whole lot of expense.

I would think prodigy has a harness for your truck if you wanted aftermarket. Should be no reason to splice anything

 

[Jakebrake12]

I would think prodigy has a harness for your truck if you wanted aftermarket. Should be no reason to splice anything

I was told by a trailer sales shop that my vehicle was set up for plug and play. However, after searching extensively, there is no receptacle under the dash of any sort. I went to the local Dodge place and he says the '17 is not set up for plug and play. That means any aftermarket or mopar elec controller I want to install has to be spliced in, then the computer has to be reflashed. I imagine upgrading to a new dash screen to install the upgraded ITBM would cost me dearly. I'm trying to figure out how Dodge says you have a tow package with not even an electrical connection for brakes as part of the tow pkg? In Canada, anything you tow over 3000 lbs has to have electric brakes.
I should clarify that, if the trailer does not exceed 50% of the tow vehicle weight, you don't have to have trailer brakes.

 

[Michael Fendley]

I had to guess on the configuration of your truck, but it appears that 2017s are supported. Follow this link:

https://www.moparpartssurplus.com/a...79/Electronic-Trailer-Brake-Kit/i2309360.html

 

[crash68]

Look under the dash to the right of the steering column (best to pull the lower dash panel off) and look for these plugs:

There should be a 4 pin and 10 pin if I remember correctly. Those are what you need to put the factory brake controller in(highly recommended). An aftermarket controller uses an adapter for for the 4 pin plug.

 

[GsRAM]

Look under the dash to the right of the steering column (best to pull the lower dash panel off) and look for these plugs:
View attachment 140363
There should be a 4 pin and 10 pin if I remember correctly. Those are what you need to put the factory brake controller in(highly recommended). An aftermarket controller uses an adapter for for the 4 pin plug.

Good info crash. I figured as much. They've been putting harnesses in trucks and suvs since at least the early 2000s...so I'd be very surprised and disappointed if they ceased doing it.

I'd have to think if your truck comes with the 4 flat and 7 round RV plug in the bumper it probably has the plug under the dash for the electric brake control.

Yes the factory itbc is good, but the prodigy P3 is darn good also and is a stronger braking unit than the factory controller. Just my opinion.

 

[Cardhu]

Friend with a 2013 was pricing the integrated system last week. Got a quote for ~$500 installed in Northern Manitoba including the flash to get it to show up on the display. Last price he got was around $300 for the module no install no flash (required). If you got the time talk to the sales manager and tell him your salesman misrepresented the tow package and see if you can get them for cost on the module. They got margins and just sold you a new truck, play it out.

Otherwise the tekonsha p3 brake controller is highly recommended on the RV forums and can be had for under 200 but doesn't contain the anti sway stuff the integrated one uses. It does do boost that the integrated one does not do and if you have to have a purple/ magenta/ snot green display it can do that too.
https://www.etrailer.com/p-90195.html?hhyear=2017&hhmake=Ram&hhmodel=1500

The video of the install lists the part number for no splicing 3024-p
https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Tekonsha/3024-P.html

Basically is that worth the 300 dollars difference for 5 min of work yourself.

 

[joshuaeb09]

I self installed mine. Got the module kit for like $215 on amazon if I remember correctly and then the dealer charged me like $60 to add the sales code for that and for my tow mirrors that I had never had done after installing them. Works out fine and it does also enable TSC (Trailer Sway Control) if you have the ITBM rather than aftermarket. While I always believe you should have mechanical sway control squared away for towing it is a nice extra safety feature to have.

 

[PaulTGarrett]

I bought the Mopar ITBM off of eBay for $200 and installed it myself. Three screws and it was done. I didn't have the EVIC programmed from the dealership because all it does is show the trailer is connected and what the ITBM is set for. I can glance down at it and see that without paying the dealership! I tow 4 different trailers on a regular basis, the biggest one of them is a three-axle flatbed typically loaded probably close to 20K... The Mopar brake unit works just fine.

 

[GsRAM]

I bought the Mopar ITBM off of eBay for $200 and installed it myself. Three screws and it was done. I didn't have the EVIC programmed from the dealership because all it does is show the trailer is connected and what the ITBM is set for. I can glance down at it and see that without paying the dealership! I tow 4 different trailers on a regular basis, the biggest one of them is a three-axle flatbed typically loaded probably close to 20K... The Mopar brake unit works just fine.

Yours must be different than mine. Mine is located in the lower left of the center dash area and has a manual slider with a plus and minus buttons to set the gain, (that's it) which shows on the DIC when I adjust it. What does yours look like

 

[Dale_K]

I self installed mine. Got the module kit for like $215 on amazon if I remember correctly and then the dealer charged me like $60 to add the sales code for that and for my tow mirrors that I had never had done after installing them. Works out fine and it does also enable TSC (Trailer Sway Control) if you have the ITBM rather than aftermarket. While I always believe you should have mechanical sway control squared away for towing it is a nice extra safety feature to have.

How do you know that the TSC becomes active? Not doubting but the same issue has come up in the GM truck forums and GM said TSC cannot be added to a truck if it wasn't built with it even if you add the factory trailer brake unit. I would definitely get the Mopar ITBM instead of a generic unit if I knew I had TSC after it was done.

 

[joshuaeb09]

How do you know that the TSC becomes active? Not doubting but the same issue has come up in the GM truck forums and GM said TSC cannot be added to a truck if it wasn't built with it even if you add the factory trailer brake unit. I would definitely get the Mopar ITBM instead of a generic unit if I knew I had TSC after it was done.

This has been covered a few times in this subforum. Adding the ITBM I had my dealer confirm the sales codes matched a truck with the factory ITBM and now running my VIN through the dealer does show the truck is identically equipped (Minus the 3.92's). Not sure how GM handles adding the brake controller, but that doesn't surprise me they would do something ****** like that. All Ram's run the same basic software and adding the sales code for a feature/accessory simply enables that module on the canbus as well as any associated features.

 

[PaulTGarrett]

Yours must be different than mine. Mine is located in the lower left of the center dash area and has a manual slider with a plus and minus buttons to set the gain, (that's it) which shows on the DIC when I adjust it. What does yours look like

Mine is a one piece unit located on the left under the headlight switch. I think yours is a two-piece unit, the brake controller is buried behind the center console with the override switch mounted on the console.

 

[GsRAM]

Mine is a one piece unit located on the left under the headlight switch. I think yours is a two-piece unit, the brake controller is buried behind the center console with the override switch mounted on the console.

Sounds correct to me Paul. Thanks. I didn't know there were two different types.

 

[Jendsley06]

So I am curious. What is tsc and how does it work? I've never heard of that, except for the sway bars attached between trailer and truck.

 

[crash68]

What is tsc and how does it work? I've never heard of that, except for the sway bars attached between trailer and truck.

The ITBM works with the trucks vehicle stability control and can apply the truck's wheels individually and apply trailer brakes to help stabilize the trailer while towing. The vehicle stability control utilizes accelerometers, steering angle and speed data to determine vehicle stability.

 

[Jendsley06]

The ITBM works with the trucks vehicle stability control and can apply the truck's wheels individually and apply trailer brakes to help stabilize the trailer while towing. The vehicle stability control utilizes accelerometers, steering angle and speed data to determine vehicle stability.

Thanks. I never knee. I really need the brake controller, just haven't gotten around to it yet. Even more reason to get the integrated unit.

 

[SixFOURhemiHD]

Skip the dealer and get AlphaOBD and you can activate it yourself. Installing the kit is easy, if you skip the bolts that come with the kit and just use zip ties through the mounting holes. The bolts are nearly impossible and one of them actually is impossible. Wrap the bracket with electrical tape where it makes contact metal to metal to keep everything from rattling. Check out the AlphaOBD thread for explanation of the software and how to enable the ITBM.


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