info on factory brake controller

[fadetoblack188]

Looking for some info on a factory brake controller for my 2014. I am suprised these dont come with the trucks with the tow options.

Anyway, i ve heard you can take it to the dealer and they can install the factory controller in the dash and flash the ecu. and its like 300 bucks out the door.. true?

or i can buy one for 80 and the harness for 17 dollars and be done.

What do you guys recommend...


my trucks a 2014

 

[earlzach]

Looking for some info on a factory brake controller for my 2014. I am suprised these dont come with the trucks with the tow options.

Anyway, i ve heard you can take it to the dealer and they can install the factory controller in the dash and flash the ecu. and its like 300 bucks out the door.. true?

or i can buy one for 80 and the harness for 17 dollars and be done.

What do you guys recommend...


my trucks a 2014

I can't confirm the price but most do it yourself kits are under $200.00 and then the dealer will flash your computer to add the program. Check that price. I know I will do factory from eBay vender.

 

[KnK]

The Dealer just charged me $150.00 for install and most of that was the time to Flash CPU.

 

[Cormier3288]

2011 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman.

I bought mine from dealer(wish i would of looke online becasue it was cheaper). Then i had the dealer install and flash it. I wasnt to exspencive. Id say around 120ish(i can't fully remember). Also differant dealers may price may vary.

 

[DohCanadian]

Wow you guys get some good deals. I just bought the factory TBC from the dealer for my 2013 ram 1500 and it cost me 280. I installed it myself now I still gotta get the truck flashed.

 

[Andy578]

dealer charged me $462 which i assume includes install(will rage hard if it doesn't) and that seems like a pretty high price especially since the unit is backordered so he couldn't have it ready for when i picked up the truck

 

[earlzach]

dealer charged me $462 which i assume includes install(will rage hard if it doesn't) and that seems like a pretty high price especially since the unit is backordered so he couldn't have it ready for when i picked up the truck

The install is straight forword if you are prewired under the dash to add it yourself. THe kits are just about 200.00 New on ebay and then Dealer flash. Maybe 75.00 to 100.00.

 

[danmp]

That it strange that you truck didn't have the controller with the tow package.

I have an sxt which is one of the lower package availble here in canada. I had the tow package, and It come with the class iv Hitch , controller and tow mirrors when I bought it.

 

[Ocelot]

It's up to you whether or not you want the factory controller. The biggest benefit of it is that it' displays info and settings on your EVIC, I think which is a nice feature. That and it's in the dash for that clean factory look.

Having said that, its also expensive and probably not as good as the better aftermarket ones. The Prodigy P2 and P3 are by far the most recommended on the huge RV forums. The prodigy is so liked and trusted that people that already have factory controllers have installed them.

Advantage of the Prodigy, besides it's reputation is that it's plug-n-play with no dealer flash. The disadvantage is you have to mount it under the dash and I don't think it will display anything on the EVIC

These days however, factory controllers have come a long way and are probably pretty good and certainly better than they used to be.

The factory controller is also plug in, so you can save a bit by installing it yourself, but you do have to pay a dealer for the flash. The flash can run from $50 - $150. The price is all over the place depending on the dealer. You could always call and find out what your dealer charges for a flash first.

Personally, I think needing to pay that much for a flash every time we add something factory is ridiculous. This is the first vehicle I've ever owned that needs that for adding stuff and I don't think they should charge more than $20. It's so quick and simple to do.

Whatever you do, don't but the cheap ass time delay type of aftermarket controller. They run $50 to maybe $90. They suck! Those work by just applying brakes to a set amount after a timed delay from the time the brake pedal is pressed. Really bad.

The Prodigy (and I assume the factory, but not sure) works as a proportional controller with an inertia sensor in the controller. When you press the brake pedal, the sensor applies the amount of braking force it thinks it needs depending on what the inertia sensor sees. Light breaking in traffic for example will only give a little trailer brake. Hitting the break pedal harder, down hill for example, will send more brake force to the trailer.

Ray

 

[h2oman]

I didn't think I could love my Prodigy more. But, my factory controller is every bit as good.

 

[smiley]

LOVE the factory controller in my '09 so clean and works perfect. I am sure the newer ones are even better and having tied into the very advanced evic would be nice too. I like the way the old evic works but new ones are just amazing. I would bet cost will vary a lot from dealer to dealer so shop around.

 

[flintlok]

I have a 2015 RAM 2500 with the factory installed controller. I could get no information from RAM on how the unit works. I have a Prodigy P2 that I love that was on my last truck (Tundra). So, to hedge my bet, I bought a wiring harness for the P2 that fits the RAM in case I didn't like the factory installed one. I ham happy to say after towing 3800 miles with a 10sk trailer I like it as well as the Prodigy. It is NOT a time based controller, but works similarly to the Prodigy, but must get it's imput from the ABS system. If you sit still with the trailer plugged in, apply the brakes slowly and gently, the ramp up rate is slow like the Prodigy, except since I am not moving, it tells me that the input signal is different than the Prodigy. Hit the brakes harder, and the ramp up rate is much faster. So it must be getting a pressure signal from the brake system. The Prodigy uses an inertia sensor to detect how hard you are applying the brakes, but with the same effect. You set the max gain on the factory brake controller, and set the max voltage output on the Prodigy. Same effect. After our trip, I won't bother to change over to the Prodigy. Anyone want to buy it? I paid about $20 the harness, so I'll sell the harness for the RAM and the Prodigy for $ 75 total plus about $10 to ship.

 

[Tot-tot]

I just bought a 1500 with out also and wanted to know it i could install factory one and have it all work the dealer told me no it cant be done so thanks for setting it straight

 

[suburban99]

I have a 2014 3500 cummins with a factory trailer brake and a 2015 1500 Hemi with a Tekonsha...really no difference between the 2 both are good. The big issue is installing the aftermarket controller on the 2015. It HAS to be hooked to the centre mounted brake light. The 2015 does not have a brake signal wire above the brake pedal like earlier years. The instructions want you to run the wire directly thru the cab up to the brake light and connect it there...thankfully I had installed the centre high mount brake light on my 2014 topper and knew there was also a feed wire underneath near the spare tire.

 

[stoney]

Looking for some help.....

On my 2015 2500 I only have the light electric setting, none of the other settings that people have mentioned should be there.
When I go into the setting menu on my 8.4AN, all four options under the brake controller set up say the same thing.
I do have the trailer hooked up when I am doing this.

Any info is appreciated.

 

[PippinAin'tEasy]

Are you seeing brake options or the four trailer settings at factory preset for light electric?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

 

[stoney]

Are you seeing brake options or the four trailer settings at factory preset for light electric?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

Just the four trailer settings that all state "light electric"

 

[PippinAin'tEasy]

Reason I ask is that I can store 4 trailers to toggle through labeled "trailer 1, etc..". Stumped as to why your options aren't showing. Bad factory setting/dealer flash?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

 

[stoney]

Reason I ask is that I can store 4 trailers to toggle through labeled "trailer 1, etc..". Stumped as to why your options aren't showing. Bad factory setting/dealer flash?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

That is basically what I have, but for each "trailer" setting (1 to 4), they are all light electric, I do not see anything that lets me pick another trailer setting based on if I pick trailer 1 or 2 or 3 , etc.....

I want to try heavy electric to see the difference with my trailer brakes, but so far not able too.

 

[stoney]

Well, I am not sure if it is because my trailer is not hooked up, but I just went through the trailer brake settings and was able to pick heavy electric under any of the 4 trailer settings......but I am positive that before when I had the trailer hooked up I was not able to change from light to anything else under any of the trailer settings.

I guess I will see what happens this weekend when I have the trailer actually hooked up.