Trailer Brake Aftermarket Unit Install on 2018 and 2023 Ram 3500 Is Programming Required

[peronsidecar]

I have both a 2018 and a 2023 Ram 3500 Diesel Dually and I want to install Aftermarket "self contained" Trailer Brake Units and Bypass the OEM units. I see where the OEM Control Unit has two connector plugs into it and can disconnect both. I also can then use the OEM 4 Pin connector to connect to the Aftermarket Trailer Brake Controller. Once I do this I can manually engage the Aftermarket Trailer Brake Controller with my hand and the trailer brakes work just fine. However....If I try and use the truck's brake pedal to engage the Aftermarket Trailer Brake Controller it doesn't work. On the 2023 truck the dash is always showing Trailer Brake Disconnected light whether I have a trailer hooked up or not. Is there some reprogramming I have to do to the truck to use an Aftermarket Trailer Brake Controller???? Could I just take the Trailer Brake Switch wire ( at the brake switch....I think its the Green with Red wire) and wire it to my Aftermarket Controller and not use the Red wire that is on the existing Truck's wiring harness for the OEM trailer control module??

Thanks for any help

 

[HarryS]

(It's all canbus controlled.) Wrong statement. Canbus only deals with the tow mirrors. Since you took the OEM module out of the picture, the BCM can't send the electric brake signal to the trailer, since it comes from the BCM to the module.

 

[GTyankee]

The after market brake controller is not as efficient as the OEM

Although many Ram owners are happy with the
Tekonsha Prodigy P3 Trailer Brake Controller - 1 to 4 Axles - Proportional - 90195 - Electric
@ https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=brake+controller&furl=-pg-Trailer_Brake_Controller-pt-Electric

For those that TOW with multiple vehicles ..

TEKONSHA | 902502 | Prodigy® RF Plug & Play Trailer Mounted Proportional Brake Controller for Trailers with 1-3 Axles, Black

Tekonsha | Brake Controllers

www.tekonsha.com

 

[chri5k]

I had a P3 on my 2016 2500. It worked better than any of the other aftermarket controllers. However, I found synchronization with the truck brakes often required manually adjusting the gain. Also, the abs like effect of the OEM PWM system is lost. Without the PWM, the trailer wheels tend to lock up and skid during panic braking. This caused me to ruin a few good pairs of underwear when the inevitable idiot pulls out in front me while towing the big trailer.

The controller sometimes applied too much brake too early or too late relative to the truck brakes. Too early and I would get a clunk as the trailer weight shifted rearward. Too late and I could feel the 13,000 lb trailer push the truck.

I went back to the OEM controller and have been very happy with it.

 

[chopperman1]

Aftermarket controllers are inertia controlled and have nothing to do with the brake pedal.

 

[BossHogg]

I have both a 2018 and a 2023 Ram 3500 Diesel Dually and I want to install Aftermarket "self contained" Trailer Brake Units and Bypass the OEM units.

I had a little trouble following your post. Why would you want to use an aftermarket brake controller if you have the factory controller? No aftermarket controller will work as well as the factory controller simply because of all the vehicle's dynamics that the factory brake control has access to that aftermarket controllers don't.

 

[crash68]

Also, the abs like effect of the OEM PWM system is lost. Without the PWM, the trailer wheels tend to lock up and skid during panic braking. This caused me to ruin a few good pairs of underwear when the inevitable idiot pulls out in front me while towing the big trailer.

^^^^ this
Read about too many people think trailer brakes should lock up or they think that that don't work. The last thing you want is the trailer wheels to lock up, that's when the trailer goes out of control and will take you for a ride.

 

[2003F350]

Aftermarket controllers are inertia controlled and have nothing to do with the brake pedal.

Not...entirely true. They still have to have a signal from the brake pedal to apply any power to the trailer brakes.

That's like telling someone O2 sensors and the catalytic converter have nothing to do with each other. It's simply not accurate.

 

[2003F350]

I'm with most of the guys above - if you've got the factory ITBC, why would you ever want to go away from it? It'll handle anything you can throw at it, and does an amazing job of syncing the trailer brakes to the truck brakes, making for better stops 100% of the time.

If you believe you have an issue with the ITBC, I would diagnose that instead of swapping to an aftermarket controller. The parts are actually fairly cheap if something actually fails...which I haven't heard much about, they seem to be pretty robust.

 

[chri5k]

^^^^ this
Read about too many people think trailer brakes should lock up or they think that that don't work. The last thing you want is the trailer wheels to lock up, that's when the trailer goes out of control and will take you for a ride.

Yes! The OEM controller saved my bacon several times. The most memorable is I was towing my 13,000Lb horse trailer with two of my best bud's in it on I-75. I got trapped in the left lane after passing a slower vehicle in the right lane. Azzhoe's would not let me move back to the right lane even though I had my turn signal on showing I was trying to do the right thing. Some road rage MF'r pulls up to about my right fender even with his B-pillar. He looks at me over his shoulder and jerks his wheel to the left running me off the road. The OEM controller did a great job with the two wheels on the shoulder and the two wheels on the grass. It slowed down quite straight given the difference in traction. After the adrenaline wore off, I got back on the road.

Karma got the road rage MF'r as about 10 minutes later a trooper had him pulled over. I stopped and told the trooper what happened. He asked for my dashcam video. After reviewing it, he said he will be writing him a ticket for reckless driving and using the video in court. He took my ID info. Later I had to submit a sworn statement for him to use in court.

 

[peronsidecar]

My question is if I want to use an Old School Aftermarket Trailer Brake Controller on my 2018 and 2023 Ram 3500 where does the brake pedal signal for the Trailer Brake Controller come from? I have tried using the 4 pin OEM connector that usually goes to the OEM brake controller but it will not give any signal to the Aftermarket Stand Alone Brake Controller. If I plug the Aftermarket Stand Alone Brake Controller into the OEM socket/connector than I have manual trailer brake control (it works just fine when I push in the red manual trailer brake button)....but there is no signal when I step on the brake pedal.

 

[crash68]

I have tried using the 4 pin OEM connector that usually goes to the OEM brake controller but it will not give any signal to the Aftermarket Stand Alone Brake Controller.

If the aftermarket brake controller requires an input from the brake pedal then you will need to add it. Don't disconnect any of the factory wires as they not just for the OEM trailer brake controller.

This is one of those times where the newer technology does a far better job than anything old-school. There's something about towing over 8K lbs and not feeling the trailer push or pull on the truck when stopping.

 

[GTyankee]

IF you have questions about how to connect the wiring for the Trailer Brakes ...

Almost every OEM & After market brake controller has posted a video on how to use their system.

Some Vehicles may not work with a particular trailer, but you can connect up to your neighbor's or a friend's vehicle & that trailer may work perfectly.

In that case, the 7 pin wiring is different

 

[chri5k]

My question is if I want to use an Old School Aftermarket Trailer Brake Controller on my 2018 and 2023 Ram 3500 where does the brake pedal signal for the Trailer Brake Controller come from? I have tried using the 4 pin OEM connector that usually goes to the OEM brake controller but it will not give any signal to the Aftermarket Stand Alone Brake Controller. If I plug the Aftermarket Stand Alone Brake Controller into the OEM socket/connector than I have manual trailer brake control (it works just fine when I push in the red manual trailer brake button)....but there is no signal when I step on the brake pedal.

According to the Tekonsha site they don't have a two plug harness for 2018 or 2023 RAM 3500. However, their catalog does show one.

 

[BossHogg]

My question is if I want to use an Old School Aftermarket Trailer Brake Controller on my 2018 and 2023 Ram 3500 where does the brake pedal signal for the Trailer Brake Controller come from?

I was using a Tekonsha P2 in my 2015 while RAM was sorting out issues with the factory brake controller. I purchased a cable from Tekonsha that attached the P2 to the factory wiring.

 

[chri5k]

My question is if I want to use an Old School Aftermarket Trailer Brake Controller on my 2018 and 2023 Ram 3500 where does the brake pedal signal for the Trailer Brake Controller come from? I have tried using the 4 pin OEM connector that usually goes to the OEM brake controller but it will not give any signal to the Aftermarket Stand Alone Brake Controller. If I plug the Aftermarket Stand Alone Brake Controller into the OEM socket/connector than I have manual trailer brake control (it works just fine when I push in the red manual trailer brake button)....but there is no signal when I step on the brake pedal.

In the old school days all the current/voltage for the brake lights flowed through the brake switch. The aftermarket brake controller could tap into the “cold” side of the switch. When the brake was applied, it could sense the voltage now on the “cold” side of the switch.

In modern computer driven trucks the brake switch is a sensor. It provides a signal that tells the BCM the pedal has been depressed. This signal may not be a simple 0v to 12v transition. In many cases, the BCM is constantly passing a small current through the circuit. This is why we get trouble codes related to open circuits on our trucks. The BCM is constantly surveilling all the sensors for trouble.

Tapping into that circuit may not give the aftermarket controller the signal it needs to sense the brake pedal status. The aftermarket controller may also interfere with the BCM surveillance and sensing of the brake pedal status.

 

[HarryS]

The brake signal comes to the BCM via the anti-lock brake module. IT DOES NOT use 12 vdc, so you can't tap into that signal. It is only a 5VDC signal. To get a full 12 VDC signal you would have to add another brake switch and source your signal wire from somewhere else.

 

[HarryS]

Not...entirely true. They still have to have a signal from the brake pedal to apply any power to the trailer brakes.

That's like telling someone O2 sensors and the catalytic converter have nothing to do with each other. It's simply not accurate.

You miss the point. If the aftermarket controller is "inertia" controlled, then other than pressing the brake pedal to get the vehicle to slow down, and by inertia, activate the brakes on the trailer, the brake pedal is not electrically connected to the trailer. Inertia activated brakes have nothing to do with the trailer connector.

 

[2003F350]

You miss the point. If the aftermarket controller is "inertia" controlled, then other than pressing the brake pedal to get the vehicle to slow down, and by inertia, activate the brakes on the trailer, the brake pedal is not electrically connected to the trailer. Inertia activated brakes have nothing to do with the trailer connector.

Are you talking about 'surge' brakes? Those don't even need a controller as they're hydraulically controlled on the trailer. If he's needing a brake controller of any kind, then he's got electric or electric over hydraulic, in either case the controller HAS to have a signal that the brakes have been applied. Thus in one way or another it's getting a signal that the brake pedal has been pushed.

There's no such thing as an 'inertia' brake controller that doesn't require an input from the brake pedal in some way that I've ever seen, and I've been around trailer brakes and controllers my entire life.

 

[dsherman26]

It's all canbus controlled. Since you took the OEM module out of the picture, the BCM can't send the electric brake signal to the trailer, since it comes from the BCM to the module.

Weird, my aftermarket Tekonsha brake controller does not have a CAN connection. Only +12 volts, ground, the brake activation signal, and the power signal going to the 7-way connector. I confirmed the 12 volt brake activation signal was present in the 4 pin factory harness when I apply the brake. No programming was necessary, it was already working from the factory. Then I just bought the cable from Tekonsha to plug in to factory harness. Has been working fine ever since.