P3 brake controller

[Sam 15]

I guess this post is primarily for those who have ditched their OEM factory brake controller and have installed a P3 brake controller. I'm hoping someone can answer a question for me RE the P3 brake controller. I have a 2014 3500 6.4 hemi. I am not to impressed with the factory brake controller on any of the settings, i.e. light elec, heavy elec...etc. I pull a 32' toy hauler loaded at it's heavest in 12,300 lbs. I know I'm pretty much at my max towing but for what I do and where I'm at the 6.4 does well. I know my oem controller is working, but is set at 10 and will not lock up the brakes. I have read where this is common with the oem controllers but it's certainly not what I'm used to. I also recently read where the OEM factory controller will put out less volts to the trailer brakes at slower speeds making a slow stop on a down hill grade less effective (almost pushing the truck). When I pinch the manual bars on the controller without stepping on the brakes on flat ground going 15 mph, the trailer brakes will engage and the truck will come to a slow stop. I have not gone to an empty parking lot and tried an emergency stop to see how the brakes react, which maybe I should before changing anything. In any case, here's my question. If I unplug my factory brake controller plug from the factory brake controller and plug in the P3 with the wire harness adapter, will I have to get the computer module reflashed now because the computer will no longer see the oem brake controller or will I start seeing indicator lights on the dash. I'm not much of a computer tech guy or electric guy so using the alfaobd myself would not be a good thing for me. Thanks for any info you can provide. Have a safe 4th of July.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

If you have issues with the trailer braking you may have issues with your trailer brakes i have never had an issue with the factory trailer brake controllers in any 2010+ trucks with up to 34k lbs in tow with my trucks or other company trucks

 

[Sam 15]

If you have issues with the trailer braking you may have issues with your trailer brakes i have never had an issue with the factory trailer brake controllers in any 2010+ trucks with up to 34k lbs in tow with my trucks or other company trucks

The trailer is new to me. I used it only last season at Glamis (Imperial sand dunes). When I first got it (attitude 28sag) brakes looked good but needed to adjust the brakes. I will check the electric junction box at the pin box as well as the 7 pin connector plug.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

The trailer is new to me. I used it only last season at Glamis (Imperial sand dunes). When I first got it (attitude 28sag) brakes looked good but needed to adjust the brakes. I will check the electric junction box at the pin box as well as the 7 pin connector plug.

Adjust the brakes and make sure the drums are smooth where the magnets grab

 

[Sam 15]

Adjust the brakes and make sure the drums are smooth where the magnets grab

I'll ckeck both, thanks

 

[DRAGRAM]

I have never even tried to lock my Trailer brakes. I was on heavy electric for a while because my trailer brakes were not adjusted (I thought I had auto adjusting brakes). But once I adjusted them I ended up light electric 6 to 7 loaded. I adjust my trailer to stop with the truck in a normal stop. Any higher and I feel like the trailer is stopping the truck and any lower and I feel like the truck is stopping the trailer. So I am seeking a balance where the TRUCK brake pedal pressure is normal during a stop.

If you give up on the factory controller you are forfitting some amazing features. The factory controller DOES bias with service brake pressure. You can see it change the gain sitting still as you press harder or lighter on the brake pedal. ALSO, and this is important. During a panic stop it will remap the transmission to start throwing agressive downshifts so the EXHAUST brake is way more effective. WAAA WAAA WAAA you get the idea........I only have had one true panic brake situation and that was amazing. I will also say this was in Tow Haul mode. In regular mode it does not seem to be so effective. So I make it a point to be in Tow Haul as much as possible.

 

[Sam 15]

I have never even tried to lock my Trailer brakes. I was on heavy electric for a while because my trailer brakes were not adjusted (I thought I had auto adjusting brakes). But once I adjusted them I ended up light electric 6 to 7 loaded. I adjust my trailer to stop with the truck in a normal stop. Any higher and I feel like the trailer is stopping the truck and any lower and I feel like the truck is stopping the trailer. So I am seeking a balance where the TRUCK brake pedal pressure is normal during a stop.

If you give up on the factory controller you are forfitting some amazing features. The factory controller DOES bias with service brake pressure. You can see it change the gain sitting still as you press harder or lighter on the brake pedal. ALSO, and this is important. During a panic stop it will remap the transmission to start throwing agressive downshifts so the EXHAUST brake is way more effective. WAAA WAAA WAAA you get the idea........I only have had one true panic brake situation and that was amazing. I will also say this was in Tow Haul mode. In regular mode it does not seem to be so effective. So I make it a point to be in Tow Haul as much as possible.

I don't really want to ditch the factory controller. I have checked the truck trailer plug and I am getting 15.2v checking the + to - pins, both on the bumper plug and the 5th wheel 7 pin plug in the truck bed. I still have to do a bit more checking on that plug. When I get to the trailer I will check the manual brake adjustments again and inspect all the wiring from the brakes up to the pin box junction box and then the 7 pin plug. Reading some of the post RE the 7 pin plug, apparently that is a difference in an "old style" plug and a "new style" plug. FYI I have the 6.4 hemi so no EB.

 

[dogbreath650]

There were issues with the brake controllers with the mid-teen RAM HDs. The one on my new 23 is great but on my 16 it sucked as the OP described. I ended up changing over to the P3 on the 16 and it performed much better. I didn't need to get a reflash or anything, just plug and play.

 

[Sam 15]

There were issues with the brake controllers with the mid-teen RAM HDs. The one on my new 23 is great but on my 16 it sucked as the OP described. I ended up changing over to the P3 on the 16 and it performed much better. I didn't need to get a reflash or anything, just plug and play.

From what I have read, the TBC issues was primarily with the 2015 year. My build date was Feb. 2014. Since these ram trucks apparently do not come with a TBC from the factory with the tow package (something I recently learned looking into TBC's) I'm thinking the previous owner may not have installed the TBC until 2015 when the flawed TBC's were having issues. Of course this is me only guessing. I'm assuming that your earlier model (mid teens) did not need a reflash because the p3 plugs directly into the trailer brake module with the P3 pigtail, which, correct me if I'm wrong here, basicly moves the electric connetion(s) from one like unit to another. Dogbreath, when you installed the P3 did you lose the trailer brake display one the instrument panel? In any case it will take some time to dig into this more as the temps in the desert are up in the 105+ dregees and the 5th wheel is parked off site.

 

[dogbreath650]

I did use the p3 pigtail and have not seen any display for the TBC anywhere on the dash.

 

[Sam 15]

I did use the p3 pigtail and have not seen any display for the TBC anywhere on the dash.

Okay, thanks