2015 RAM Integrated Brake Controller.
I have read on various forums that the integrated brake controller on the 2015 RAM trucks only provides 70% max voltage to the trailer brakes and that is not enough for 12" brakes. I am not sure if t...
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I have a New 2015 Ram 3500 and a new Bighorn 5er with the 12 inch auto adjusting brakes. Right now I would call the combination downright dangerous. With the TT I traded in, the brakes if anything were overly sensitive and would sometimes lock up with the gain set as low as 3 or 4 on my 2011 Ram 2500 CTD. With the 3500 they wouldn't lock up with the gain set to 10. With the new fiver the truck has to do most of the braking even set to 10.
I've had both the truck and 5er checked out by the respective dealers and the both checked "Good". The 5er works fine behind other trucks. When I check the trailer on another truck the current to the brakes is slightly over 12 amps, on my 3500 Ram it is less than 7amps. That's with the unit parked though so I can't verify what it does with deceleration, or other things that might come in to play in because of the way the brake controller is programmed. If I look at the brake controller output on an oscilloscope I see the best it outputs duty cycle wise is approximately 65 percent. If I check the trucks the trailer works good on the on board brake controller duty cycle on those vehicles is 98+ percent.
I've made myself a harness so that I can check the brake controller output with a portable oscilloscope while the vehicle is in motion, but due to snow/winter I haven't used it yet. I'm still having air bag trouble and an intermittent brake light inop indication in my EVIC so I'll be taking the truck back to the dealer soon to see if they can actually fix those issues this time. These problems are intermittent and only pop up on the mornings. I'll have them look at the brake controller again, but to be honest, having talked to the mechanics the last time I took it in they don't have a clue how the system works, how to measure output, or what to even look for. It's pretty sad.
I've had both the truck and 5er checked out by the respective dealers and the both checked "Good". The 5er works fine behind other trucks. When I check the trailer on another truck the current to the brakes is slightly over 12 amps, on my 3500 Ram it is less than 7amps. That's with the unit parked though so I can't verify what it does with deceleration, or other things that might come in to play in because of the way the brake controller is programmed. If I look at the brake controller output on an oscilloscope I see the best it outputs duty cycle wise is approximately 65 percent. If I check the trucks the trailer works good on the on board brake controller duty cycle on those vehicles is 98+ percent.
I've made myself a harness so that I can check the brake controller output with a portable oscilloscope while the vehicle is in motion, but due to snow/winter I haven't used it yet. I'm still having air bag trouble and an intermittent brake light inop indication in my EVIC so I'll be taking the truck back to the dealer soon to see if they can actually fix those issues this time. These problems are intermittent and only pop up on the mornings. I'll have them look at the brake controller again, but to be honest, having talked to the mechanics the last time I took it in they don't have a clue how the system works, how to measure output, or what to even look for. It's pretty sad.
