Integrated brake controllers

It differs with both TV and trailers.

The IBC works in conjunction with the ABS on the truck and is very proportional. I have had two trucks with the IBC and find they work extremely well. You really do not want lock up when braking. That reduces the braking surface to that small pad of rubber on the road. Best braking is just before lock up.

With IBC I set it at 9 and forget it.

I had a Prodigy brake controller in a prior truck and then integrated brake controllers in a prior F150 and now my F250. I could adjust the Prodigy high enough to lock up the brakes on any trailer. With the IBC on the F150 and F250, the max gain was either barely enough to lock the trailer tires or I couldn't lock them.

I suspect Ford intentionally programmed their IBC with less gain so people wouldn't use too much. You have to decrease the gain in slippery conditions and folks may forget to do that; next thing you know the trailer tires lock up in the rain and the trailer swings around.

Frankly, I think the Prodigy works a lot better than the Ford IBC. You can't adjust the gain high enough on the Ford. The Prodigy was much quicker to apply trailer brakes; the Ford has too much of a delay. The Prodigy also applied a more appropriate amount of trailer brakes. Granted the Ford IBC has sway control but I load my trailers/RV appropriate so sway has never been an issue for me.

Drew_K wrote:
I had a Prodigy brake controller in a prior truck and then integrated brake controllers in a prior F150 and now my F250. I could adjust the Prodigy high enough to lock up the brakes on any trailer. With the IBC on the F150 and F250, the max gain was either barely enough to lock the trailer tires or I couldn't lock them.

I suspect Ford intentionally programmed their IBC with less gain so people wouldn't use too much. You have to decrease the gain in slippery conditions and folks may forget to do that; next thing you know the trailer tires lock up in the rain and the trailer swings around.

Frankly, I think the Prodigy works a lot better than the Ford IBC. You can't adjust the gain high enough on the Ford. The Prodigy was much quicker to apply trailer brakes; the Ford has too much of a delay. The Prodigy also applied a more appropriate amount of trailer brakes. Granted the Ford IBC has sway control but I load my trailers/RV appropriate so sway has never been an issue for me.

Exactly what I have noticed in my 2014 F-250! I cannot get my brakes to lock up at 10 volts, and then back the voltage down to get a proper adjustment like I could with my prior TV. I think I will set it at 8 or 9 volts and hope for the best. The TT service manager told me that many IBCs do not allow full voltage to brakes, but only a proportional amount depending on speed and other factors.

By the way, I know my TT brakes work since the TT wheel locks up when I pull the safety switch on the tongue.

I had a Prodigy in my last truck pulling my current trailer and I could lock up the brakes. My new 2014 Ram 2500 w/IBC will almost lock them up but not quite. That would eliminate the trailer brakes needing adjustment. It's the way the truck's electronics control the controller. I'm happy with my IBC and I was happy with my Prodigy.

Big Love wrote:

Drew_K wrote:
I had a Prodigy brake controller in a prior truck and then integrated brake controllers in a prior F150 and now my F250. I could adjust the Prodigy high enough to lock up the brakes on any trailer. With the IBC on the F150 and F250, the max gain was either barely enough to lock the trailer tires or I couldn't lock them.

I suspect Ford intentionally programmed their IBC with less gain so people wouldn't use too much. You have to decrease the gain in slippery conditions and folks may forget to do that; next thing you know the trailer tires lock up in the rain and the trailer swings around.

Frankly, I think the Prodigy works a lot better than the Ford IBC. You can't adjust the gain high enough on the Ford. The Prodigy was much quicker to apply trailer brakes; the Ford has too much of a delay. The Prodigy also applied a more appropriate amount of trailer brakes. Granted the Ford IBC has sway control but I load my trailers/RV appropriate so sway has never been an issue for me.

Exactly what I have noticed in my 2014 F-250! I cannot get my brakes to lock up at 10 volts, and then back the voltage down to get a proper adjustment like I could with my prior TV. I think I will set it at 8 or 9 volts and hope for the best. The TT service manager told me that many IBCs do not allow full voltage to brakes, but only a proportional amount depending on speed and other factors.

By the way, I know my TT brakes work since the TT wheel locks up when I pull the safety switch on the tongue.

My 13 F250 brakes will lock up with any setting higher than 5, if you squeeze the manual lever. My IBC has worked just great, from day one.

Jerry

I have a Silverado with IBC. The instructions actually tell you to adjust the gain until the trailer wheels lock and then back off the gain just enough to avoid wheels locking.

exscream wrote:
I have a Silverado with IBC. The instructions actually tell you to adjust the gain until the trailer wheels lock and then back off the gain just enough to avoid wheels locking.

Yep, Ford says the same.

Jerry

My 2010 F150 would easily lock the brakes up on our previous trailer. My Ram 2500 TBC wouldn't lock up the brakes on the same trailer. It will lock them up on the current 5er if I have the TBC set to 'Heavy' for trailer weight. It won't lock them up with the manual lever on heavy. But if I hit the brakes hard they will lock. Biggest issue I have is the Ram TBC won't release the trailer brakes smoothly. Pretty annoying when in town. Or for that matter going thru a CG. I ended up buying and installing a Tekonsha Primus IQ. Works way better. Not as smooth as the Ford though. That was the smoothest TBC I've used to date.

My trailer absolutely would not lock the brakes using a Prodigy on an 03 Sierra. Same trailer will lock the brakes if needed with my 11 Sierra with the integrated controller.