I have an 08 F-450 with the integrated brake controller. Unfortunately the trailer I'm trying to tow has electric/hydraulic disk brakes. After I bought the Ford I read the manual which says (but not clearly) that the integrated brake controller may not work with hydraulic disks. (it's correct...it doesn't)
Anyway, after talking to the engineers at Kodiak brakes, Carlisie actuators and Active Technologies (brake manufactures) and my trailer manufacturer, the best solution they can come up with is sell the Ford and buy something else. I don't want to do that but visits to many Ford dealers andcountless trailer places have all been fruitless. I'm told the 08 controller cannot be disconnected (like the 07 and earlier) to allow installation of an aftermarket controller.
Any ideas??? As much as the frustration this and other truck problems have caused me, I really like the truck.

 

Wow... talk about a design flaw!! Heaven forbid anyone try to tow anything bigger than 10000lbs with a F450, lol. Who at Ford decided that?!

 

There are actuators out there that do work with your controller. I think Dexter is one.

 

that's a shame when the solution is to buy another brand of truck.... doesn't say much for the F-450, does it? and it's not like you have a older, used truck... it's the latest greatest on the road!

 

I don't know why you can't unhook the OEM controller wire from the trailer plug and pull the fuse/circuit breaker to the controller and the add a aftermarket controller!

 

I would do a search - on this forum and on rv.net. The problem is the Ford controller sends a test signal to the trailer brakes. If you have disc brakes it doesn't get the anticipated results. I believe some have installed a resistor or brake magnet somewhere in the circuit to fool the controller and have working disc brakes. I know for a fact Morryde (sp?) disc brakes work. Might check and see what controller they use or if they install an extra component.

 

There has to be a way to disable the factory controller. Even if you had to run a new wire from your new brake controller to the plug, and disconnect the factory wire, that should be all you would have to do...

 

Marspec
You are correct...Carlisle makes a thing HBA-CAM (I think is the part #) that fools the Ford Controller. In talking to them however they think it will not work on the 08s. It works on 07 and older. They have tried to discuss this with Ford but apparently Ford has ressisted saying the workings of the Ford controller are propiatory and they will not discuss it.

 

igotjam - Has Carlisle actually tried it on an 08?? If they only "think" it won't work that leads me to believe they haven't. Maybe you could be the test platform. I know CAPTSKUP has discs on his Teton and says they work with his 08 controller.

 

I would try to disconnect it before you go to far. If Ford is telling you this they may not know because they havn't tried it yet. Pull the fuse to it or just unplug it and see what happens . It doesn't cost anything to try before you give into the cannot be seniro.

 

I also talked to Carlisle. The adapter they had only works for 05-07's. No plans to get the 08's working due to Ford will not talk with them. I also agree Ford is not disclosing this very well. I asked the techs at my dealer if the electric over hydraulic would work, they said yes. I guess not though. I switched from chevy and this is not going over well with me. Spent $600 on something that doesn't work and now I have to spend another $200 to get an aftermarket controller. Ford needs to step up to the plate on this.

 

I would try the Carlisle thing. As far as I know nothing was changed about the integrated trailer brake in the 08s.

 

Why do you know better than the brake companies who say it has been changed?

 

I have an '08 F450 and was having trouble finding factual information about the issue of the Ford IBC and electric over hydraulic brakes. There is an engineer at Dexter that was very knowledgable and helpful. Below is one e-mail I rec'd from him:
On 8/6/07, Belisle, Duane < DBelisle@dexteraxle.com> wrote:

At this time DEXTER AXLE has not tested our E/H system with the 2008 Ford Integrated Brake Controller (IBC) and there for do not have any definitive information. We have however, heard a few reports for the field that the new 2008 Ford IBC is not compatible with the DEXTER AXLE E/H units.
DEXTER AXLE will continue to investigate this issue. We have already made arrangements to test with a new 2008 Ford this week.


Duane Belisle
Dexter Axle Product Engineer
574-296-7334

I had a subsequent e-mail from him, which I cant locate right now, saying they had tested with an '08 and it worked fine.

Also, I have heard there can be issues if you install an aftermarket controller. They pertain to disabling the Ford IBC. I guess if it is not done right, and Ford wont tell you how to do it, then the Ford IBC thinks there is something wrong with the trailer brakes and sets off an alarm in the cab that you either put up with or stop and reset. Maybe someone else has actual experience with this. Friends of ours had an aftermarket controller put in their '08 and say it works fine.

 

I've sold quite a few of our TruControl brake controllers to guys with the built in Ford controller, but they've been F350. If you can pull the controller or get behind it, there should be the standard 4 wires. My customers have just clipped those and tied them into mine.

The TruControl is compatible with electric or electric/hydraulic. Detects automatically which system you have. There's a 60 day money back guarantee if you want to give it a try. The link is at www.trucontrol.com.

Call me at 800-410-6580 x131 if you want to talk about it. Don't bother after Tuesday, though. It's deer season here in Michigan. We shut down the state.

Henlsey Ron