My Factory Electronic Trailer Brake Controller doesnt seem to work as good as my prodigy brake controller in my 99, on the 2008 i have the gain set to 10, and when i use the slide adjuster to hold the brakes on the trailer it doesnt seem thold the brakes very well... When i hook up to the 99 and hold the brakes it will (if I let it) lock them up? does the number displayed in display represent the voltage going to the brakes? Or is there another adjustment somewhere? Thanks!

 

In my experience when you are at idle or just moving a couple of mph and hit the brake controller it will not stop the trailer. I was told it was factory set not to activate until a certain speed. 5 mph maybe. This was to stop your unit from jerking everytime you tapped the brakes in stop and go traffic. If you are at speed and hit the slide at a 10 gain and feel no slow down you are having problems. I have had several types of controllers before the Ford system and this built in one is the best I have had.

 

on my 06 i had the same problem. it was something in the wiring an the truck. i bought a new 08 and a trailer. i have had no problems with them, and the brake controller should lock up the brakes when u r stopped, mine does and i have it set at 5. it is the best controller i have ever had.

 

I have a 2008 with the gain set to 6 with a 10,000lb fiver, any higher than that and I lock the brakes. To test that I've hooked up my fiver properly, I always put the slider to max and then apply the throttle. You can feel the truck trying to pull forward, but the trailer brakes are holding me still.

You might want to take it to the dealer to make sure that the circuit is performing like it's supposed to. You never know, there could be a loose connection in the truck that's not letting the current through. If you still have your old truck, verify that the trailer behaves as it should on that vehicle to confirm that it's the truck. You might have noticed with the new truck just becuase it's time to adjust the brakes on the trailer or something got fried in the trailer's brake circuit.

It never hurts to trouble shoot.

 

I had the same problem with a new boat trailer using electric over hydraulic which means it uses an electri actuator to pressurize the hydraulic system. The manufacturer of the actuator had me attach a 3500lb magnet to the wiring of the trailer. Now I set mine at around 5.5 or 6 and I can see smoke if braking to quick.

Trailer and boat is around 12k. Triple axle with all disk brakes.

Are you periodically getting a trailer disconnet beep also?? Mine did this until I did the fix.

 

mine will not work unless I plug in the 6Pin, the 4pin has no connection to the brake controller, is that right?

 

The four pin connector doesn't have a brake wire. Only ground,L turn, R turn, and running lights.

 

I will agree with TinyOne: the brake contoller is designed to not apply its full power until you are moving 15mph or faster (althought mine seems to kick in between 8-10) I found a tsb somewhere on this and printed it out to keep in the glovebox. I can't remember what site it was from and it's too snowy/windy for me to go out to look right now. I keep the printout to show the DOT guys at stops when they test your brakes. I have 3 (05,06,07) and they all work the same way.
If you are moving at higher than 15 and you can't lock the brakes up then you have a problem with your controller or trailer. It varies by which trailer I am towing but all my trailers lock up at 7 or higher.
This controller is by far the best type I've ever used.

 

I wonder if the OP has a wiring fault in his truck or a bad plug at the bumper. I haven't researched but is there a self diagnostic that can run on the controller?
I had the prodigy on my F150 and I towed a travel trailer. The built in controller on my '08 seems to work better in my opinion. I don't have to mind it as much and just set it and forget while towing my 12k 5th wheel.

I hope the OP can find out where the problem is and let us know where it lies, it may help others.

 

The brake controller seems to work as stated by other members over 10mph, i didnt know that there was a speed limit to make the brakes engage fully, thanks for all the info and help!

 

I pull a 14500# 5th wheel with a short bed so I use a Reese slider hitch. My factory brake controller will lock up the trailer tires when stopped. I do this every time I'm changing the hitch position to manuvering position. It will hold the trailer still while I pull the truck forward to change the hitches position.

 

CHI6488, I have a 2008 F-450 and the EBC is not working with my new 5th wheel with Dexter Elect. over Hydr. disc brake actuator. Where did you get the 3500lb magnet?

 

I got involved over the years with the tbc. First, and others will confirm, your brake controller is not to be used with electric over hydraulic brake systems.

Second, you can check my posts for exact dates, back to 2005, March, I believe where there was a problem. That was corrected in all tbc forward. When you place the slide to 10, you should be able to smoke your tires.

All I said above is fact. You can check my posts back for tbc and confirm the tbs that was issued by FORD. Good luck.

P. S. Also, the electric brakes don't work with surge brakes. PURE ELECTRIC.

 

My '08 factory brake controller (F450 Job 1) works fine with my Dexter electric over hydraulic. Could your actuator be an older model perhaps?

 

michaelsk98 & stalwart:

I have had a 2005 and now a 2008 F-350 with TBC. Prior to that I had a 2003 Excursion with add on Brake controller. I spent a lot of time, documented in this forum. Before you guys get too far along, I suggest you check with FORD to disprove the following. I doubt seriously that FORD changed what the TBC will do. NOTE THE LAST LINE OF THE FOLLOWING:

Ford TowCommand
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The optional factory installed Ford Motor Company "TowCommand" integrated TBC (Trailer Brake Controller) system is only available and compatible on the extra-heavy duty commercial Ford Super Duty line of trucks starting with the 2005 models. It is built and engineered jointly with Tekonsha who is famous for their Prodigy TBC. With adjustable +/- trailer braking gain in a digital readout from 0.0 (no trailer brakes) to 10.0 (full trailer braking) in 0.5 increments and a manual override lever (to test trailer braking action), the Ford 'built into the dash' TBC provides smooth braking even when pulling up to a 15,000 lb 4-axle conventional (receiver mounted) or 26,000 lb 4-axle 5th Wheel (bed/frame mounted) trailer. TowCommand being different from most aftermarket TBCs, ties into the trucks' computer and hydraulics, so it senses truck brake pressure and can apply trailer brakes as fast as the truck's brakes. Master Brake Systems 'BrakeSmart' TBC is the only other TBC that taps into the trucks hydraulic lines in modern trucks.

The TowCommand TBC is basically made of three major components; the in-dash TBC module, a special TowCommand master cylinder with a brake pressure transducer, and an activated PCM (Powertrain Control Module) parameter by a Ford dealer's NGS or WDS programming method. All 2005 and newer Ford Super Duty trucks are already pre-wired for the TBC from the factory, no matter if the TBC option was ordered and installed at the time of the trucks assembly or not.

Before ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) came to trucks in the 1980s, most TBCs were activated by the trucks' brake hydraulic action. In an emergency situation with the trucks ABS activated, Ford's TowCommand can automatically reduce the trailer brake pressure (gain) as it communicates with the truck's computer for faster reaction time with proportional trailer brake control, to prevent the trailer brakes from locking up even though trailers do not have ABS sensors. TowCommand will also tell you with an audible alarm and in the digital readout if your trailer wires and/or trailer disconnects from the truck. All these features will make towing a trailer in heavy traffic less hectic also. Next to the TowCommand is an empty storage tray or the $85 optional 4 AUX (auxiliary) toggle switches you can use for winches, snow plow, off-road lights, etc.

The only disadvantage, unlike aftermarket TBCs, you can not transfer it from one truck to the next. Another advantage, unlike aftermarket TBCs, you can pull into any Ford service center when on the road and have it serviced. The TowCommand is even covered by the standard bumper-to-bumper warranty as long as it is not discovered to be an actual trailer problem. The TowCommand has only been verified to be compatible with trailers having electric-actuated drum brakes (one to four axles) and not hydraulic surge or electric-over-hydraulic types.