Trailer brake Question

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May 15, 2010 | 10:23 AM

midnight1967

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From: PA

Trailer brake Question

Hi guys i was wondering if anyone knows if you can put the 05 factory ford brake controller in a 2001 f-250, if so is it better than an aftermarket controller? thanks.

May 15, 2010 | 04:45 PM

bpounds

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From: Whittier, CA

Cannot do it, not reallistically. I don't even think it is worth the money and effort to retrofit on the later models. Aftermarket is the way to go. Anything from Tekonsha, Prodigy, P2, P3.

May 16, 2010 | 10:37 AM

TennesseeMustangPerf

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Agreed. Plus, there are better aftermarket controllers out there (even though the OEM is a really good one). Make sure to get a digital proportional unit like the P3. You can get them cheaper than the OEM and is a much nicer unit.

May 16, 2010 | 10:52 AM

Tom

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From: Isanti, MN

Quote:

Originally Posted by TennesseeMustangPerf

Agreed. Plus, there are better aftermarket controllers out there (even though the OEM is a really good one). Make sure to get a digital proportional unit like the P3. You can get them cheaper than the OEM and is a much nicer unit.

Really? Like which one?

None of the aftermarket controllers I've ever heard of can sense master cylinder pressure and get direct information on what you're trying to do. The best aftermarket ones use an inertia sensor to attempt to figure how hard you are trying to brake.

I had a Tekonsha Prodigy that I used before I got my SD. Great functioning unit, but nowhere near the precision of the IBC found in the '05+ trucks.

I agree with the other comments, though. No real way to do it because the PCM, as well as a sensor on the master cylinder, is involved with the brake controller's operation.

May 16, 2010 | 11:47 AM

TennesseeMustangPerf

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Not really better as in the way that it senses things, but better as in features. My P3 controls up to four axles, has adjustable boost settings, and does electric or hydros. The inertia sensor works just fine for me, and if I have a trailer that is unloaded all I have to do is drop off the power and I never have had to worry about unloaded trailer wheel skip like I had to deal with on the TB controller that came on the truck.

May 16, 2010 | 12:26 PM

Tom

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From: Isanti, MN

Yeah, I've had the pleasure of towing with a P3, and it's probably the best aftermarket controller I've ever used.

As far as features, I kind of agree with you. The boost feature is necessary with an inertia based controller because all it has to use is the amount of deceleration the truck and trailer experience with just the truck's brakes. A light application with a light trailer feels the same as a heavy application with a heavy trailer, even though you are trying to do completely different things.

Therefore the boost feature is what helps the brake controller interpret how hard you're trying to brake. Because the IBC knows how hard you're trying to brake, such a feature would be useless. Since it already knows that, all it needs to know is how hard to apply the brakes, which is a function of the gain setting.

The IBC is not rated for electric over hydraulic brakes, though. Not sure why, but if I remember right my Prodigy wasn't either. So that's certainly an advantage.