Troubleshooting Electric Over Hydraulic Trailer Brakes Delay with Dodge Ram OEM Brake Controller

Published 10/26/2023

Question:

I have a 14K equipment trailer equipped with the Dexter electric over hydraulic actuator and drum brakes. There is a delay of a couple of seconds when applying the brakes. I have tried various settings on my Dodge RAM built in brake controller, I have adjusted the brake shoes and checked for leaks but have not found any issues. I have my actuator wired to on-board full-size batter for power that is in turn wired to my truck power connection to charge the on-board battery, so I think i should have plenty of muscle for the brake actuator. When the brakes do actuate, they are very strong and will slide the tires even when loaded. Is this normal to have a delay? Is there something I can do to reduce the delay? Thanks

asked by: Richard P

Expert Reply:

The OEM controller on your Dodge Ram truck should be proportional which means it will be applying your trailer brakes at the same time and with the same intensity that you apply the brake pedal in your truck. If you haven't gone through the truck settings and fine-tuned how it's setup then that can definitely be a contributing factor. You'll want to put it in the Electric Over Hydraulic setting for it to work properly.

If changing it to this setting still doesn't fix things then it could be that your OEM controller is having issues communicating with the actuator so you might need to replace the controller itself. If you end up going this route I recommend using the Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty Brake Controller # RED52VR because it can be installed essentially anywhere in your cab so you still get that OEM controller feel. You can also use the Wiring Adapter # 3021-S to plug right in to a 2010 - 2012 Ram pickup. Let me know if you have a different model year and I can see if there is a different adapter you need.

Please also note that replacing the OEM controller might require you to take your truck up to a Dodge/Ram dealer to get the vehicle flashed so it can properly read the new controller.

expert reply by: Jon G