adding OEM brake controller?

[Bill M.]

Bought a used Ram 1500 to pull my 6500 lb 25' 1988 Airstream. Truck has a 1565 payload sticker and a hitch rated at 1200 lbs and a high number rear end and v8 so I think I am okay there. Tongue weight added about 800 lbs to my previous 2500 when hitched. Just 2 old folks and a 20 lb dog and we do not carry much gear.
No brake controller. I have a new P3 and was about to order the proper harness when I saw stuff about adding factory controller.
Has anbody done this or had it done? Approximate cost? Are the factory controllers good?
I hate having to mount the P3 where it has to go to be level and it is hard to access and read down there.

[xpcdoojk]

I had a Jeep Gladiator, same Mopar situation. Several people on the Jeep Gladiator forum had the factory brake controller installed. I didn’t like the descriptions of cutting holes in places on the Jeep, and the way the shops installed it seemed a bit sketchy. Results seemed to vary from good to hmmm…. I decided to buy a Curt Echo bluetooth controller. It worked great, I mounted my cell phone on the dash, and just hit the big red button on my screen when I wanted to manually apply trailer brakes. Had my cell phone mounted already. They also sell a red button that sticks on your dash that you can remove 3M tape. I didn’t buy it. I could still use my cell phone including car play etc. The only problem with the Curt is the rubber wrap that they use to keep it plugged into your trailer plugin lid. I think it survived one trip. I bought some reusable Velcro straps at Harbor freight and I have no complaints. I sold the Jeep upgraded to Ford F250 it has the factory controller already with a squeeze brake controller. Probably better than the Kurt because you can modulate the brake use. That said, you will almost never use the brake controller until you get in a situation where you need to. So, it doesn’t really matter if it is bluetooth or OEM, you just want it to work. I think both ways do. With the Curt you can use it with a different truck.

[Bill M.]

Thanks for the info. Prompted some more looking. Right now I am thinking I will get the Tekonsha wireless that mounts on the trailer. The Curt is out for me because of having to use the phone to run it. (apparantly the phone has to be actively running the program with the Curt even for the independent stick on button to work?) So any opinions on the Tekonsha wireless controller are welcomed.

[Tim A.]

We tried a Curt controller for our 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee and had problems with it. After looking at the Mopar and other controllers, we bought a Redarc. I was able to install the little controller knob without drilling holes in the dash. It has worked very well.

Tim

[xpcdoojk]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

Thanks for the info. Prompted some more looking. Right now I am thinking I will get the Tekonsha wireless that mounts on the trailer. The Curt is out for me because of having to use the phone to run it. (apparantly the phone has to be actively running the program with the Curt even for the independent stick on button to work?) So any opinions on the Tekonsha wireless controller are welcomed.

Once you program it with the phone, it remembers that program and the trailer. You can get the bluetooth button and use it as if it were the phone.

Your choices. I didn’t want any drilled holes. It worked well for me.

[uraljohn]

You can purchase the factory brake controller and have it installed. It will most likely have to be installed at the dealer because the BCM (Body Control Module) will have to be reflashed to recognize the controller when you hook up to the trailer. Using a factory style brake controller may change the shifting of your vehicle and change the braking of the vehicle to adapt the trailer. I tow with a 2013 Ford E150 XLT Premium Passenger van. It has the Factory Tow Package but the Brake Controller was a separate option and was not on the van when I purchased it. I used a Teshonka P2 for several years. Then I purchased a Factory BC and had it installed. When towing it changed the transmission settings and shift patterns much to the good. Way better driving experience. Wish I had installed it years ago. This is my experience. Your results may differ. In the future any vehicle I tow with WILL have a Factory BC.

[Boxite]

You don’t say which year Ram 1500…but on my new 2012 Ram 1500 which supposedly had the towing pkg….but no OEM controller…. the dealership told me it would not work due to the wiring harness in my Ram. (Tradesman which was a special order group for a contractor who didn’t take the entire group ordered..)

Long story short: I installed the Hoskins “Insight”unit which allowed me to install the display up on the top of the dash by the door-pillar where it was in my scan…and the manual actuator down by my right knee where It would be next to where I rest my right hand when driving….and the computer/accelerometer on the left kick-panel where it would be out-of-the-way/out-of-sight but where it would be level to sense deceleration-rate, etc. etc. (PS: U-Haul sold an adaptor-harness which made this “plug and play”. Really simple install.)

It’s been a really good performer for us. https://www.amazon.com/Hopkins-47297...yEALw_wcB&th=1