2005 F-350 Built In Brake Controller - Montana Owners Club

Waynem · 05-09-2008, 03:46 AM

I'm looking to see if anyone has had this same situation that I have.

I have the 2005 F-350 King Ranch, Crew Cab, with the Ford built in brake controller. Now, I have done the "tug test," when hooking up the 5er, and have done with many other trailers. But, with this F-350, when you squeeze the paddles, the brakes will NOT lock the wheels. I have always had break controllers that if you set to the highest level and squeezed the paddles the brakes would be locked.

Has anyone else run into this with the Ford built in brake controller?

steves · 05-09-2008, 04:05 AM

I have never tried the "tug test" via the brake controller - I always do the "tug" with my BAL wheel chocks engaged between my wheels and my front landing legs just off the ground in case the unit comes off the hitch. That said - I'm not sure you want the wheels to lock up but to have max braking power and still have a controllable 5er. If the braking does not seem strong enough - I would suspect either the brake adjustment or a wiring issue on the 5er. My 5er had bad/loose connections on the brake wiring and after fixing I have never had a issue with the Ford brake controller.

richfaa · 05-09-2008, 04:09 AM

Yes..In the early 05 Controllers (I had one) there was that problem. actually it was not a problem just the design of the controller. I think if you googled that issue you would come up with the Ford Bulletin on it.

Waynem · 05-09-2008, 05:32 AM

Steves,
I also leave all chocks in place and landing gear 1/4" off the pavement when doing the TUG test. I guess more appropriately, when parked and you squeeze the paddles, without any chocks to just test the brakes, the trailer will move.

One suggestion by a mechanic was the ABS system, since on the Ford, the ABS works the trailer brakes also and will not allow it to lock up.

Once I start on the road I always check the paddles pressure and I have no problem in Hanna telling me she wants to stop when I put the pressure on the paddle.

Rich,
I'm very interested in finding that article. the Ford people here did not have an answer but were willing to put the computer on the truck to check it out. Well, of course, $168 computer check fee. I'll try a couple of Googles and see what pops up.

Thanks.

richfaa · 05-09-2008, 06:49 AM

And I just trashed the folder for my 05 350 and that bulletin was in there....Rats...

bigmurf · 05-09-2008, 09:09 AM

Waynem: One suggestion by a mechanic was the ABS system, since on the Ford, the ABS works the trailer brakes also and will not allow it to lock up.

I would question this statement. ABS needs some sort of feedback to know that a wheel is about to lockup. Where would this feedback come from on your trailer?

Crossthread · 05-09-2008, 09:36 AM

Waynem, I have an '05 F-350. I have the same problem. I called the dealer and was told that the built in controller didn't send power to the trailer unless you were doing at least 15 mph. My solution was that I ran a wire from a hot 12v to a momentary on switch,then to the output brake wire from the controller. That way I can do a pull test,or hold it on a hill if needed. Bill

richfaa · 05-09-2008, 11:03 AM

" have an '05 F-350. I have the same problem. I called the dealer and was told that the built in controller didn't send power to the trailer unless you were doing at least 15 mph." Bill That's was it.... The later controllers do not do that. There was no fix from Ford other than a new controller.

Waynem · 05-09-2008, 02:35 PM

Rich,
Is that a new controller like in replaces the present one, or an external one?

sailer · 05-09-2008, 02:51 PM

I have a 06 F250 King ranch and there is no way you can lock the brakes as i have been told its too heavy to lock up as the truck is also doing the brakes .. I have never tried to do it mannual though but only hitting the peddel,, john

rv_nut · 05-09-2008, 05:13 PM

There was a lot of discussion on the Ford controllers a year or so ago over on RV.net. As stated, the early controllers would not operate below a certain speed. This was the way it was designed, not a defect. Ford later changed the controller to correct this (my 2007 works correctly). There were some people who were persistent enough to get Ford to replace their early controller. The key was to bring up the 'safety issue".

Ken

H. John Kohl · 05-10-2008, 02:52 AM

Wayne,
I put 12 amps to the brakes and have never been able to lock the wheels on either 5th wheel that I have owned.

richfaa · 05-10-2008, 03:16 AM

Ford just improved the Built in controller so that the truck did not have to be moving at a low speed before the BC engaged. It was early on in the 05 run. In the issue of locking the brakes the controller should be adjusted so that does not happen. We can not lock the brakes with our 08 Ford..They act like ABC brakes. In some of the older add on BC's you could do that.

Update..)05 Fords built prior to March 2005 would only provide 1-3 volts to the trailer if moving under 5MPH.. That was corrected..There was a TSB out but I can not find it..

rubble express · 05-14-2008, 06:33 AM

The integrated controller on our F350 will hold the trailer in place to do the "hook-up" tug. I've never tried to see how hard I could pull it to get it to move. 600 ft/lbs of torque is alot of stress to put on the unit just to "see" if it will move. Even with freshly adjusted brakes and the controller set at 10, I cannot lock up the brakes with the paddles at 20 mph on dry pavement. On wet pavement (or gravel/dirt) it will start to lock up before it stops. If I were braver and tried it at say 35/40 mph, I'm sure they would lock up on wet pavement but that's alot of unneeded stress on the the axles/springs, etc. The brakes seem to work very well on our unit and we usually have it set at 7.5 under normal dry conditions. If it's wet and we are at highway speeds, I drop it down to 6. Don't know if this is correct, but it seems to work for us.

bsmeaton · 05-14-2008, 07:09 AM

This is all really wierd.

My 06 F350 (manufacturered 06/05) will hold the trailer by squeezing the paddles, and will even lock it up. I have it set to 6.5 and I do the tug test everytime I hook up. Remember the trailer has to roll about 3/4 of a wheel rotation for the brakes to actually lock.

I also use the paddles to hold the trailer to move my slide hitch, forward and backwards. When the slide hitch gets rusty and won't move, the paddles will hold the brakes hard enough to drag the tires in the gravel. I just did this last Sunday.

It might be my controller that is broken, but I'll take it the way it is.

richfaa · 05-14-2008, 07:49 AM

Update..)05 Fords built prior to March 2005 would only provide 1-3 volts to the trailer if moving under 5MPH.. That was corrected..There was a TSB out but I can not find it.. Brad your truck is updated only the early 05's had a problem...

MacDR50 · 05-14-2008, 08:17 AM

I am used to setting the controller by locking up at a slow speed then backing off a setting to no lock at that speed. Obviously the heavier units make this procedure difficult. Perhaps doing it on wet pavement to get the lock-up and then backing off slightly would be possible? Is there a better way?

bsmeaton · 05-14-2008, 08:42 AM

Oops - you're right Rich. I read your post wrong.

sreigle · 05-14-2008, 05:46 PM

Had the same problem with my '05 F250. As others said, what I found out from Ford is that controllers installed prior to a date in March 2005 were designed to not apply full power below 12 mph. Or maybe it was 15. Anyhow, they had so many complaints they changed the design. The later controllers will apply full power at idle.

That is not a good thing when you need to lock the brakes to move a manual slider. I took my case to Ford Corporate to no avail. They just told me I could have a Ford dealer install the later version. For $300 in parts plus labor.

Rich, I had a copy of that TSB on my other laptop, the one that got killed. The TSB just stated this is normal and no fix would be made available.

Waynem · 05-15-2008, 03:12 AM

I hope you find the killer Steve!

I'll just live with what I have. Going down the highway, and IF I apply the paddles, it lets me know it wants to stop so I'm comfortable with braking when towing. I always do a paddle check as I start to pull out for the first time of the day, when rolling.

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