Factory Brake Controller - Diesel Forum

GWBlack · 07-09-2007, 01:28 AM

Hello - I have a 2008 F350 PSD Lariat on order with the TowCommand factory brake controller. How good is this factory-installed controller? I've read other posts with people recommending Prodigy or Brakesmart. How does the factory controller compare to these? I plan to order a Jayco Designer 5th wheel next spring (10680 lb dry weight, 14500 lb GVWR). I just want to make sure the factory controller can keep my family safe.

Thanks!
Gary

newtodieseling · 07-09-2007, 09:26 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Hello - I have a 2008 F350 PSD Lariat on order with the TowCommand factory brake controller. How good is this factory-installed controller? I've read other posts with people recommending Prodigy or Brakesmart. How does the factory controller compare to these? I plan to order a Jayco Designer 5th wheel next spring (10680 lb dry weight, 14500 lb GVWR). I just want to make sure the factory controller can keep my family safe.

Thanks!
Gary

[/ QUOTE ]
Do a search; I think you'll find almost everyone that has Tow Command loves it and wouldn't trade it for anything. I have a Prodigy because my truck didn't have Tow Command, but if it did I wouldn't replace it.

davydee · 07-09-2007, 10:24 AM

Also, visit rv.net and look into any 5thwheel forums. Personnally, I'm not seeing any complaints. Just one post on here where the guy said his trailer's hydraulic system wasn't compatabile. I know of one guy who's towing a Hitchhiker with disc brakes & using tow command and he's not having any problems. David

overfly · 07-09-2007, 03:38 PM

Best brake controller I've used [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

wdwkr · 07-09-2007, 04:30 PM

The factory controller works very well for me. Best I have ever used. It is in a convenient place. Which makes it easy to adjust and God forbidding you ever have to slam on the trailer brakes it is within easy reach.

GWBlack · 07-09-2007, 07:15 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The factory controller works very well for me. Best I have ever used. It is in a convenient place. Which makes it easy to adjust and God forbidding you ever have to slam on the trailer brakes it is within easy reach.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since this will be my first SuperDuty, my first diesel and also my first 5th wheel, I have a dumb newbie question. Once I adjust the brake controller properly, why would I need to re-adjust it during an emergency maueuver? Due to the "proportional" control, won't the braking effect be increased automatically during an emergency stop (due to pushing down harder on the brake pedal)? Or is that something I will always need to do manually? I'm concerned that maybe I won't remember such things under the stress of an emergency maneuver.

Thanks!
Gary

wingnut60 · 07-10-2007, 12:50 AM

Not sure what he meant by that--it works fine in my '07 with a very heavy trailer. It is easy to reach and adjust, but you don't need to adjust it after it is set to the trailer and how you like it to feel.
It does not work well with some of the new trailers that have electric over hydraulic brakes. It should work fine also with the Jayco, unless they have upgraded the brakes to elec/hydraulic.

wdwkr · 07-10-2007, 01:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The factory controller works very well for me. Best I have ever used. It is in a convenient place. Which makes it easy to adjust and God forbidding you ever have to slam on the trailer brakes it is within easy reach.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since this will be my first SuperDuty, my first diesel and also my first 5th wheel, I have a dumb newbie question. Once I adjust the brake controller properly, why would I need to re-adjust it during an emergency maueuver? Due to the "proportional" control, won't the braking effect be increased automatically during an emergency stop (due to pushing down harder on the brake pedal)? Or is that something I will always need to do manually? I'm concerned that maybe I won't remember such things under the stress of an emergency maneuver.

What I meant was if the trailer ever became unattached from the truck you can use the manual slider to stop and or get the trailer back under control. Also if you ever have the trailer fish-tailing you can use the manual slider to stop the sway. Think of it this way, If you slam on your brakes and the truck brakes heavier than the trailer you will see the trailer driving by your window. I also adjust my trailer brakes according to the load in the trailer.

first_ford · 07-10-2007, 11:49 PM

I have had the Prodigy and the factory brake controller on two similar trucks, the Tow command works much better and smother than I could get the Prodigy to work. It uses the brake pedal pressure and the computer rather than relying on inertia to operate the controller. THE ONLY REASON I use the slide switch is to set the voltage on the controller

Fordman6 · 07-11-2007, 06:08 PM

If you do a search on this topic you'll find where some guys had weird unresolved problems with certain trailers and ended up swapping the ITBC with Brakesmart or other controllers but those cases were minimal. There was also problems with the early 05 vehicles in that you couldn't manually override the ITBC under 15 MPH which means you couldn't do a test pull when hooking up your wagon, but that's been resolved. Mine works great, no problems with anything I've towed with it. Just plug in, set the gain and go.

**darricks** · 07-12-2007, 02:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Hello - I have a 2008 F350 PSD Lariat on order with the TowCommand factory brake controller. How good is this factory-installed controller? I've read other posts with people recommending Prodigy or Brakesmart. How does the factory controller compare to these? I plan to order a Jayco Designer 5th wheel next spring (10680 lb dry weight, 14500 lb GVWR). I just want to make sure the factory controller can keep my family safe.

Thanks!
Gary

[/ QUOTE ]

Caugh, caugh! Cequent = Tekonsha = Prodigy = Factory contract for Tow Command = Same quality = Good System.

haul_n_horses2 · 07-12-2007, 03:30 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Caugh, caugh! Cequent = Tekonsha = Prodigy = Factory contract for Tow Command = Same quality = Good System.

[/ QUOTE ]Cough Cough. Not as good as BrakeSmart! Cough Cough.

**darricks** · 07-12-2007, 04:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Caugh, caugh! Cequent = Tekonsha = Prodigy = Factory contract for Tow Command = Same quality = Good System.

[/ QUOTE ]Cough Cough. Not as good as BrakeSmart! Cough Cough.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cough. Cough. Questionable, but the MaxBrake is.

haul_n_horses2 · 07-12-2007, 04:49 PM

From what I can tell the MaxBrake is just a poorly finished knock off of the BrakeSmart. Time will tell if it functions as well with a wide variety of trailers/brake systems. I just know that hooking up to an electric brake trailer, there is just one push of the button and the gain is automagically set. Works very slick. No calibrations to perform as on the MaxBrake. Then when I go back to my electric over hydraulic there are no re-calibrations. Just plug in and go.

Glow_Plug · 07-14-2007, 09:56 PM

I had a BrakeSmart in my 2002 and it performed flawlessly. I've had towcommand ITBC in my last two trucks. I still like the BrakeSmart better, but not enough to consider swapping it out. They are both proportional controllers ran of the brake system's hydraulic pressure. The one gripe I still have with Ford's controller is it's diminished output at lower speeds.