Adapter needed for 2007 2500HD to hyd. Disc Brakes

[docolds456]

I have read in couple of places that some type of adapter is needed to connect the integral brake controller in my 2007.5 2500HD to some trailer brakes. While my brakes seem to work ok, I have a recycling buzzing noise coming from the electric over hydraulic actuator located in the right front corner of the camper. The noise is made any time the trailer is connected to the truck, no matter whether the brake pedal is depressed or not.

Has anyone experienced this? If so, what did you do to stop the noise or do I even need to worry about it? The camper dealer acted like it was nothing to worry about, but it would seem to cause premature wear on the brake pads if it is pressurizing the brake lines, or at least the constant recycling of the pump may wear out the $800 pump sooner than necessary.

Any ideas????

[klassic]

I'm no expert but in my dick conversation quote they asked if my built in OEM controller had an option setting for electric/hydraulic (which it does). Otherwise I would have needed a seperate module to go with the Titan pump

[Seann45]

Titan says adapters may be necessary with ABS.. sounds like you need one... they sell it..

[docolds456]

Originally Posted by Seann45

Titan says adapters may be necessary with ABS.. sounds like you need one... they sell it..

The pump in our Jayco Legacy is a Dexter Model E/H 1600. So would the Titan adapter information hold true for the Dexter pump also?

[docolds456]

Originally Posted by docolds456

The pump in our Jayco Legacy is a Dexter Model E/H 1600. So would the Titan adapter information hold true for the Dexter pump also?

OK, I've been surfing through all the info on the internet on this subject, and found the answer to my problem. I'll share it with all of you so you can help yourselves and others with this problem.

The integral brake controllers installed in the Chevy and Ford late 2000 trucks use a circuit that is looking for the magnets on the electric trailer brakes. On a electric over hydraulic system like I have (Dexter E/H 1600 actuator) there are no magnets to sense. So, the controller constantly sends out the small current signal to try to find the magnets. This makes the actuator pulse on and off from the current, and probably puts a small amount of pressure in the hydraulic lines to the brakes. This would cause the brakes to get applied lightly but unnecessarily and I would assume cause premature were on the pads, excessive heat, excessive tire wear, and poor fuel mileage. We have all these issues going when we pull the camper.

The fix is the wire in a couple of electric brake pucks like those used on electric drum trailer brakes across the blue and white wires (blue is the brake wire hot from controller and white is ground) to let the IBCU "think" there are brakes connected. This will still activate the hydraulic actuator (along with the two magnets) and apply the brakes. You can adjust your controller to get the right amount of current going to the actuator.

This information was on the E-Trailer web site in the Q & A's, so I didn't dream it up. Since Dexter doesn't offer an adapter for the EH 1600 like some of the other companies (Titan, etc.) this is the fix that was recommended.

I hope this helps others. It took some digging to get an answer, but it turned out to be an easy (and cheap) fix. Now if someone could explain to me why the manufacturers would install a system so deficient in its design, I would love to see that.

Carry on.

[klassic]

Sorry, I forgot that I read that last week on eTrailer. I would have posted that.