[T Man]

I got my Rebel with the integrated trailer brake, and yesterday had a boat trailer hooked up that has a brake. The brake wouldn't engage and when I tried to adjust the setting I got a message indicating "trailer brake not connected" but it was. I know it isn't the trailer, on my previous Ram I also had the integrated brake and it worked fine. Any thoughts?

 

[TheGreatRam]

If it's working with other trailers, I'm wondering if the brake controller is not compatible with the trailer brakes.

 

[Haulin]

Probably is a compatibility issue. Your trailer could be using surge brakes, they're supposed to be a passive system that reacts when the truck starts to slow down. The Ram Rebel's Integrated Trailer Brake Module was designed to be used with electric trailer brakes and new electric over hydraulic systems and you can select the brake type after tapping on the “Trailer Brake” button on the touchscreen.

Brake types available.
Light Electric
Heavy Electric
Light EOH
Heavy EOH

 

[TheGreatRam]

I got my Rebel with the integrated trailer brake, and yesterday had a boat trailer hooked up that has a brake. The brake wouldn't engage and when I tried to adjust the setting I got a message indicating "trailer brake not connected" but it was. I know it isn't the trailer, on my previous Ram I also had the integrated brake and it worked fine. Any thoughts?

Did you ever figure out why it wouldn't work?

 

[johnj]

Yeah, he posted in the other Rebel forum, too. Someone there talked about surge brakes, and he realized that's what he had.

 

[TheGreatRam]

So anyone with a trailer that uses surge brakes will need to either get a new trailer or change out the brakes for electrical ones.
Well that's a PITA. Why did Ram decide to make it only compatible with electric brakes?

 

[johnj]

It's not a problem at all. You can still use surge breaks normally, they work just fine. They don't depend on electrical power from the truck at all. Surge breaks have their main cylinder built into the trailer hitch so if the truck slows down and the trailer is pushing on the truck, it compresses that cylinder, pushing fluid back to the breaks. Only thing it requires is the hitch ball to hook to.

The ONLY problem is that you get a message that there are no *electrical* brakes hooked to the truck. And if you have surge breaks, who cares?