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RoadEyePie · 04-06-2019, 09:39 PM

Well I now own an RV but I can't pull it so I had to leave it in Kentucky and return home without it to Virginia. Apparently the Dexter EOH Disc Brakes won't work with newer model GMC or Chev model integrated trailer brake controllers. After 3 days of fixing problems, we hooked up and was waving goodbye to the team at Bluegrass RV (great bunch of guys), when we discovered the trailer brakes weren't working. It's a long story but here's the gist of it.

My brand new Beacon with the Disc brake option will not work with my 2018 GMC Denali nor would it work with one of the Bluegrass member's 2018 Chev. It works just fine with 2017 or earlier. Our newer model trucks work fine with any drum brake RVs. We hooked the 2018 trucks to a new Beacon with drum brakes and all was fine.

Spent most of today at the GM dealer in Ashland, which established that the problem was not with my truck. Electronics man says the newer trucks integrated trailer brake controllers are much more "sensitive" now and if the resistance between the white (ground I think) and the red wire is not 1.5 Ohms, they won't work. Less than 1.5, he says it will blow a fuse...more that 1.5 and the controller won't work.

Anybody out there with 2018 or 2019 Chev. or GMC that has the Dexter EOH Disc Brakes on your RV, aware of this problem??? Also wonder if Ford and Dodge newer models do the same?

renegade · 04-06-2019, 10:30 PM

some people have just wired two brake magnets in parrallel across the brake wire (normally blue) and ground, that gives enough resistance for everything to work. there are also "foolers" out there that due the same thing. One is the
Ford/Chevy Adapter for BrakeRite Electric / Hydraulic Actuators #4845900

jdpm · 04-07-2019, 05:58 AM

I have a 2018 GMC with factory ITBC and a 2014 fiver with Dexter EOH brakes with Dexter pump. ZERO issues using the two.
Our Previous 2011 and 2013 GM truck with former fiver with Kodiak disc and Titan pump and our current fiver with Dexter disc and Dexter pump did require the "adapter" to fool the ITBC.
I believe on the 2014 and newer GM trucks do not require and adapter or modifications for the EOH brake pumps to work.
Sounds a bit odd to me. Again, ZERO problems with my 2018 truck.

RoadEyePie · 04-07-2019, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renegade

some people have just wired two brake magnets in parrallel across the brake wire (normally blue) and ground, that gives enough resistance for everything to work. there are also "foolers" out there that due the same thing. One is the
Ford/Chevy Adapter for BrakeRite Electric / Hydraulic Actuators #4845900

I believe the other mechanic did say the wire was blue not red.

The dealer is going to contact Dexter on Monday. I have no idea if they used BrakeRite components or not. But the Ford/Chey adapter seems to be for trucks made after 2006. My Beacon worked fine with 2017 or earlier trucks (as far as we can tell), but not the two 2018's we tried.

RoadEyePie · 04-07-2019, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdpm

I have a 2018 GMC with factory ITBC and a 2014 fiver with Dexter EOH brakes with Dexter pump. ZERO issues using the two.
Our Previous 2011 and 2013 GM truck with disc brakes with a former fiver and our current fiver did require the "adapter" to fool the ITBC.
I believe on the 2014 and newer GM trucks did not require and adapter or modifications for the EOH brake pumps to work.
Sounds a bit odd to me. Again, ZERO problems with my 2018 truck.

Your 2014 fiver may have used different Dexter components that what they are using today. I may be able to confirm and know more after talking with Dexter on Monday.

RoadEyePie · 04-07-2019, 06:15 AM

So it does appear that this problem isn't new, as there are products on the market to resolve this or similar brake controller problems. As a last resort alternative, my dealer says they can install a third party brake controller on my truck and bypass the GMC integrated controller.

jdpm · 04-07-2019, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoadEyePie

Your 2014 fiver may have used different Dexter components that what they are using today. I may be able to confirm and know more after talking with Dexter on Monday.

Perhaps, but GM says no modifications needed for the IOH brakes to work. Sounds like a wiring issue on the trailer end to me.
Do you get any messages on the DIC when you connect the trailer or disconnect it like "trailer connected", etc.

**Spdracr39** · 04-07-2019, 06:20 AM

My money is on the pump wired incorrectly from the factory. On EOH brakes the blue wire must go directly from the truck to the pump and not through the breakaway like the drum brakes do. Mine acted up after the initial install and after tracing the wiring they had it hooked up wrong. They all tried to tell me the same thing. GM says it will work, Dexter says it will work, SHop wanted to install an aftermarket controller, and etrailer said aftermarket controller. Don't give up as it WILL work if it is hooked up correctly. Make sure when you are testing on 2017 and older you are cranking the gain up. On mine before the fix it would work on gain setting below 3, which of course did nothing for braking, but when you turned it up it would shut off the trailer braking with a service trailer brake system message.

RoadEyePie · 04-07-2019, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdracr39

My money is on the pump wired incorrectly from the factory. On EOH brakes the blue wire must go directly from the truck to the pump and not through the breakaway like the drum brakes do. Mine acted up after the initial install and after tracing the wiring they had it hooked up wrong. They all tried to tell me the same thing. GM says it will work, Dexter says it will work, SHop wanted to install an aftermarket controller, and etrailer said aftermarket controller. Don't give up as it WILL work if it is hooked up correctly. Make sure when you are testing on 2017 and older you are cranking the gain up. On mine before the fix it would work on gain setting below 3, which of course did nothing for braking, but when you turned it up it would shut off the trailer braking with a service trailer brake system message.

If the pump is wired incorrectly, why would older model trucks work just fine? I mean after all they hauled the RV from Mississippi to Iowa to Kentucky and whatever they used to tow it had brakes (according to them) and I assume no one would knowing pull an 18,000 lbs trailer without brakes.

wingnut60 · 04-07-2019, 06:57 AM

Surely you have talked to Vanleigh on this problem?
Doesn't help with your situation, but lots of reports of similar problem with Fords and DRVs--need a mod to the wiring control or an adapter between truck plug and trailer harness plug. Might get one of those and try?

RoadEyePie · 04-07-2019, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingnut60

Surely you have talked to Vanleigh on this problem?
Doesn't help with your situation, but lots of reports of similar problem with Fords and DRVs--need a mod to the wiring control or an adapter between truck plug and trailer harness plug. Might get one of those and try?

Yes, I've spoken with Vanleigh RV. At first, they took the obvious view point, "it's your truck, not our RV". Next, they blamed Dexter and said I would have to talk with them. They should "own" this issue because they built it and sold it. In short, they've not been much help thus far. There have been a number of issues where I have been less than pleased with their attitude and assistance. Another example is trying to get them to give me detailed specs on where on the roof they placed a steel plate under the TPO and possibly even the plywood for the mounting of a Winegard Trav'ler antenna. All I've got so far is inconsistent information, such as it's right next to the dome covering the prewired wires, and it's in the middle of the RV (both length wise and from side to side). One of those statements is incorrect. What scares me is that they are suppose to be one of the better ones.

wingnut60 · 04-07-2019, 10:23 AM

This is out of left field, but some new Fords have similar problem--have found that the use of a Curt adapter #57003 has solved a lot of problems with lights/brakes etc. For $30 outlay, might be worth a try.

RoadEyePie · 04-08-2019, 09:30 AM

I think a solution has been found. Bryan with Vanleigh RV came through by sending an email which included their electrical team who told us what we needed to do. Part is being shipped and I should have confirmation about this being the solutions by tomorrow. Will hopefully be going back to pick up the Beacon on Wednesday. Thank you Brian.

Part needed is a HBA-CAM

jdpm · 04-08-2019, 09:42 AM

Interesting. I removed that from mine when I got the 2018 GMC. Sad part is those go bad, too.
Drove myself crazy with a no brakes issue on my 2013 using the Iitbc and dexter pump. Turned out the cam had gone bad!
No cam on my 2018 GMC with Dexter disc/pump.