Saga of a new truck Part 2


Sunset in Atlanta State Park Atlanta TX

Captain's Log: Atlanta State Park, Texas

Our first trip in the new truck went flawlessly, right up to when we arrived at Atlanta State Park, still in Texas thankfully, about a hundred miles north of Tyler. The trailer had followed along behind the truck and had stopped when it was supposed to. The truck had plenty of power and it was an easy tow, so I wasn't expecting any surprises, but I got one anyway . As I exited the truck, I could smell the trailer brakes. Never a good sign. I could also hear the trailer's brake actuator humming when it should have been quietly off. I felt each wheel to confirm all four trailer brakes were hot. Good thing we were going to be here awhile.

So back to Tyler to visit the Dodge dealer. I explained the problem and hoped for the best. What I got instead was a report that the truck's computer declared everything was fine. The guy I spoke to said since nothing was broken, there was nothing to fix. But what about the hot trailer brakes? Well, since it wasn't the truck, it must be something wrong with the trailer. Hard to fault that logic, since the computer couldn't be wrong. Back to the park to think about this.

I thought and thought and after Janie found my digital volt meter (in like two minutes, after I had looked everywhere), I measured and measured. There was no doubt: the truck had a residual voltage on the brake line to the trailer that caused minimal braking when there should have been no braking. I could swap the truck's integrated brake controller with an after market brake controller that I knew worked (because I've been using it for the last four years) but first I was going to make another run at getting Dodge to fix this. This time I would come armed with all my evidence and reason would prevail. This time I would take it to a different Dodge dealer, the closest one being in Texarcana.


Voltage from Ram's controller
I get in the next day and explain the problem with the brake controller, complete with voltages and unassailable logic. They consulted the truck's computer and arrived at their decision: everything is fine, nothing to fix. But look, I say, at the brake signal to the trailer. Even without a trailer attached, it's over a volt when it should clearly be zero volts. A tech was standing right there and even had a DVM with him. So he measured it and agreed that looked suspicious. So they putz around some more and pretty soon I noticed a couple of techs heading out to check other trucks in their inventory. The verdict: all the trucks they tested bug out the same as mine, so that's how Ram is building them and if you have a problem it must be your trailer. 
Hard to argue with that. I could reasonably expect the dealer to bring the truck up to factory specs, but I can't expect them to redesign the truck.

I had an after market brake controller installed the same afternoon. I used the Prodigy P3, the same brake controller I was towing with before. Finally got back to Atlanta State Park and confirmed the brake line voltage from the truck with no braking was zero volts, as it had to be. With the trailer connected, the trailer's brake actuator was silent, the trailer's brakes were off. All good.
Voltage from the P3 controller
The next morning we packed up and headed to Lake Catherine near Hot Spring Arkansas. Calibrated the new brake controller on the way out of the park and it worked great. The new truck is so quiet. I don't even have to turn the radio up, but I do anyway.

Happy trails.
- John

Comments

  1. Ken and Sarah HoenigApril 6, 2014 at 11:48 AM

    Safe travels with you new truck. I am glad your brake problem wasn't more serious than a new controller. We are back in Iowa for the week and then to Omaha. Happy Trails.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Travels with EmmaApril 6, 2014 at 12:54 PM

    Glad you got things fixed. I stayed at Atlanta back in 07 when I had my shorter rig. I seem to remember hard to get into sites. Are there any big rig sites?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownApril 6, 2014 at 4:12 PM

      There are some sites in the FHU area that will fit the big rigs but most of the water/electric sites would be hard to get into. We really liked the park. We were in site 16. It would definitely be large enough and I think it is the best site in the park.

      Delete
  3. Jim and SandieApril 6, 2014 at 2:24 PM

    Jim thinks you should contact Dodge's customer relations on this issue. If this is true, Dodge could be opening themselves up to lawsuits from folks who don't know this and burn up their brakes or have a problem. At least customer's should be advised if this is how they are building the trucks now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownApril 6, 2014 at 4:09 PM

      That's a great idea. John just go on their web site to do that. He already posted on the TDR forum that a lot of the Ram guys are on. Several commented that they would be checking out their brakes.

      Delete
  4. RV Khronicles of KevelynApril 6, 2014 at 3:19 PM

    So glad everything is finally working correctly!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Faye N DaveApril 6, 2014 at 3:39 PM

    Yes Texas is the home of big ass trucks, we learned that too. Congrats on the new truck, hope this is the only issue you have with it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. owensontheroadApril 6, 2014 at 7:25 PM

    Nice new truck! We're going through new truck withdrawal. Our Chevy is a 2006 and has had a few ($2,000) repairs lately. Can't afford the payment quite yet :-)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Urban Life

Image
The view from our balcony I have been thinking about this post for awhile. When we are not traveling I find it hard to sit down and write but I have wanted to tell you about our new digs and what living downtown has been like for us. Another balcony view We moved into a one bedroom apartment on the west side of the river in the downtown Cedar Rapids area. This is a brand new building that actually they are still working on. The first floor is businesses, floors 2 and 3 are apartments and floors 4, 5, & 6 are condos. We love the building. Every apartment and condo has a balcony that looks out over the river and the McGrath Amphitheatre. Our little apartment in this building is 767 sq. which, after living in our 5th Wheel for 7 years, seems huge. We feel these apartments were well thought out. The kitchen is wonderful. It has a large island (all  solid countertops - quartz I think) with a large sink and plenty of seating room . We started by buying 3 barstools but found
Read more

Time for me to learn to drive this rig.

Image
Trail at Squaw Creek park Yesterday we moved back to Morgan Creek park (about a 15 mile drive) and I drove the rig! We have always said that I needed to start doing this but I never seem to do it. The first year I think John just felt he needed to get proficient at all the driving & parking things before he had me do it and then we just got lazy. It was just easier for him to do it. Recently friends of our that we met in Tucson, John and Terri had a very harrowing experience that reminded us why we both need to be able to drive this rig. John they think had a seizure while driving, luckily not towing but still it is amazing that they survived it. What this meant is that now Terri had to do the driving back to their former home town Sacramento and like me she had not done much driving. She did great and they are now coming off the road and starting a new phase of life. All of John's test look good so far and we wish him the best and hope that it was just a one time isolated
Read more

Three plus years of full timing....what have we learned

Image
Zion National Park,  Utah, December 2010 Harris Hawk at Sonoran Desert Museum, Tuscon Feb. 2011 When we left Cedar Rapids it began our 4th year of living and traveling in our RV. The last three years have flown by and we are still not ready to go back to a sticks and bricks life. We have traveled a lot of the western US but even with time out there all three years there are so many places we have yet to discover. This year will be our first going south and east, all new places for me and many new ones for John. I think one of the things that I learn every time we find somewhere new is how beautiful this country is. If you slow down and take the time you will find amazing things everywhere. I think the thing I appreciate the most about this lifestyle is that freedom to take it slow. BLM land near Quartzite, AZ in January 2011 Putah Creek, Winters CA in Jan.2013 Crater Lake, Oregon, fall 2012 Diamond Lake, Oregon, fall 2012 When we first took off we were
Read more