Electric trailer brakes...problems

[Alss]

Having some issues with my trailer brakes. After 6 years of service they seemed to be getting weak and after looking at them they were getting a little thin so I opted for a new set of brakes..complete set up..backing plates magnets and all. After adjusting them manually they do not seem any better than before..in fact they are actully worse!!. With the controller on 10 the brakes will NOT lock up. I can hear the magnet actuating and after a ride around the block there is heat in the brakes just not enough stopping power, at least not like they were when new. Need to address them before going on a trip next week. Ideas, tips suggestions??. Thanks

Albert

[ORIGLS6]

Al,
Do you have a small battery on the trailer itself? I had a similar problem earlier this season and simply re-charged the battery on the tongue of the trailer and.... problem solved! I know it's supposed to be the 'fail safe' device, but....

[Eddie M.]

you might try and pull the emergeny cable (pull it out completly) and see if that locks up the brakes if it does then the problem would be from the hitch forward..... also check your power coming out of your plug with a volt meter see what the voltage is coming out of the plugin sounds like it could be low... does your truck have two batterys?

good luck

[ORIGLS6]

And something else to check if you're towing with a late model GM product; I had to install a fuse in the box under the hood to power the brake circuit. Is the fuse bad?
(I guess Eddie's suggestion would tell you that though. )

[sYc]

Check to make sure there is not grease on the shoes. We had everything replaced on all six wheels on our big trailer by a large trailer place. When we got it home, clicking but no brakes. Come to find out, too much grease. Cleaned the mess, work great now.

[kwhizz]

[ QUOTE ]
Check to make sure there is not grease on the shoes. We had everything replaced on all six wheels on our big trailer by a large trailer place. When we got it home, clicking but no brakes. Come to find out, too much grease. Cleaned the mess, work great now.

[/ QUOTE ]


You would think the Trailer place would know how to do the job correctly......... Tom....I'll bet you are one of those guy's who expect to get what they paid for......LOL

Ken

[jl8z28]

check your ground conection and make sure that it is clean. I had a problem with mine, cleaned the conection and it worked fine.

[budnate]

Albert,dont want to insult you but did you make sure the shoes were adjusted correctly???

people have a tendancy to adjust till they hear the slight drag and stop, well you are way to loose yet and when hitting them you wont get good contact with them, the cyl is at full stroke and still not tight on the drum.

proper way is to keep cranking on the tensioner while spinning the wheel until the bugger wont go/spin no more, this centers the shoes, critical, then back off the adjuster a ways until it spins clean, then sneak up on it until you feal and hear the slight drag of the shoe on the drum, and I mean slight! with new pads, after about 500 miles jump under it agian sneak up on it again with a little more drag, should spin with a little choo choo sound as it comes around and makes slight contact with the shoes and you should be good for awhile at that point.

I need a beer after all that work...phew.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

[ QUOTE ]
And something else to check if you're towing with a late model GM product; I had to install a fuse in the box under the hood to power the brake circuit. Is the fuse bad?
(I guess Eddie's suggestion would tell you that though. )

[/ QUOTE ]

This is true, my new truck had a 'dummy fuse' for the trailer brake circuit - even though my truck has all of the trailering options; hitch, 7 prong, 5th wheel bulkhead on back of cab, and two big batteries, ... but no fuse

[ORIGLS6]

Yeah, and their 'instruction sheet' leaves a little to be desired. It tells you to install the fuse in 'this location', but doesn't tell you where THAT fuse block is. The pigtail for the brake controller plugs in under the dash so I stood on my head under the dash looking for this certain lug for the fuse as well, only to discover it was under the hood.

Oh well, everything works for now!