Electric trailer brakes ???

[Richie O]

OK, trying to get the camper ready for a trip. I went for a test haul after putting in a 5th wheel hitch and all the wiring done to the inside bed plug. The brakes work, but just a little. I can hear them come on and ever so slightly slow. I have the brake controller all the way up and have used it before on other trailers. I have not tested the truck on another trailer since this issue, but will. My question is do the magnets get weak in the electric brakes? I have a slip with all brake hardware that was replaced in 01 which included all magnets, shoes, hardware, adjusters, ect. The original owner put every part in them. He is a super fuddy duddy and he always does stuff totally right and complete. ( kinda why I bought it from him ). Since all that work the trailer has been to florida once, then sat in his garage till I bought it. Long story short, any ideas on the trailer side of things? I have had electric brakes apart before, but its been a while. What should I look for when the drums come off?

[ellis93]

The surface of the drum that the magnet pulls against well rust up and cause this.

I be willing to bet you could tighten up your brakes on your controller and go for a long drive and they'd clean up and start working.

[Richie O]

The surface of the drum that the magnet pulls against well rust up and cause this.

I be willing to bet you could tighten up your brakes on your controller and go for a long drive and they'd clean up and start working.

I have the controller all the way up now. I will try to ride them a little and see if it comes out of it. If it catches on fire I will just drive right to the ocean and back it in, unhook, and say " BYE "

[ellis93]

Aww, its not gonna do that. My old trailer has a nasty habit of doing this same thing.
Another thought I've had, does the ground from the brake magnets grounded to the ground wire from the trailer plug.

[Richie O]

Aww, its not gonna do that. My old trailer has a nasty habit of doing this same thing.
Another thought I've had, does the ground from the brake magnets grounded to the ground wire from the trailer plug.

I don't know. The harness goes into the camper siding so I can't see how its hooked inside. There is a ground and hot ( duplex ) wire that is hooked to the brakes. The axle wires are all new as I had them out to do a spring over axle lift on the camper.

[ellis93]

I was wondering because a poor ground to the magnets could cause the same thing. If the wires have not been removed or played with then it may not be the problem.

[PToombs]

The magnets will get weak over time also. I'd go for a drive like Mr. Ellis suggested and then adjust the brakes up and try it.

[ellis93]

How do electromagnets, that's not really been used,go bad. I've seen them wear out and get into their windings, usually leading to the fuse for the controller to fry, or the controller itself.

[Richie O]

Well, I figured I would adjust them up and see how things went. I noticed grease on one drum. He has bearing buddies on the axles and got a little overboard on at least 1 brake. I figured I would take it apart and clean them up. The actuator lever has a square washer that pushes on the shoe. It fell out of the drum when I pulled it. So that was one issue with 1 of the 4 brakes. I took the next one apart and that was all dry. ( that was the hottest drum when I did go for a ride before ) I am going to take the other side apart and see how they are. I am not going to add any more grease to the buddies. There is plenty of grease on the bearings and everything in there is new. The hold down pins and springs, magnets, everything is in good shape. ( just a loose part and some grease ) I did check the voltage at the plug for the brake circuit. Its right at 12 volts with it set to max. I even took my booster pack and hooked it to the brake terminals and moved the truck with the trailer brakes maxed out. I think it will come around if I brake clean it all up. Gave up after 10pm, to many shadows working by light trying to get the springs, hold downs hooked up.

[ellis93]

Bearing buddies on a travel trailer? I thought those were for boat trailer axles, so you can keep water pushed out. My older trailer has a hole in the grease caps that are covered with a rubber plug. Under the plug is a grease fitting that's threaded into the center of the spindle. When you grease it, it pushes the grease into the center of the bearings. I've never used them because of the likely hood of greasing my brakes

[Richie O]

Yes, usually they are for boat trailers. I put them on the old mans boat trailer and he still welds the bearings to the spindle every year. I had to call him one day as he drove off and the wheel was chuckin around like a DA sander. He of coarse kept going and it sounded like a popcorn machine when he got home. I am sure he would keep going even if the axle fell out. ( he has done it )

[ellis93]

Your dad sounds like mine was, rough as a dryed corn cobb

[PToombs]

Rich, tap into the brake wire with a meter and check voltage with the brakes all hooked up. If you have a large drop you know you have a problem. Also clean a spot on the trailer and truck and hold a test light or meter between the 2 spots and have somebody hit the brakes. If you get light or voltage you have a bad ground.

[Richie O]

I think it was just the grease. I cleaned all 4 and there was grease on 2 of them. I have yet to road test it, but they grip alot harder in the driveway. I will try that Pete if I continue to have issues. Now its on to a new sureflow pump, and the waste gate valve for the poopy tank. Got everything else working too this weekend. Fridge on gas, and electric, furnace fired, water heater fired. Things are shaping up. I will get it all ready, then have no money to go anywhere. I will say the ole 93 pulls it nice. I hit a couple good steep hills and she did good. I have to watch the egt's but it goes nice.

[Mark Nixon]

ADJUSTMENT is very critical on this POS design, they work better the tighter they are.
Be vigilant on them, the better they work, the more they wear.
If you travel a lot, you can wear out the shoes on them in about a year, if they work properly.

Oh yeah, if you can still get semi-metalics for a trailer, do so, the ones that trailer builders put on their axles are pure garbage, which will only last @ a year in hard use and that's with adjusting them up every few weeks or so.

Personally, I feel the braking technology on low-end manufactured trailers is 30 years behind, but there are some electro-disc ones out there now.
Never tested any yet.

Mark.