How strong are your trailer brakes?

[Prairie Dog]

I'm taking travel trailers here but it probably applies to all of them. So, can you lock up the tires if you max out your controller?

I've had my TT since new, I've adjusted the brakes and I just got a new brake controller (P2) but they still seem kinda wimpy. I don't think I even come close to being able to lock em up.

How well do yours work?

 

[GJolicoeur]

Are we talking 2 axle brakes here?

My first trailer was weak in that department - a 10,000# 33' TT. Even up at max, they wouldn't lock up. I always felt that the truck did most of the work.



A big surprise with my next 3 TT units - all good around 50% at highway speeds - matched the truck just fine when I pushed hard. Would lock up at settings higher than 60-70%.



But they all had newer brakes. How old are the ones on your unit in question? I had to replace some on my landscaping dump trailer and I was shocked at how scored the magnets and drums were - no wonder it didn't stop well.



You could check for 12 volts at the trailer brakes and a good ground just to make sure that they are seeing the juice from your truck for starters,...



I would imagine you've adjusted your trailer brake controller for level? I'm sorry I'm not familiar with your unit - my older controllers had to be adjusted or they were weak or way too proud when stopping. My newest one is electronic and doesn't need that - just a dial-in for the degree of power running to the trailer brakes.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Yes, 2 axles. I can hear the brakes humming at each corner so I thinks that parts working at least. My TT weighs in at about 7k total on its two axles. GVWR is 10800 lbs and it has 10x2. 5" drums on both axles. It's an 04 with about 20-26K miles on it but I use my EB on hills or anyplace I can to save on all the brakes and I'm very gentle when stopping.

Of course, now that I say it could have 26K miles on it, maybe the pads and magnets have had it.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Had a TT with two axles and 12x2 brakes on both axles, trailer weighed about 11,000 lbs. Would not lock up on pavement but would on dirt. If you have 26,000 on the brakes they are probably spent but I doubt they will lock up if new. The TT I have now weighs about 12,000 lbs. but has electric over hydraulic disc brakes and it will lock em up anywhere you choose. It's an 04 and probably has 25 to 30,000 miles on it, I had to replace the pads last year and redo all the calipers. bg

 

[HBarlow]

My trailer brakes are very strong. When I ordered the trailer I ordered the optional Dexter oversized 12 1/4" by 2 1/2" self-adjusting electric brakes. I also use a BrakeSmart hydraulic-electric brake controller that taps into the truck's hydraulic brake lines to sense brake pressure. I can easily lock the trailer brakes and slide the trailer tires on full manual application of trailer brakes. This 14,000 lb. fifth wheel stops better than any trailer I have ever owned, by far.

Older trailers with some miles on them can have bad grounds, corroded screw-on or crimp-on connectors in brake wiring, worn magnets, worn or misadjusted brake shoes, and very often, a poor quality inertia sensing brake controller. Tekonsha inertial brake controllers are excellent for use as paper weights. Not very useful for trailer braking.

 

[KYOUNG]

If you solder all your brake wires, grounds and hot. I bet they will work a lot better. You should also pull all the drums off and make sure you have lining on your shoes! Mine didnt after a couple years except the one that had a grease seal leaking!

I replaced with loaded backing plates(new shoes & magnets) 5 bolts and solder the wires, the trailer will stop the truck now! Makes up for cruumy Dodge brakes.

 

[Jim W]

I know my trailer brakes will lock up. I do a brake check every time I hook up and will slide the brakes on the trailer every time by using the brake control only to engage the brakes. When my trailer brakes are adjusted correctly and going at a slow speed to check the brake controller input signal to the brakes and the ability to stop the trailer.

When this is activated the controller will stop the trailer and it will also stop my tow vehicle. I can always tell when the brakes needed adjusting on the trailer by using this method. The controller will not slide the brakes any more when adjusting is required and will not stop the truck.

Jim

 

[THess]

I don't know much about travel trailer brakes or how they compare to equipment trailer brakes, but I have a gooseneck flatbed 14000 lb. trailer that has dexter drum brakes on it. I could always slide the tires if I turned up the controller until a couple months ago. I had some trouble stopping with a load and thought I needed new brakes, but I went to Dexter's site and found out how to adjust the brakes. The pads were still good and once adjusted worked like new.

 

[THess]

Stupid me. I just reread your first post and saw that you've already adjusted. Sorry.

 

[jelag]

After years of using trailers commercially we've found a couple of things that might help...

We went through and removed all the scotch type connectors and put in butt type that were un-insulated... we than used a shrink tube that was clear with an adhesive in it so that when it shrank down the adhesive would melt and make a water tight seal...

We found on some of our Dexter axles the wire from one side ran through the tube of the axle and with a high use trailer we found that the wire had worn through the insulation as it rocked in the axle, sometimes shorting the power... .

With a good set of brakes and a work trailer unloaded it was no problem to skid the tires with the brakes on full... . that's why the brake controller is adjustable... to adjust out the difference in weight ... ... .

Hope this helps. .

 

[BIGNASTY]

I could never get what I considered good braking on the trailer until I got rid of the Prodigy brake controller and installed Max brake. I dont know if that's a good thing or not because the wife likes to drive now.

 

[richardcoxid]

Ditto on the MAX Brake controller, The best on the market! Take your "old" style inerta type controller and throw it away! That may be the problem with all your problems. (BTW- I think that Brake Smart is no longer in bussness)

 

[Mark31]

All this talk about sliding the tires! "Flat siding" a tire is the last thing I want to do! I do love a rig with round, balanced tires all the way around! My Tekonsha P3 and electric over hydraulic big drums do a right fair job of slowing down my 23 ft loaded gooseneck. (just under 24k combined). However, Uncle Harvey, I have asked "Santy Claws" for a Maxbrake for Christmas!! Mark

 

[HBarlow]

Mark,

I hope sincerely that you have been a good boy all year and Santa will grant your wish.

By January 1st 2011 you will probably be back here singing the praises of your new MaxBrake with the rest of us. Many find our statements about brake controllers unbelievable or annoying until they try a true hydraulic over electric controller like the BrakeSmart or MaxBrake. It is the classic example of you don't know until you've tried one.

Your statement that your Prodigy does a good job of slowing your heavy gooseneck trailer is revealing. When you have the MaxBrake you won't be satisfied with slowing the trailer any longer. Your trailer brakes will be capable of stopping your rig.

We don't want to slide and flat spot our tires either but the description demonstrates clearly that our brake controllers actually work effectively.

 

[THerber]

I second Harvey's statement, Up until this spring I had a 1984 Jayco 35' 5er and a Prodigy controller, I could never get the trailer brakes to work very well on my old Jayco, and had just thought that since I had not done anything to the brakes on the trailer that they needed rebuilt. Then we bought the truck in my sig. and it had a brakesmart in it. I was amazed, the brakesmart would lock the brakes on the old Jayco. We have since let the old jayco go and moved to the cypress and still love the brakesmart, they are out of business, but the Maxbrake is just as good.

Tim

 

[WalterJ]

Greetings THerber;



I just ordered a Max Brake. I surely hope it will permit my Dexter elec brakes to perform to their max. My expectations are, however, quite low relative to that drum brake design. I'm looking for advice & user experience re: remote hydraulic brake hubs, in addition to "oil bath" vs conventional grease lube systems.



Wally

'04. 5 3500, SRW, 4x4 with 15K# 5th wheel

 

[Mark31]

Mark,



I hope sincerely that you have been a good boy all year and Santa will grant your wish.



By January 1st 2011 you will probably be back here singing the praises of your new MaxBrake with the rest of us. Many find our statements about brake controllers unbelievable or annoying until they try a true hydraulic over electric controller like the BrakeSmart or MaxBrake. It is the classic example of you don't know until you've tried one.



Your statement that your Prodigy does a good job of slowing your heavy gooseneck trailer is revealing. When you have the MaxBrake you won't be satisfied with slowing the trailer any longer. Your trailer brakes will be capable of stopping your rig.



We don't want to slide and flat spot our tires either but the description demonstrates clearly that our brake controllers actually work effectively.

Harvey, I don't believe I did a very good job of communicating here. The thread was about how well do your trailer brakes work. My trailer has 8k torqflex axles with Carlisle Hydrastar electric over hydraulic brakes with (I think) 12 1/4 by 3 3/8 drum brakes. A Prodigy can't "talk" to this system. My P3 can be set for electric or electric/hydraulic. I have never had to turn this controller anywhere near wide open to slow down, or, as I should have said, stop. 12 1/4 x 3 3/8 is a lot of shoe! My system will stop as hard as I want to. These brakes do not care where the current comes from, Maxbrake or P3 or whatever. I want a Maxbrake because I believe it will be consistent, not dependent on whether going uphill or downhill, or whether I have it adjusted exactly right. I'll try to do mobetta! Mark PS: Just learned that the NEW Prodigy P2 WILL work with electric/hydraulic brakes.

 

[THerber]

Hello Wally,

You won't regret your Max Brake Purchase, you bought the best there is IMHO. The only experience I have with oil bath lube systems was not a good one, I bought a new boat last year and it HAD them on it. It seemed like a good idea, but I had to put 2 new sets of spindles hubs and bearings in less than 2k miles. The problem is if the seals start to leak a little, and you don't catch it, before you know it the oil all runs out and there is zilch, notta, nothing left for lubrication. I pulled them all and converted it back to conventional lube, even if the seals start leaking on grease lubed bearings, they will run a long time before taking out the bearings, and chances are you will catch the leaking seal before that happens.

That has been my personal experience, someone else may have had better luck and tell there story.

Tim

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey, I don't believe I did a very good job of communicating here. The thread was about how well do your trailer brakes work. My trailer has 8k torqflex axles with Carlisle Hydrastar electric over hydraulic brakes with (I think) 12 1/4 by 3 3/8 drum brakes. A Prodigy can't "talk" to this system. My P3 can be set for electric or electric/hydraulic. I have never had to turn this controller anywhere near wide open to slow down, or, as I should have said, stop. 12 1/4 x 3 3/8 is a lot of shoe! My system will stop as hard as I want to. These brakes do not care where the current comes from, Maxbrake or P3 or whatever. I want a Maxbrake because I believe it will be consistent, not dependent on whether going uphill or downhill, or whether I have it adjusted exactly right. I'll try to do mobetta! Mark PS: Just learned that the NEW Prodigy P2 WILL work with electric/hydraulic brakes.

Mark,

If you do try a MaxBrake controller you'll understand why all of us who have either BrakeSmart or MaxBrake controllers are so pleased with them.

The 100% consistent, perfectly modulated braking provided by the hydraulic pressure sensing controllers is dramatically better than inertial sensing controllers.

 

[WalterJ]

To whom it may concern:

How would you describe the braking effectiveness of a 3 3/3" wide shoe vs the 2" shoe in a 12" (electric) drum? I'm trying to decide if the $$ is worth it.