Max-Brake Controller

[MGreer]

When I had the axle problem with my fifth wheel in 2008 I came to the conclusion that the inertia controller was the cause of the problem. When I appled the brakes it felt like the trailer brakes were applied all at once. When taking off it always felt like the trailer brakes would drag for a few seconds before releasing completly.
I felt that this fore and aft rotation of the axles is what wore out the center pins in the leaf spring packs. The holes were worn oblonged and when the leafs broke I found all of the pieces except for the center pin on the leaf that broke first. I felt that the center pin had fallen out prior to the leaf breaking.
With the Maxbrake the vehicles stop as one unit and there is no brake drag on take off.
The thread on my axle issue is titled "This sucks" in the towing section if interested in the pictures of the way the parts were worn. The camper was only two years old when this happened.

 

[HBarlow]

Well, I could not take it any longer, so this morning I aired up the rear tires on the truck, put the tow mirrors on and went for a spin. All I can say is wow! It stops as a single unit now. Before the truck always had to lead the trailer. City and highway were two different things.

Now it is just a single unit that behaves the same at any speed, with the feeling of a lot less braking required on the trucks put.

The new brake shoes shipped this morning and will be here on the 7th. I do have one little issue with the brakes to try and figure out. The front axle on the trailer is getting more braking than the rear. This is noticeable in brake drum temps and locking them on gravel. The shoes have always worn about the same, so it is a bit of a mystery. Will look at things very carefully this time, including wiring, magnets and mechanical.

Harvey! So studying the manual, the 40A trailer fuse supplies voltage to:
1. Trailer charge lead.
2. Electric Brake Provision connector under the dash
3. Running lights on the trailer when headlight switch is in positions 1. park or 2. Head.

So problems with running lights or charge circuit for trailer battery could blow the fuse and take out the trailer brakes.

So I think I will re-install the the wire I had from the aftermarket circuit breaker to the power lead for the Max Brake.

SNOKING

Trailer brake wiring is at best of mediocre quality. The wires are often the minimum gauge for the current they should pass with full braking and the wires often become frayed along their routing. Manufacturers frequently run the brake wires from side to side inside the tube axle or zip-tied to the tube exterior. Replacing the wiring and routing it free of possible chafing points might cure your braking issue.

 

[SnoKing]

OK, I was only getting 8 amps to the trailer brakes according the the Max Brake read out. So I went to work under the trailer and abandoned the light duty wiring in the axle tubes(looked like #16). I did a star wiring with number 12 wire. I crossed over to the passengers side across the top of the 2" square tubing between the center spring hangers. I had frame issues and have square tubes crossing at three points.

Anyway, I am up to 10 amps now. What are you guys seeing with two axles when you move the manual brake level all the way on???

Internet references say I should be closer to 15-16 amps.

1 ohm resistance at the four brakes would say that I would at 14V get 14 amps on current flow, however the size and length of wire comes into play here. I can also try this at the rear bumper 7 pin connector and see what I get going to the trailer from there. I installed the in bed trailer plug back in the summer of 2001. I may have to review the wiring I did there!

My new brake parts arrived yesterday, so tomorrow I am going to dig into the brakes themselves. So I will be able to do some stops on the gravel in our storage area and see if I improved the rear axle braking. The ohm reading at the axles show that each magnet is around 4 ohms, and two ohms at each axle. I started with 1. 5 ohms at the trailer plug, but forgot to check it after the rewiring!! I was pooped out after several hours under the trailer. I soldered each connection I made and put two layers of heat shrink on each connection. I will cover them up with silicone sealer also as I have each wheel off. I am tried of all the on my back work!!!

Here a picture of the center cross tube after it was installed. So it was a nice high place to tie down the new wiring crossing to the other side. In this picture, you can see old wiring. Flaps in belly pan go patched up later also. I had cracks in the I-beams where the cross lattice rack structures attached to the back side web of the I-beams. Need to clear insulation and wires before welding. Chris

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[Cummins12V98]

OK, I was only getting 8 amps to the trailer brakes according the the Max Brake read out. So I went to work under the trailer and abandoned the light duty wiring in the axle tubes(looked like #16). I did a star wiring with number 12 wire. I crossed over to the passengers side across the top of the 2" square tubing between the center spring hangers. I had frame issues and have square tubes crossing at three points.

Anyway, I am up to 10 amps now. What are you guys seeing with two axles when you move the manual brake level all the way on???

Internet references say I should be closer to 15-16 amps.

1 ohm resistance at the four brakes would say that I would at 14V get 14 amps on current flow, however the size and length of wire comes into play here. I can also try this at the rear bumper 7 pin connector and see what I get going to the trailer from there. I installed the in bed trailer plug back in the summer of 2001. I may have to review the wiring I did there!

My new brake parts arrived yesterday, so tomorrow I am going to dig into the brakes themselves. So I will be able to do some stops on the gravel in our storage area and see if I improved the rear axle braking. The ohm reading at the axles show that each magnet is around 4 ohms, and two ohms at each axle. I started with 1. 5 ohms at the trailer plug, but forgot to check it after the rewiring!! I was pooped out after several hours under the trailer. I soldered each connection I made and put two layers of heat shrink on each connection. I will cover them up with silicone sealer also as I have each wheel off. I am tried of all the on my back work!!!

Here a picture of the center cross tube after it was installed. So it was a nice high place to tie down the new wiring crossing to the other side. In this picture, you can see old wiring. Flaps in belly pan go patched up later also. I had cracks in the I-beams where the cross lattice rack structures attached to the back side web of the I-beams. Need to clear insulation and wires before welding. Chris

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Curious why you did not go with 10 ga?

My friend that works at Smiley's in Mt Vernon helped me beef up the frame On our Avion Platinum we had and added tubes similar to yours at the spring hangars, we left the MofRide center portion alone it was solid enough. Looks good!

 

[SnoKing]

Curious why you did not go with 10 ga?

My friend that works at Smiley's in Mt Vernon helped me beef up the frame On our Avion Platinum we had and added tubes similar to yours at the spring hangars, we left the MofRide center portion alone it was solid enough. Looks good!

Because I had a couple spools of #12 in my wire drawer. SNOKING

 

[crispyboy]

I believe each magnet has ~4 ohms resistance.

 

[SnoKing]

I believe each magnet has ~4 ohms resistance.

That is the reading I got! SNOKING

 

[Nigel]

Snoking

Dexter has a page here that shows the maximum amperage your magnets should draw. http://www.dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/6-8K_Service_Manual_9-12/Electric_Brakes_9-12.pdf Depending on the magnet size it should be between 2. 5 and 3. 0 amps each.

 

[SnoKing]

Well I replaced the brake shoes and repacked the wheel bearings today. Brakes were working unbelievably well before I started, after the rewiring. It would lock up all four wheels on the gravel in our storage area. And now, well I guess it is going to take a few hundred miles to seat them in.

Actually the old shoes were in fairly good shape for OEM with 40-45K miles and 8 years on them. Of coarse they never worked that well until Max Brake arrived. So I did a 30-35 mile loop around the Skagit Valley. Tomorrow I may check the adjustment of them again and do a hundred miles or so. At any rate the magnets, drums and backing plates all looked good. Cleaned everything with HD brake cleaner spray cans and lubed the contact points on the backing plate and pivot point on the magnet lever.

I learned a little about not damaging the tension spring inside the grease seal. I have an Oak board that I have used to years to stick in the hub and knock the back bearing and seal out. The first one damaged the spring, so I was off to Smiley's to get four seals. So on the other three I stuffed paper towel between the bearing and the seal at two spots 180 to each other. Then hit it at the paper towel area and did not damage the spring. So these old ones will go in emergency supplies!

SNOKING

 

[SnoKing]

Did a 110-120 mile road trip with the trailer today that included busy city traffic on 196th St in Lynnwood, Wa. Brakes seem to have seated in and are working well. SNOKING

 

[Cummins12V98]

Did a 110-120 mile road trip with the trailer today that included busy city traffic on 196th St in Lynnwood, Wa. Brakes seem to have seatedin and are working well. SNOKING

You did do a road trip! Weather still crappy up there?

 

[SnoKing]

You did do a road trip! Weather still crappy up there?

Clear and cold! Rain returns tomorrow. SNOKING

 

[NIsaacs]

So these old ones will go in emergency supplies!



SNOKING

Good write up and pics, also very good attention to detail, trailer brakes, axles, suspension and hubs are very often overlooked. It's amazing how many junky trailers you see on the road with no lights, bald tires and you just know, no brakes.



I just rebuilt the running gear (2) 5. 2k axles on a 18' heavy car hauler for a customer. All 4, complete loaded brake assemblies, seals, spring eye bushings, all shackles and bolts, both equalizers, 1 eze lube hub cap, some lights and a new light plug. Total bill on parts was only $329, so there is really no excuse for people to ignore this important part of a trailer.



Since the new double lipped seals were only $2, if I were you I would trash the old ones and buy a couple of new ones for stock:-laf



Nick

 

[SnoKing]

Well I just did my first really big tow with the Max Brake. All I can say is that I should have done it years ago. Brakes as a single unit now. BTW, Max Brake told me the brake light circuit is not used for anything in their controller. Chris

 

[SnoKing]

Well I just did my first really big tow with the Max Brake. All I can say is that I should have done it years ago. Brakes as a single unit now. BTW, Max Brake told me the brake light circuit is not used for anything in their controller. Chris

 

[HBarlow]

Congratulations. Now you are among the many who know how a brake controller should work.

I thought the brake light switch was activated to show brake lights either by touching the service brake pedal or by applying the manual override trailer braking. My BrakeSmart applies trailer brakes with the manual override slide lever.

 

[Stickbender]

Does anyone no the color code for the wires coming from the factory plug , i think the blue is out put but not sure on others. 2010 dodge ram with factory controller.

 

[HBarlow]

I have no idea the color code of the newer trucks but on mine and previous trucks black = 12vdc hot, white = ground, red = stop light input, and blue = trailer brake output.

 

[crispyboy]

OK guys - you finally twisted my arm hard enough talked me into ordering a Maxbrake controller. I placed my order this morning about 10 minutes ago through Dutch and Di's plug it right website. I will try to come back with a report in how it compares with the Prodigy P2 it is replacing.

 

[SnoKing]

OK guys - you finally twisted my arm hard enough talked me into ordering a Maxbrake controller. I placed my order this morning about 10 minutes ago through Dutch and Di's plug it right website. I will try to come back with a report in how it compares with the Prodigy P2 it is replacing.

"Compares" You will be throwing out that word along with the P2! Snoking