Touchy trailer brakes

[AH64ID]

Let me start off by saying that I am not looking for advice on getting a MaxBrake or Brake Smart. I realize the benefits of them, but also the downfall. I am not willing to get a trailer brake controller that will not match the braking energy of the exhaust brake. I spend too much time with trailer brakes matching the exhaust brake and not using the service brakes.



Okay, so here is the deal. I have a Prodigy P2, and have had it for many years. It has always been very smooth and proportionate with any trailer I have towed. I recently sold my 22' TT and got a 29'TT. At low speeds the 29' is VERY jerky, so I have to adjust the power up and down on the brake depending on loading, etc.



What I have noticed is that when the trailer has full water, full food, and camping gear it's much smoother. It's the jerkiest on the way home from a weekend of camping. It's only jerky at low speeds, at city/highway speeds its fine, but at parking lot speeds it will jerk quite a bit, and feed off the jerking as the proportional sensor is reacting to the jerking.



So specs on the trailer are about 7Klbs on the axles fully loaded and about 6K on the return trip. The trailer has a pair of 5,200 lb axles. So my thinking is that with the axles only at 70% max loading the brakes are over-sized and thus any light load will get them to grab. On my old trailer I had 3,000lb axles and about 5,000 lbs on the axles, or about 85% loaded, and much smaller brakes.



The reason I don't feel a controller will fix it is because the voltage to the brakes is less than 1. 0 when it occurs, and I can get them to jerk with a constant voltage, smoothly applied with the manual lever. It doesn't jerk quite as bad because the controller doesn't feed off the jerkiness and get worse.



So am I guessing correct with the brake size and loading?



Thanks

 

[mwilson]

Is the 29 footer new or used that you bought???



My Cougar will stutter, jerk and drag during light brake application when I first take off with it, I have always blamed it to rust on the drums and/or moisture.

If I apply the trailer brake by hand lightly for the first couple of downhill runs after hooking on it behaves much better for the duration of the trip.



I have a Kelsey Hayes electronic controller for mine which has given me pretty good performance.



Mike.

 

[AH64ID]

It is a new trailer, but was about 18 months old when I bought it. I attributed it to the brakes sitting when I bought it, but have towed it about 2,000 miles since March so now I am not so sure.

 

[mwilson]

Maybe it's an adjustment issue, one wheel or axle is taking more that the other?? Perhaps taking it out on a dirt surface before the wife loads the beer and see if one wheel is the aggressor.



Could be crappy connections on one axle or wheel also, I know mine was less than stellar from the factory. A couple of the darn Scotchlocks were not even locked down because the connection plate had not penetrated the insulation.

Bear in mind that was my observation just previous to cutting them out, throwing them in the trash and doing a proper splice.



I am assuming as you are on top of things as a rule that you are towing level.



Mike.

 

[AH64ID]

Yes the trailer is level.

I need to look it over, it feels like its grabbing uniformly, at least one wheel per side.

Thanks

 

[JDecanter]

I had the same problem with a 29 foot TT. I fought with it for a year or so and decided to pull the hubs. The second one I pulled revealed the problem. It was a new trailer but for some reason one brake had been locking up and had totally destroyed the shoe. I replaced it and adjusted all: problem solved.

 

[AH64ID]

Thanks, I put that in my plans.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Make sure that ALL the brake magnets are the same not worn at an angle. I to had the problem that Mike had CRUMMY CONNECTIONS and the brake would be on off on off on off and it was when I had the same controller you do.

 

[ringneck]

has anyone change to disc brakes and do they like then,do the pads wear fast.

 

[jelag]

What I don't understand is why your exhaust brake is not taking care of your needs... I own an 05 3500 dually pulling a 15,000 lb trailer and have no problem with 6 % grades and have gone down the TETON pass, (10%) in one lower gear than normal and my truck and exhaust brake held the truck and trailer package without the use of the service brakes or the trailer brakes...

I suggest you look at your exhaust brake and its function and the gear your in when you go down the hills... . When I do need my brakes I have a Brake Smart and love it... I used to own several of these trucks and all of them were equipped the same... In my personal opinion and over 1 million miles towing with Dodges it's a great combination...

I've personally never seen the voltmeter on my unit under 4-5 volts when the brakes start to apply and can't imagine you seeing only 1 volt... I suggest you look at all your connections and the adjustment on the brake shoes... They are, or should be self adjusters but with a travel trailer you just don't back enough to keep them adjusted correctly, and when they are way out of adjustment the leverage on the application arm is incorrect and all kinds of things can give you grief...

Just my thoughts... Jim

 

[NIsaacs]

Jim, the OP reported this issue is only at low speeds, such as stop and go/parking lot speeds. No problems at high speed.



This issue is not unusual with some trailers equiped with electric brakes. This usually occurs after several applications and the brakes are warm. Like AH said, usually with a lighter load. I always figured it was just a mismatch with my cheap john controlers and or the shoe materials with that trailer.



Nick

 

[AH64ID]

What I don't understand is why your exhaust brake is not taking care of your needs... I own an 05 3500 dually pulling a 15,000 lb trailer and have no problem with 6 % grades and have gone down the TETON pass, (10%) in one lower gear than normal and my truck and exhaust brake held the truck and trailer package without the use of the service brakes or the trailer brakes...

I suggest you look at your exhaust brake and its function and the gear your in when you go down the hills... . When I do need my brakes I have a Brake Smart and love it... I used to own several of these trucks and all of them were equipped the same... In my personal opinion and over 1 million miles towing with Dodges it's a great combination...

No issues with the exhaust brake, or high speed use. I don't have to touch the service brakes on most grades. I haven't done Teton with the new trailer, but with the old one the exhaust brake would cycle with the cruise set. That's all with the "whimpy" Jake brake

I've personally never seen the voltmeter on my unit under 4-5 volts when the brakes start to apply and can't imagine you seeing only 1 volt... I suggest you look at all your connections and the adjustment on the brake shoes... They are, or should be self adjusters but with a travel trailer you just don't back enough to keep them adjusted correctly, and when they are way out of adjustment the leverage on the application arm is incorrect and all kinds of things can give you grief...

Just my thoughts... Jim

5V will lock all 4 tires up on this trailer on dirt, and about 6-7V will lock in on pavement. It doesn't need near the voltage that my old trailer did. The voltage is correct, braking starts to be noticed at 0. 4V.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Is this standard drum brakes or does the trailer have discs with an actuator??? bg

 

[AH64ID]

Standard drums.

 

[S.Morris]

Like Mike stated:



I would do a careful manual brake adjustment. Just what you discribe is often caused by too much free play allowing more leverage to jam the shoes on especially at low speed. Also agree with making sure all connections are clean and good , sometimes changing wire guage to one size larger can also help/ or split so that the axles are fed in parallel and not series for more even control

 

[Newt]

How do you have the boost set? I use high boost at higher speeds. At low speeds, it tends to be a little abrupt. So, I reduce the boost.

Newt

 

[Buffalo]

I had an older Tekonsha & it started doing the same thing as yours. Called the company & they said that it was worn out & I needed a new one. The new one fixed the problem, in my case.

Joe F.