Trailer brake question

[paccool]

Took the travel trailer 300 miles to my son's for the weekend. The trailer brakes work but just enough to feel them when going slow. Pulled the breakaway switch to see if they locked up, stayed the same. I thought it might be a bad ground so cleaned and reinstalled the ground wires. Still the same. Said the heck with it and brought the trailer home with no brakes.



The trailer is an old one and I have not done any work on the brakes. We plan on selling it but I will fix this problem first.



My question is this - when replacing the shoes, should I replace the magnets as well? I'll have the drums turned if there is enough meat left, otherwise they will get replaced.



Any words of wisdom out there? (I know, time for a new trailer)

 

[Casey Balvert]

Jack up the trailer, have someone apply the brakes and see if each wheel locks up. If not, you may have a bad magnet, a mechanical problem in the brake shoes, or a bad connection. Check the current flow when the brakes are applied full on. You should have about 3 amps per magnet. If not, there may be a bad connection or a bad brake controller. Check the brake shoe adjustments. Turn adjuster until the wheel locks and back off five notches or until only a slight drag remains. If that doesn't work, get a NEW TRAILER.



Casey

 

[roadranger]

I'd check the brake adjustment first, then the wiring. , because it sounds like your brakes work, just not too good.



Southwest wheel.com has some REAL good deals on brake replacement parts.

 

[Ron Bissett]

Hope you haven't toasted the controller by pulling the brake-away while the plug is connected to the truck . It could fry the controller. Seems like contact is marginal contact cleaner and battery contact clean and tighten then check with a magnet at each wheel and as stated amp reading for each wheel problems with older trailers is in the splices to the brake lines and build up of high resistance or loss of ground . Plug contact can be cleaned with a solution of vinegar and salt , then wash with baking soda and a good flush and blow dry then WD 40 . Hope this helps Ron in Louisville KY

 

[paccool]

Thanks for the comments guys. I need all the help I can get!



Ron, I pulled the plug before pulling the breakaway pin. Controller should be OK. Now, having said that-------------



Stan

 

[rob10858]

the way we do it seems to work well, first we take the tire, yes the tire, of the trailer. it makes the hub alot easier to pull if you're alone. check the magnets for any sign of wear, if you see copper showing, thru the face, a short is soon to follow. if you find alot of wear on the magnets, and the brake liners, we've noticed that is alot cheaper and easier to order the preassembled deal rather than replacing the magnets, liners, et al , seperately. it's probabably going to me a dexter assembly, and all you need is the #'s of the six or eight bolt rear plate. hope this helps

 

[ronco]

Related Brake Question

I have been to the SouthWest Wheel website and looked at what they offer (looks good). How will I identify the manufacturer of my trailer brakes when I look at them (never have looked). Trailer is a '97 model purchased by in-laws last spring. Will the stuff at SouthWest Wheel cover most of the industry? Thanks for the help.



Ronco

 

[paccool]

Well, the problem is more than just out of adjustment Took off the 2 front wheels tonight to see what things look like. Found a broken wire at the magnet on one side, the other magnet is pretty scored as well as the inside of the hub. I had bearing buddies on the axles and it looks like I put too much grease in there. There is grease on the brake shoes. The magnets are real sloppy on the mounting pins - it looks like they are designed to be loose but it looks like they are about to come off the retaining studs.



The brake surface in the drums look pretty good, not a lot of scoring or grooves. I will probably have them turned just to get things cleaned up. The magnet contact surface needs to be smoothed out in one of the wheels anyway, so may as well go all the way.



Had 12 volts to the first junction but not to the other side. All 4 wheels have brakes, the backing plates are 4 bolt. Do I really need to put new brakes on all 4 wheels? don't most trailers today have brakes on just 2?



I'll check locally tomorrow and see what the prices are compared to those sites you guys mentioned. One of them had the complete backing plate with everything mounted for $40 which I thought was pretty good.



Thanks for the help, keep the comments coming.



Stan

 

[clem]

#1 you want all 4 wheels stopping, The magnets are supposed to be free flotting. They are held by just a small clip. ( I have held the magnert with a rubber band in a tight, once the drum is on, the magnet can't come off) The grease done you in . Most of the time you can clean the shoes off with brake cleaner. . Get rid off any wire nuts that might be in stalled they cause lots of problems. As for the drums . Some brake shops can turn them Or you may find someone with a lath they can turn them. You probley have 12x2 in brakes on your trailer. With 2 5000lb axles if you have any luck, so do use all 4 brakes. Trailer weight is a lot higher then we think it is.

 

[paccool]

Clem,

You are right about the wire nuts. there is lots of corrosion in them and that is why I will rewire from the front of the trailer back. Will solder the joints then seal.



I have all 4 backer plate assemblies ordered. they are 10"X2-1/4". you guys were right about the Southwest Wheel pricing. They kicked butt on everyone else. Anyone that needs parts should contact them.



Now, just need to get those drums turned and cleaned up.



Stan

 

[paccool]

Well, had trouble finding someone that could turn the drums. The surface the magnet rides on is pretty rough on a couple of the drums and I don't want the new magnets to get roughed up. Everyone said they could turn the brake shoe area but not the other. One guy said take it to a machine shop. Decided the heck with it and ordered all new hub/drum assemblies. When I finish the brakes will be all new stuff so they should work fine.



Stan

 

[paccool]

Bringing this back up for an update.



Southwest wheel is a great company. They had a problem with sending the drum size needed but then spent more than the drums cost to fly the right ones to me. Stuff like getting the wrong size happens but the way they took care of it was great! Ask for Morgan if you call them.



The brake problem got worse as I got the other 2 assemblies off. One of the pins that holds on the magnets was broken. Had been bouncing around inside the hub for a while, the hum was pretty messed up. The wires were pulled apart at the junction for this wheel and that was probably due to the magnet bouncing inside the hub.



Got three of the hubs changed new years day, will finish tomorrow.



Stan