I am going to try hard not to have a rant about this trailer - it is one thing after another! The latest thing is the brakes. When we pulled off the wheels to repack the bearings, we discovered that the brake pads were badly worn. Plus, the previous owner had forced so much grease into the wheel that there was grease everywhere - all over the pads and magnets. We cleaned everything up and replaced the shoes on all four wheels, repacked and put everything back together. But mysteriously, the brakes - although better - just won't grab fully. My friend who's been doing these repairs is a master mechanic and has been pulling trailers all his life and he's baffled by this. He can find nothing in the wiring etc to cause this. When full gain is applied, the brakes will grab some but not real hard like they should. What are we missing here? Any ideas?
Posted 2010-04-28 10:30 PM (#119495 - in reply to #119493) Subject: RE: Trailer brakes not engaging fully - anyone experience this?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Are you getting the full battery voltage at the magnets when you are at full gain? Have you checked all your electrical connections? These values will not show up with a visual inspection, they have to be checked with a meter.
Do your brakes work better while using the manual override switch?
Are the new brake shoes that same profile as the older ones? To be badly worn, the old ones had to have been working at some point. Often times, new brake shoes and pads have to be broken in, before they will provide an optimum performance.
I would check the wiring first, then the mechanics of the new shoes. I would also check to make sure all the grease was completely removed off the magnets and rotors.
Posted 2010-04-29 3:56 AM (#119497 - in reply to #119493) Subject: RE: Trailer brakes not engaging fully - anyone experience this?
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
I think would have replaced the whole backing plate... Then you would have had new shoes, new magnets, new springs and hardware and no residual grease on and impregnated into the magnets.
You may have to use them some so the new shoes will seat/burn in those old slick drums. Were the old drums really smooth or streaked and scored badly? Did you sand the old drums with 80 grit sandpaper to break the slick glaze? Wash them really good with brake clean? Did he lay the new shoes next to the old ones to be sure they matched exactly? Etc.......
Posted 2010-04-29 8:30 AM (#119498 - in reply to #119497) Subject: RE: Trailer brakes not engaging fully - anyone experience this?
Member
Posts: 37 Location: Minnesota
Thanks guys. I've been planning a trip with it this weekend to a park about 1.5 hours from home. Knowing what I know now, should I consider this issue a show-stopper? Or could I consider the trailer usable given the fact that the brakes work to a degree? If this sounds like an incredibly naive question to you, please don't skewer me - I am trying to learn. I realize this is a decision only I can make, just wondering what others more knowledgeable than myself would do in this situation.
Posted 2010-04-29 12:24 PM (#119503 - in reply to #119493) Subject: RE: Trailer brakes not engaging fully - anyone experience this?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 406 Location: Minneapolis, MN
I know when my Featherlite (Dexter axles) is fully loaded, it won't lock the tires when the gain is fully applied.
I'm making the assumption that the truck wiring is of inadequate size to transmit full amperage. Everything else is in good working order.
One thing to think about. Back in the olden days, a person would measure the diameter of the brake drum and then "arc" the new shoes to the same diameter. That allows full contact of the friction material.
If you don't arc the new shoes.....they'll get there on their own eventually, just keep up on the adjusters.
Posted 2010-04-29 7:49 PM (#119516 - in reply to #119503) Subject: RE: Trailer brakes not engaging fully - anyone experience this?
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by wyndancer on 2010-04-29 1:24 PM
I know when my Featherlite (Dexter axles) is fully loaded, it won't lock the tires when the gain is fully applied.I'm making the assumption that the truck wiring is of inadequate size to transmit full amperage. Everything else is in good working order.One thing to think about. Back in the olden days, a person would measure the diameter of the brake drum and then "arc" the new shoes to the same diameter. That allows full contact of the friction material. If you don't arc the new shoes.....they'll get there on their own eventually, just keep up on the adjusters.
Will it lock, if the the wheel is jacked up off the ground?
Posted 2010-04-30 11:53 PM (#119569 - in reply to #119493) Subject: RE: Trailer brakes not engaging fully - anyone experience this?
Member
Posts: 31
If you replace just the brake shoes or the entire back plate it is a real good idea to "turn the hubs". Master Mechanic or not, all the so called experts say to always turn the hubs when installing new shoes. Then you have to get the brake shoe adjustment just right and sometimes that is a little tricky. Also sure helps to have a really good brake control like a 9030 Tekonsha and be sure you have a really good ground that runs back through the trailer plug and truck plug. Good luck.
Posted 2010-05-03 9:31 AM (#119642 - in reply to #119493) Subject: RE: Trailer brakes not engaging fully - anyone experience this?
Member
Posts: 37 Location: Minnesota
Just wanted to pop back in here and thank everyone for their replies. We're checking the various possibilities. If/when we find the solution, I'll post it here if I remember.
Trailer brakes not engaging fully - anyone experience this?
