electric brakes

[DustyH]

I have a trailer that has on brake axle and the brakes aren't working that good. When I took the drum off the pads look good and aren't worn that much. When you press the brake you can hear them humming. When I depress the brake pedal while driving you can't hardly notice it pulling back. I also put a new brake away box on it, the one with the test light and battery built in, and when I pull the pin you can't hear anything and it doesn't lock down the brakes. I tested the blue wire going to the brakes with a test light and it is getting juice. Any ideas?

 

[1982vett]

Bad controller? Bad ground to the brakes?

 

[Angus Cowman]

If you can hear them humming when stepping on the brake pedal it isn't a wiring problem

Do you have the gain adjusted high enough on the brake controller?
the gain should be on the right side of your brake controller , most turn clockwise for more braking and counter clockwise for decreased braking pressure

The brakes could need to be adjusted out more

Magnets could be weak and not applying enough pressure to stop the trailer

brake drums could have rust build up not letting magnets grab correctly

 

[crats]

ground the trailer to the truck. grounding problems are the most common

 

[talldog]

ground the trailer to the truck. grounding problems are the most common

I agree with Him^^^^^^

 

[DonK]

I am assuming you have an electric brake controller and emergency Breakaway kit. Most of the (electric brake controllers) are fed to the breakes (positive and negative) through the connector. Ever one else has covered the things to check. Make sure the hub internal seal has not allowed grease to soke the shoes. For your information, a complete electric brake assesemblies (right and left) can be bought for less than approximately $100 (dependents on manufacture). Shoes for approximately $30 per wheel.
Don

 

[saltbranch]

Just something else to check..
Not sure about the newer controllers, but I had one that you had to try and make sit level in the cab, it had an adjustment control on the side to help dial it in along with the dial to increase/decrease power sent to the brakes.

 

[saltbranch]

Another thing to check.I learned this from my personal screw up. I had a trailer with 2-3500lb axles and swapped in 5200lb axles, beefed up the frame,tongue etc. An easy DIY project I thought. Well, I had a hard time with the brake axle not engaging correctly. Appearantly the magnets need to positioned at the bottom for brakes to work right( I think is was on the bottom, it was several years ago) Either way, the way I welded the spring mounts on the axle, the magnets were positions @ the 3 O' clock position. The trailer shop I took it to see why the brakes werent working, repositioned the spring pads and its worked good since.