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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

O.T.---Electric Brakes

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1945 A

05-13-2005 05:50:05




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My son recently bought a new travel trailer with electric brakes. The first brake controller he bought, lasted from the dealer to where he parked the trailer. When he went to use the trailer for the first time, the brakes would either lock up (if he had any preset "tension" or whatever the adjuster is called), or not work at all, if the adjuster was backed off.
He took the controller back, and got another one, but, last night when he hooked up to the trailer, the same thing happened---he either had dragging brakes (if there was any preset), or no brakes, and the over ride wouldn"t work on the controller wouldn"t do anything.
Anyone have any ideas as to where the problem might be?
His tow vehicle is a "04 Tahoe, if that helps.
Thanks!

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john *.?-!.* cub owner

05-13-2005 19:02:34




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 Re: O.T.---Electric Brakes in reply to 1945 A, 05-13-2005 05:50:05  
Electric trailer brakes work by an electric magnet running against the face fo the drum to activate the brakes. If the drum gets rusty the magnet will cause the brakes to apply muc moer rapidly than normal due to the friction.

Also, many controllers are junk, you didn't say what kind he had. some of them are time based and when you step on vehicle brakes they start applying voltage and keep turning it up. If he questions the controller, I suggest he look into a Tekonsha Prodigy. He won't be disappointed. they are inertia controlled and proportional.

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Richard Fazio

05-13-2005 15:27:47




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 Re: O.T.---Electric Brakes in reply to 1945 A, 05-13-2005 05:50:05  
I've got a 20' flat bed dual axel trailer, also with electric brikes. Two things happen to mine and maybe the same thing is happening to yours. Sometimes when I go to use it after sitting for a while it will lock up the trailer wheels when I just touch the brakes, especially if the trailer is empty. I end up dragging the trailer if I use the brakes at all. Once I get a load on it and go easy on the brakes for a few stops it seems to work ok. Other times I hit the brakes for the first time after hooking up the trailer and it like the trailer brakes are not working at all. Then again after a few stops they start working ok. I think what's happening is the drum is getting rusted up a little and effecting the way they work. Did you ever see the way the brakes work on electric brakes? Very wierd, an electric coil rubs on the innner diameter of the drum which drags the coil in the direction of rotation and thus applies the brakes. if the drum surface is at all rusty, crazy things happen.

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Van in AR

05-13-2005 06:43:19




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 Re: O.T.---Electric Brakes in reply to 1945 A, 05-13-2005 05:50:05  
Check out the ground, I ground right to the battery. Solved it for me.
Van



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mike brown

05-13-2005 12:46:27




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 Re: O.T.---Electric Brakes in reply to Van in AR, 05-13-2005 06:43:19  
Make sure the wires are right first. With the trailer plugged in you should see a green light on the controler. When you push on the brake pedal the light should turn yellow to red depending on how high you have the sensitivity set. When you pull the overide lever the light should be red. You also have to adjust the gain. This is the knob on the left side. It has an arrow that is supposed to point straight down so that it will work right if it isn't installed level.

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