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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Trailer Brakes

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KL

10-01-2004 03:28:57




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I know this is not really a tractor related question but..... ....

I just picked up a used trailer and am having an interesting problem with the brakes and I'm out of ideas on what to try next.

Briefly, plug the trailer into the truck but do not hook up the trailer to the hitch and everything electrical works. Drop the trailer onto the hitch and either the brakes stop working immediately or, depending on what receiver I'm using on the truck, they work for about 20 minutes (after I went through and checked the wiring). In either case everything else electrical still works.

I've done the routine of checking wiring (found and repaired some questionable connections), the grounding (decided to re-do that)and even hooking up a different trailer (that one worked).

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

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Hermit

10-01-2004 18:17:13




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to KL, 10-01-2004 03:28:57  
Have you check to see if the trailer is set up for horse trailer wiring or RV trailer wiring? I've seen weird problems occur when the truck wiring plug is not properly set up for the trailer wiring plug.



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DL

10-01-2004 08:21:41




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to KL, 10-01-2004 03:28:57  
KL,
I'd have to agree with Lowell... sounds to me like the insulation from a wire got rubbed through and that wire is making contact with the trailer frame SOMEWHERE causing a dead short. In addition to checking inside the brake drums, trace the wire along its entire routing... as you describe it, the wire must be able to slightly move away from grounding temporarily (allowing the brakes to work) but then moves back & shorts out (causing them to fail after about 20 minutes). HTH
Regards, DL

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Allan in NE

10-01-2004 11:18:37




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to DL, 10-01-2004 08:21:41  
DL,

Guess I didn't see that part where he said the fuses were blowing.

Allan



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DL

10-01-2004 14:30:32




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to Allan in NE, 10-01-2004 11:18:37  
Hey Allan,
Not sure what you're getting at, but... first of all, I never claimed to be an expert at anything, just trying to help out someone who is having a problem... any information I share is based on what I've learned the hard way over the years. As far as "blowing fuses", the brake controllers I've had experience with are direct-wired to the battery through a circuit breaker... if wiring shorts out, breaker interrupts the circuit, and resets automatically once the source of the problem is gone... no changing of fuses required.
Regards, DL

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Allan in NE

10-01-2004 15:45:31




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to DL, 10-01-2004 14:30:32  
DL,

Okay, thanks. Didn't understand how that worked with those controllers and didn't know that they had a circuit breaker as part of their make up.

Allan



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Lowell

10-01-2004 06:38:55




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to KL, 10-01-2004 03:28:57  
Have you pulled the drums? my tavel trailer had a wire going the the magnets that got rubbed by the turning drum until it wore the insulation away causing a short.



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Allan in NE

10-01-2004 03:52:02




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to KL, 10-01-2004 03:28:57  
KL,

Just guessing and just from what you describe in your post, the common denominator is that hitch.

Still smells like a grounding issue to me.

Dunno,

Allan



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Indydirtfarmer

10-01-2004 04:05:33




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to Allan in NE, 10-01-2004 03:52:02  
There's a fairly large "trailer hitch/trailer repair" business located a couple miles from me. I've got to know the owner over the years. He always tells me that 98% of trailer brake/lighting problems are traced back to grounding issues. Sounds like another one to me also. John



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FarmerDave

10-01-2004 06:27:54




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to Indydirtfarmer, 10-01-2004 04:05:33  
I think something electrically hot becomes an open circuit when the the brakes get hot. Thermal expansion of something is breaking a connection or conductor.



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FarmerDave

10-01-2004 06:39:13




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to FarmerDave, 10-01-2004 06:27:54  
If you can drop the trailer on the hitch and they stop working immediately, you should be able to put a voltmeter on hot and ground of each brake. If you have 12V at each then the electric is good. Electrically disconnect one brake and see how the remaining brake now works. Reverse and repeat.



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Farmer Dave

10-01-2004 06:42:09




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to FarmerDave, 10-01-2004 06:39:13  
Of course, you are going to need the wife to press the brake pedal while you make measurements.



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Nebraska Cowman

10-01-2004 07:08:55




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to Farmer Dave, 10-01-2004 06:42:09  
a stick propped under the dash makes a good substitute for a wife



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Indydirtfarmer

10-01-2004 08:24:26




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 10-01-2004 07:08:55  
Like Jed Clampett said, "I gotta have a looooo ooooo ooooo ng talk with that boy someday". John



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DL

10-01-2004 08:16:34




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 Re: Trailer Brakes in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 10-01-2004 07:08:55  
...but can it make biscuits 'n gravy???



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