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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Electric Trailer Brakes ?

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Mike M

05-10-2005 06:31:48




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I was wanting to know if other peoples electric trailer brakes act like mine and what is normal ? My trailer is a 25 foot tandem dual factory built unit and empty you can lock the brakes up if you don't adjust the brake controller down,but loaded and adjuster all the way up you can feel the brakes brakeing but just don't seem real good or much good if you don't have alot of time to stop like when a light changes or someone pulls out and thinks they can outrun you. Is this the normal for electric brakes ?

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Coldiron

05-10-2005 13:13:21




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Mike M, 05-10-2005 06:31:48  
Mike, Weak brakes could be, grease or oil on armature, magnets worn uneven, worn or rust covering magnet surface, system amps (wiring corroded, shorted), linings glazed from overheating, brakes in need of adjustment, or excessive trailer load for the amount of braking surface.



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Silver Pig

05-10-2005 09:51:17




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Mike M, 05-10-2005 06:31:48  
The worst thing about electric brakes is the controller, the least touch to either of the knobs and you either lose all your trailer brakes, or they will lock up and slide at the least application. I had all 4 brakes relined and the drums turned on my 24 foot float, and for the first 1000 miles everything would work like a charm, I could stop everything with just the trailer brakes, then one brake on the front axle got to locking up at the least touch of the brakes, enough to leave long skid marks, the other side would act like it should, but the back axle didn't seem to contribute anything at all to the cause. The one wheel that locks up destroyed the tire, just about worn out anyhow, but what causes this. When everything works it will skid all 4 wheels, and when it is working properly, it will give just a slight tug when they are working in conjuction with the pickup brakes.

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Bill46

05-10-2005 09:19:24




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Mike M, 05-10-2005 06:31:48  
Mike, I have had surge brakes, and I have electric now. Will never own surge brakes again.
I have carried tractors back and forth from Texas to Indana for years with no problem. Last time I carried a Super MTA and a 450D with a loader with counter weights dad had added with no problem.
The guys are right, but they forgot to tell you you have to keep the trailer brakes adjusted right. They do not self adjust.
Don't know why yours are so high. I just put on all four, new plates and all for less that $250.00. Got the parts from Pasadena trailer in Pasadena, Texas.

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Mike M

05-10-2005 11:16:42




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Bill46, 05-10-2005 09:19:24  
What procedure do you use to adjust your brakes ? Do you tighten them up until they drag then back off or leave there?Or do you go tight then back off ?



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Bill46

05-10-2005 11:29:12




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Mike M, 05-10-2005 11:16:42  
I just adjust them like we used to do cars and trucks...just run them out till they barely touch and leave them alone.
I have never had one get hot like this. They usally run quite awhile too.
Just have to remember...they are really thin shoes. They like the others said...help stop, they do not do the stopping.
I always try and give myself a lot of room when towing too...like everyone else is being paid to have me hit them.

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Ray

05-10-2005 16:24:03




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Bill46, 05-10-2005 11:29:12  
I like the electric over hydraulic brakes,a friend has a 30ft gooseneck with this and disc brakes,dual tandems,really stops good.



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paul

05-10-2005 08:31:01




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Mike M, 05-10-2005 06:31:48  
The empty & skidding tires part sounds normal to me.

I think if you have both axles hooked up with brakes, you should be getting more brake action turned all up & loaded.

My smaller car trailer with brakes on single axle is quite noticable loaded, & locks brakes empty.

--->Paul



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JCH

05-10-2005 07:14:42




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Mike M, 05-10-2005 06:31:48  
Sounds like too high a voltage drop in your wiring. Turn the controller all the way up and measure the voltage at the brakes. Could be you need heavier guage wiring.



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the tractor vet

05-10-2005 07:00:22




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Mike M, 05-10-2005 06:31:48  
Well from what i was told by the head service managerat Dexteraxel the time that i lost all brakes on my 28 foot trailer that electric brakes are not made to STOP you just slow you down and that the truck brakes are what is suppose to stop you . If the day ever comes that i get a new trailer it will not have electric brakes as they are a PITA And the cost of rebuilding my brakes on my trailer because it is and older one with the 4 bolt backing plate will knock your socks off , lining for one wheel is 110 bucks 42 for the magnet 38 bucks for the seal can't remember the spring kit cost and if ya need anything else it is over 200 bucks per wheel. And that don't include the brake drum. I always thought that they were suppose to bring you to a full stop but i was wrong . My brakes went out while comming back from Iowa with three vary high priced old John Deeres from the Expo and i stopped at Dexter and had them check and work on the brakes they got three of the four working because they did not have the parts on hand to get the fourth one fixed but they sent me the parts a week later they were nice people and Ron was a fine man that went out of his way to get my buddy and i going .

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Doof

05-10-2005 07:35:23




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to the tractor vet, 05-10-2005 07:00:22  
WOW that's pretty pricey. Seems that you get two backing plates complete (looks like four bolt) for less than $100, if they are 10" like yours, from

Northern Tool

Third Party Image

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the tractor vet

05-10-2005 16:51:23




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Doof, 05-10-2005 07:35:23  
No mine are not the 10 inch but 12and a halfs by three and a quater Now if they were just a couple months newer then they would be the five bolt and half the price Or i could up date to the vac over hdy. for a mear 750 and a axel pul the 850 for the booster on the trailer plus the 7something for the truck then it would stop like a big truck . Next time it will be kelsey axels with vac over hdy DISC then it is just 40 buck for the pads . ANd when i would not pull my trailer over the winter i would have to pull the wheels and free everything up and clean the rust off the drums where the magnet would ride . The first year that i had it we rewired it from the plug to the tail lites and put it all in conduit with water tite boxes and upped the wire size and sodered all conections and used heat shrink on all splices added more grounds on the axels and frame of the trailer and grounded all lites to a central ground in the boxand that ground went up to the truck battery thru the lite cord and it was a 10 gauge used all semi wireing even the brakeaway brake battery charge from the truck it was a group 24 .

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RustyFarmall

05-10-2005 06:51:30




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Mike M, 05-10-2005 06:31:48  
Sounds normal to me. The heavier it is, the more space needed to stop. A good truck driver understands this, and will learn to anticipate and allow himself plenty of room. A tandem axle dual wheeled trailer behind a pickup truck should always be thought of as a TRUCK, not just a pickup with a trailer. Remember, you are hualing a larger load on that trailer than what a full blown semi would haul 40 years ago.

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Allan in NE

05-10-2005 07:05:34




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to RustyFarmall, 05-10-2005 06:51:30  
Hmmm,

My brakes have been applied now for the better part of 20 years. :>)

Allan



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RustyFarmall

05-10-2005 07:29:29




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Allan in NE, 05-10-2005 07:05:34  
Yep, and the ol' clutch is slippin' too.



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mike brown

05-10-2005 08:18:11




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to RustyFarmall, 05-10-2005 07:29:29  
Check the knob that adjusts the setting for the angle of the controller. It is on the left side. It should have an arrow that points straight down.
Does your trailer have brakes on both axles? If not you will have inadequate braking when loaded. We had a trailer at work that behaved just as you describe and it only had brakes on one axle, When we replaced it we ordered heavier axles with brakes on both. When loaded and the controller turned up it will yank that F350 backwards when you just touch the brakes enough to turn on the brake lights. I only turn them up that high when I am in heavy traffic.
So yes trailer brakes are ( should be) for stopping and yours should be working better that they are.

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Mike M

05-10-2005 09:15:19




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to mike brown, 05-10-2005 08:18:11  
I think I better do some checking of voltages and try to adjust them up and see if I can gain some improvment.



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TimS

05-10-2005 12:24:19




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 Re: Electric Trailer Brakes ? in reply to Mike M, 05-10-2005 09:15:19  
With anything eletrical on a trailer, always double check that you are getting a good connection at the trailer plug and make very certain that the trailer is grounded properly to the wiring harness.

Having it ground thru the ball can be unreliable, make sure there is a seperate ground wire and that it is attached securely and is making a good electrical connection.



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