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Michael Soldan
10-25-2007 05:38:37
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Re: O.T. Elect. Brakes in reply to ROYBOY, 10-24-2007 21:48:28
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Royboy, check your backing plates and make sure the four bolts are tight and there is no movement in the plate. If one wheel is locking it likely needs to have the adjuster turned back a few turns. When setting up the drag the proper sequence is you must turn the adjusters tight until the wheel won't turn, then back them off until you have the drag you desire, equal on both wheels, or all wheels with brakes. Check your brake shoes to see if they are correctly installed, the short shoe should be on the front. I bought complete sets of back plate and shoes for some trailers I was working on, theres a left set up and a right setup, I accidentally put a left on a right wheel and so it reversed the shoes and the long one was on the front..won't work that way. The short of it is if the shoes are right you have an adjuster/ adjustment problem. There are three ways to check electric brakes to ensure they are working. Inspection...the face of the drum should be shined from the magnets, the surface of the drum should be shined from the contact with the shoe and third, take a tester light, ground it and touch the other end to the surface of the magnets, vent holes etc, if the light lights up you may have a short in the magnet and it need replaced. Again if you have one wheel locking I'm sure you need adjuster/adjustment. I always take new adjusters or working used ones and coat them with ANTI SEIZE, that way they will always turn when you need to adjust. I did twenty trailers this spring for my friend's company and I found that buying the complete backplate and assembly is the cheapest route and it save probably 70% of the labour, rather than cleaning up a plate putting new spring kits and shoes, adjusters, magnets and activating arms. Buying the parts separately is about $90 a wheel and Carquest has the complete assembly for $56 and there is little work involved. Good luck, I'm not a professional, just a wily old veteran of many a brake job!
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