Troubleshooting Brakes To Get Better Braking Action

Question:

hi, good afternoon, i have a 3 axle car hauler, the brake engage but do not stop the trailer the pads and magnets are new , when i check voltage at the axles , and i hit the brakes i only getting 7 volt, what can i do to get to brake better

asked by: Danilo G

Expert Reply:

There are several tests and possible adjustments you can make to check out your brakes and get them to function better.

Since your pads and magnets are new, I would start with doing a manual adjustment to your brakes and set for harder braking. If you have already done this then perhaps complete another adjustment to make the braking firmer. I have attached a video and an article on adjusting brakes. In the video, skip ahead to about the 4:40 mark to see the process. You want to feel a slight drag on the drum when free spinning the wheels.

In your tow vehicle cab, sever the blue wire several inches from back of the controller. Then use a circuit tester such as Item # PTW2993 to test the end of the blue wire coming out of the controller. This wire should have around 12 volts of power when applying the manual override. If it shows power in an "idle" position, then there is something wrong with the controller and it will need to be replaced.

If it tests fine, then reconnect the blue wire. The next step is to check the trailer connector for dirt or corrosion which can cause a short. Make sure the tow vehicle and the trailer side connectors are clean and free of corrosion inside and out.

After checking and cleaning the trailer connector, you will need to test brake output pin. Like the brake controller, the brake output should only show power with the manual override. If it shows power any other time then you have a short somewhere between the connector in the back and the brake controller in the front of your tow vehicle.

If everything on your tow vehicle checks out fine then your trouble could be in the wiring to the brake magnets or the magnets themselves.

Inspect the power wires to the magnets and makes sure not pinched, frayed, or damaged. If any of these conditions exist, then fix them. Another key point is to make sure ground wires are attached to clean and corrosion free bare metal surfaces.

Hopefully one of these actions will sort out your problem. If not, let me know and we can do more troubleshooting.

More helps and information attached.