Troubleshooting Uneven Braking on Sides of Trailer That Switches Sides with New Brake Assemblies

Question:

I had original dexter self adjusting EZ lube brakes/axle on a single axle trailer.Originally i noticed the right side was doing most of the braking and getting hotter than the left.Thinking that the self adjusters were not working I manually adjusted both sides.The problem remained.I noticed that the side that was weak Ldid not hum as loud as the right.I decided to replace both assemblies with the same self adj Dexters from etrailer. Installation was easy and lubed bearings during the process.It was obvious during tear down that the right side had been doing most of the work.Test drive revealed no heat while NOT braking .While braking heat built up on left side.Now I have the opposite problem- the left side is heating up way more than the right . I followed the break in procedure ,I manually adjusted -no difference.If it was a corrosion issue with the trailer plug why would it effect one side? Im confused. Can you help?

asked by: Ken W

Expert Reply:

You do have a very interesting situation on your hands. It would make more sense for you to have the same problem on the same side but the fact that it jumped from one side to the other leads me to believe that it is a wiring issue.

Start off by checking the grounds for your brakes. Make sure they are secure and connected to a clean, bare-metal surface. If those look good then check the other wiring that is surrounding your brakes. If you have a jumper wire that runs along your axle (see attached picture) then it could be damaged or pinched along the frame or axle.

If those still look good then I would try using a multimeter like part # PT89ZR to test for voltage at the power wires for your brakes. If one of them is getting less power than the other then that could indicate where the damaged wires are at.

You may want to run your towing setup by a trailer shop and have them take a look at it if you are still unable to find the issue. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes can uncover something that we have overlooked.

expert reply by: Jon G