Troubleshooting Electric Brakes Not Fully Engaging

Question:

Hi I have dexter 12k oil bath axles and I am having some brakes issues again. First of all I don’t feel like I am getting full brakes even with the factory controller all the way to 10. I am also getting a “clanking” sound while slowing down for a little then it goes away. Then I start rolling again and it starts doing it again when I press the brakes again then stops after a little bit. Any help would be great. Thank you Also the trailer has all brand new brakes that I bought from etrailer.com.

asked by: Tyler

Expert Reply:

Thanks for the purchase and if your Electric Trailer Brake Kit w/ Dust Shields # AKEBRK-12 are not giving you full braking, even with the brake controller all the way up, you likely have a wiring issue as that is the root cause of most trailer brakes not giving you full stopping power.

First, start by checking your trailer connectors to make sure they are free from corrosion, which will be white or green in color and if it is there, clean as needed. Corrosion in a connector will hamper the functionality of your brakes and may be the reason why you aren't getting full power.

Next, you will want to check your brake controller and for this will need a Multimeter such as # PT89ZR. To test the brake controller, sever the blue wire a couple inches from the back of your controller and test the voltage with the manual override and the controller at its max gain - you should be getting 12 volts. If you do not have that you have a faulty brake controller which will need to be replaced.

If your controller is fine, you can move on to the brake wiring; check it for any damage such as a frayed wire and either repair or replace as needed. Finally, you will need to test your brake magnets for a possible short. I have added a link to a help article which details exactly how to do this which I strongly recommend reading.

expert reply by: Kyle S