Troubleshooting Trailer Brakes Locking Up  

Question:

Expert Reply:

There are a number of reasons why electric brakes lock up, and most often it is an electrical issue or the brake magnets. So with that, the first thing you want to do is check out your vehicle and trailer's 7-way to ensure there is no corrosion, which will be white or green which may be hampering the functionality of your brakes; if so, clean as necessary and that may resolve the issue. You will also always want to use Dielectric Grease # 11755 at your electrical connections to help fight corrosion and shorts.

Next, you need to use a multimeter like the Digital Multimeter # PT29ZR to test the voltage at the brake circuit on the connector when you have the brakes applied; make sure it is a low setting on the brake controller. The voltage should be well under 12 volts, because 12 volts is the max output for a brake controller. If you do see 12 volts there is some issue along the wiring going up to the brake controller

This could be the wiring being frayed or damaged so go along the wires and look for any problems and fix or replace as needed with 10 gauge wire # 10-1-1.

You'll also need to make sure the ground wires are attached to bare metal surfaces and free of any paint, dirt or corrosion as poor grounds are another problem. You'll want to visually inspect the magnets; if you can see the copper windings coming through the magnets will need to be replaced. To test the magnets use a multimeter and follow the help article I have linked below to help guide you.

expert reply by: Kyle S

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