New Trailer Brake Assemblies are Performing Poorly

Question:

im getting 12v at the wheel and ground on new brake assembly ,you can hear the magnet working but still will not lockup a empty flatbed trailer! what else can i check

asked by: Troy

Expert Reply:

The two necessary items that need to be done to new brake assemblies that many folks forget about is the initial adjustment (even for self-adjusting brake assemblies) and burnishing or breaking in the brake assemblies.

You'll also want to check the armature surface of your brake drums (the surface that the magnets ride against). If this surface is pitted or grooved and not perfectly smooth, the magnets won't make good contact with the armature surface of the drum and the brakes won't preform as well as they should. If the drums are grooved or pitted, you'll want to replace them.

I've linked to an article that will walk you step by step through the process of adjusting and breaking in your trailer brakes so they operate at full efficiency.

expert reply by: Mike L