RE: No Trailer Brakes

[BaysideBruce]

 
This weekend was the second time out for us this season... NO Rain!  That was the good news.  As I was pulling out of my driveway I noticed that I could not hear the trailer brakes activate which concerned me because I normally can hear them with the windows open.  On the highway I had to stop fast and really felt the trailer push me.  As far as I can tell, they are not working.  I have a time delayed brake controller and I played with that, but nothing I did seemed to help.  The brake lights on the trailer comes on and so do the turn signals.  I have what I call a panic button on the brake controller that is suppose to apply the brakes only to the trailer.  When I push the button, I can generally tell the trailer is pulling back.  Nothing happens this time.  The one little red light on the control comes on every time I step on the brakes, indicating that it is working.  Where do I start looking for the problem; the brake controller, the brakes on the trailer, the contector?  How do I test each of them?  I do think the brakes were working okay when we went out a few weeks ago and I haven t done anything to the trailer since then except charge up the battery.  Thanks for your suggestions!

[Tim5055]

 BaysideBruce
Te first queston I would ask is have you adjusted the brakes.  If not, it is possible that they are working but the shoe no longer pushes against the drum to provide breaking force (and the noise you remember hearing).
 
 Check out the [link=http://www.dexteraxle.com/pdf_files/service_literature/pdfs/6_Electric%20Brakes.pdf]Dexter Electric Brake web page  [/link] for more information, but they should be adjusted after the first 200 miles then every 3,000 miles thereafter.
 
 My second idea is to check the wires under the trailer leading back to the brake units themselves.  Coleman usually routes these wires over the top of the axle and it is not unhead of to have the wires cut byt the movement of the axle during towing

[aw738]

 BaysideBruce
You may also want to check to see if you are getting power to your brake controler (i.e. circuit breaker). If it is ok then check for power at the back of your TV in the RV plug when someone either presses the brake pedal or operates the manual override on the controler.

[BaysideBruce]

 BaysideBruce
I checked the voltage at the connector on the TV and it reads between 6 and 14V depending where I put the slider that is on the brake controller.  I am assuming that means that I am good to at least the trailer connector.  
 
 I am a newbie when it comes to brakes.  Once you have the trailer wheel off how do you get to the brakes?  I m looking at the lug bolts and hub (I guess that s what you call it).  How do you get to the brakes?

[aw738]

 BaysideBruce
You should have a metal cap in the center of your lug nuts remove it, it may need some coaxing. Remove the cotter pin and nut, this will let the hub/brake drum come off. While you have them off inspect, replace or repack you bearings. Replaceing bearings and grease is cheap and easy when your at home its a different story while on the road.

[BaysideBruce]

 BaysideBruce
Broken wire... well sort of a broken wire.  After I got the wheel off and was look at how to get the hub off, I took the time to look behind the wheel a little more carefully.  It looks like something caught the brake wires and pulled.  There is a wire tie that is broken and the thing that holds the wires into the back of the wheel was pulled out.  I grab a hold of each wire and one of them  comes all the way out.  I guess it s time to take it in to get that fixed.  It s more than just an adjustment.  Thanks for all the help and suggestions.  I did learn more about brakes than I ever knew before.  Thanks so much, once again.