Poor Braking

[cockeyedMFer]

This reminds me to work on my trailer brakes LOL...I've been fighting an identical problem and did everything you guys suggested except testing with straight 12V
power. They're at about 40% and I've just gotten used to it.

 

[wolfpack2]

You may also have grease contamination on the shoes. If the inner seal has failed or someone gets too aggressive with the bearing buddies/ez-lube axles, it can push grease past the inner seal and contaminate the brake pads. This is why you should pull the drums on a regular basis as recommend by the manufacturer and check the brakes. Whenever you do this you need to replace the seals to prevent the grease from contaminating the brakes.

 

[JCByrd24]

A used trailer I picked up had seen little use of the brakes and the actuator arm was seized up pretty good, so even though the magnet would stick to the drum the arm wouldn't move to engage the shoes. If you check for grease as mentioned above make sure the actuator arm is free to move.

 

[orezok]

DO NOT, DO NOT do this with the truck hooked up you "may" fry the brake controller. CJ

So you're saying that the controller doesn't know the difference between 12v from the battery or 12v from the battery?

 

[aczlan]

So you're saying that the controller doesn't know the difference between 12v from the battery or 12v from the battery?

Backfeeding 12 volts when the controller is expecting (for example) 6 volts has been known to fry controllers.

Aaron Z

 

[orezok]

Backfeeding 12 volts when the controller is expecting (for example) 6 volts has been known to fry controllers.

Aaron Z

Why would a 12v controller expect to have only 6 volts on the output side? The several controllers I have had all had 10+ volts on the output side.

Since it's "known", do you have any examples of specific controllers that have fried?

 

[aczlan]

Why would a 12v controller expect to have only 6 volts on the output side? The several controllers I have had all had 10+ volts on the output side.

Since it's "known", do you have any examples of specific controllers that have fried?

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Travel Trailers: Break Away switch wiring question
Tekonsha Sentinel/Voyager: break-away switch activated...Tekonsha Voyager fried?? - Diesel Forum - TheDieselStop.com
Search for "backfeed brake controller fried" for over 8000 results on the subject.

Aaron Z

 

[orezok]

OK, I'll give ya credit for indicating that if you wire the switch wrong or buy a cheap controller off of eBay it could happen. All MODERN quality controllers are internally protected from incorrect wiring. Posts from 7 years ago do not mean much.

 

[Believer]

OK, I rebuilt the brakes on the trailer, they needed it--new magnets, shoes, and cleanup. Still poor braking. With trailer electrical unhooked, so no load, I get 12+ volts at truck connector when the PRodigy manual brake lever actuated (measuring the brake wires of course); the Prodigy is showing 11. With trailer connected however, I only get ~7.5 volts. Trailer has 10 ga wiring and I checked it all out for shorts. Should I get 12 volts at the brakes on full power? Shouldn't the controller put out enough current to give me 12 volts? The problem seems obviously on the truck side--any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[aczlan]

Hook a jump pack or battery charger to the trailer plug and see what you get then. If you have a sketchy connection to the truck plug for either ground or brake power, it can test fine when not under load, so you might also use a headlight bulb to provide a load when you test the truck connector.

Aaron Z