The maintenance of the trailer brakes basically includes three different functions, which are cleaning, inspection, and adjustments. The RVer who is well-informed about the basic mechanical ability, as well as inexpensive specialty tools should not have any problem doing the needed maintenance on the trailer brakes. You need to have the trailer brakes inspected and serviced before anything else and this should be done annually to improve its performance. Before you start any procedure, make sure that the trailer is positioned well on the level surface, and they should be blocked and raised while the tires are not on the ground. You should always use sized jack stands and don’t ever leave the weight on the jack. The majority of having to do it yourself means that you need to perform procedures on each side.
What you need to do
You should first detach the drum by lifting the cover, spindle and cotter pin nut, and even the washer. Remove the outer wheel bearing carefully and cover it using the shop towel so that dust will not settle while it is off. Pull the drum from the brake assembly and put on the spindle’s end. B careful not to ding he heads. Replace the shoes if there if it is only 1/16 thick or even less. They also need replacement if they have been covered in grease or oil or have any cracks. You should also look at the lining if they are no longer attached to the shoes.
Cleaning – Each brake assembly has to be carefully cleaned using a damp rag or brush that is soft. You should never use air that’s been compressed to turn off the brake assembly. Some shoes for braking might be made of harmful materials so you need to brush or use a damp cloth to wipe it. This will remove the dust particles that are inhaled. It is advised that you must wear a mask filter and protection for the eyes while looking at the electric brakes. Before assembling any parts, dab a small amount of lithium grease to the areas that are located behind the shoe.
Adjustment
Unlike majority of the automotive brakes, electric brakes need a periodic adjustment so that shoes can be kept and drums should have enough space between them. The main signs of adjustment are the brakes that become hot while going down the road or brakes that will not hold.
If you need to adjust the shoe, you must support and jack up the trailer so that the weight is lifted from the wheel. Get rid of the weight and remove the plug from the backing plate’s back side, if needed, so that a tool for adjusting can be slipped inside through the hole. The tool should be slipped inside the notch in the star wheel, and do a rotation so that the shoes can be expanded against the drum.
You have to expand the shoes until you can no longer rotate the drum. This evenly centers the shoes that are against the drum surface. Then readjust towards the opposite direction until the wheel starts to turn but there is a slight dragging during one rotation. You need to replace the plug so that dirt and moisture are kept out. Do this procedure on all brakes to ensure proper maintenance.
Troubleshooting
The majority of braking problems that cannot be fixed are generally because of failures in the electrical system. It is obvious that mechanical issues will be seen during periodic inspections. The worn magnets, gouged drums, linings, bent arms and others are strange. To properly troubleshoot a braking system, you would have to use a voltmeter and ammeter.
Brake Controllers
These have the first adjustment in every electric brake on the trailer, which are considered as the beginning point. To properly configure towing, the classification of brake controller and the right calibration have to be taken into consideration.
These are what you need to do so they will last longer and it won’t be necessary for you to buy another one in the near future. You need to know the proper adjustment to avoid any delays or inconveniences while on the road.
