2021 Geo Pro 19FD brakes locking up

[David Golembeski]

Using a Curt Wireless Brake controller. Trailer is five weeks old. Default settings of 4 and 50% on brake controller worked fine up until a couple days ago. Probably put between 2 and 3000 miles on the trailer. Below 30 mph just touching the brakes causes the tow vehicle and the trailer to jerk back and forth. Parking lot speeds are the worst. At the advice of tech support, I progressively lowered the assist in multiple steps to number 1 and 30%, which did nothing. Dealerships in the area can't see me for 3 to 6 weeks. Tech support on another call says I need my brakes adjusted, so I went online to figure out how so I could DIY. Videos online show turning a star wheel inside the brake hub with a flat bladed screwdriver, which sounded easy until I discovered there is no star wheel I can see through the access holes. Further online investigation says my brakes are self adjusting, so now I'm stumped. I'm a full timer on the road and can't hole up for 3 to 6 weeks in one locale. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.

[NavyLCDR]

Do you have the ability to jack the trailer to raise each wheel off the ground one at a time?

[David Golembeski]

Not at this time, but what are you suggesting? What are you thinking?

[pgandw]

You have now successfully burnished the brakes, and they are much more effective. You should be able to back off the force being applied. That said, I have had similar problems with the brake controller jerking at low end speeds if I had enough force for braking at the top end. Changed to a Tekonsha controller, and braking is much smoother. There is a little jerking rolling to a stop sometimes, but almost all of it is gone.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[David Golembeski]

I did back off the braking assist from 4 to 1 (is this volts?) and from 50% to 30%, with no apparent difference. I did resolve the situation a couple days ago. Called the company that made the brake controller, Curt, and they said this happens all the time. Told me to remove the brake controller from my tow vehicle and the trailer. Then uninstall the app on phone. Then restart my phone and download the app again from the Google Play store. Then plug the controller back in, reestablish sync between the app on the phone and the controller, accept the default settings and everything was back to normal. Brakes are working smooth again at low speeds. Sounds like they have a bug in their software, and it needs to be updated.

[D W]

One question:

When you adjusted the controller, did you have your foot on the brake pedal?

CURT controllers especially, do not accept adjustments well if your foot is on the brake pedal.

[David Golembeski]

No. I usually was in park, sometimes with the engine running, and sometimes not. The brake controller interface did accept and save all my input changes. Anyway, problem is solved for now. Had to disconnect, uninstall app, reinstall app, reconnect to get back to normal function.