How much braking is enough?

TheTichenors · 08-02-2020, 05:31 PM

I have a 9 month old trailer with 15" wheels. Not sure what the drum size is or the axle capacity. I feel like my brakes are too weak. I've adjusted the pads until they are just barely dragging. I've tested all four wheels to ensure they are independently working. I've ensured my harness is delivering full battery voltage at full stop (or full controller override). My amp draw when the emergency breakaway is pulled is 12 amps.

However, when I am pulling full override on the controller it just barely slows down the truck when coasting on flat roads. I can't even get the trailer wheels to lock up on loose gravel roads.

Is this normal?

TitanMike · 08-02-2020, 06:14 PM

How new is the trailer. Brakes may not have burnished in yet for max braking effect.

As for how much braking? For me I like to have enough so that the combination of tow vehicle and trailer stop with the same "feel" as just truck alone. That tells me that the trailer brakes are carrying the load of the trailer and neither vehicle is trying to stop the other. To me it's a "feel" that you get after thousands and thousands of miles of towing.

Of course everyone has their own desired "feel".

TheTichenors · 08-02-2020, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitanMike

How new is the trailer. Brakes may not have burnished in yet for max braking effect.

As for how much braking? For me I like to have enough so that the combination of tow vehicle and trailer stop with the same "feel" as just truck alone. That tells me that the trailer brakes are carrying the load of the trailer and neither vehicle is trying to stop the other. To me it's a "feel" that you get after thousands and thousands of miles of towing.

Of course everyone has their own desired "feel".

Thanks for your reply. The trailer is still pretty new. I have about 5 weekender type trips on it totaling about 20 hours of driving.

I have turned up the gain and surge settings on the controller (about 8.5 of 10) to make it not push me when stopping at a normal rate. However, I am most concerned about an event when I would need to stop quickly. It seems as if the trailer brakes are only capable of slowing down the trailer at a conservative rate (like stopping at a traffic light). Anything more aggressive than that and it would be pushing the truck. My truck has a brake controller readout and I can see that it is sending close to 100% voltage at normal stopping levels given my gain setting.

**Bama Rambler** · 08-03-2020, 12:38 PM

My suggestion is to pull a hub or two and check them for grease on the brake shoes.

If that looks good then go through the wiring making sure the connections are good and tight. Including the ones in the junction box near the front.

TGO Bill · 08-03-2020, 01:33 PM

The trailer is not supposed to stop the truck anyway. you don't want to have to replace the trailer brakes to soon. Its like titan mike said, You get a feel and then you adjust them so they'll work together. You'll feel it and you'll know.

NMWildcat · 08-03-2020, 01:53 PM

Does your truck have the integrated trailer brakes, or is it a third party add? Reason is that we have found most integrated trailer brake controllers are lacking.
We usually ignore the indash and add a prodigy

blufrog1 · 08-03-2020, 01:55 PM

it sounds like it coulld be a case of too little brake boost being applied. on my trailer when on the road it reuires b3 boost on the controller to effectively slow it. in town I run the boost down to 2 or even 1 in a parking lot. if you are on the road at b or b1 boost levels it might be the trailer needs more boost to slow it.

DocRob · 08-03-2020, 02:47 PM

I know there are trailers out there with drum brakes that work, but I've never had one. (In five bumper pull trailers) On my most recent trailer after checking the shoes for grease and adjusting the brakes a couple of times I came to the conclusion that many have stated. Electric drum brakes should be illegal! I just gave up and put disks on mine and WOW what a difference. When I hit the brakes the front of my tow vehicle no longer dives as the weight shifts forward. I can actually stop the trailer on a long downhill without concern of significant fading. I don't have a diesel and while my EcoBoost pulls well its not much for engine braking. Best of luck with your situation, hope yours works out without costing you too much.

TitanMike · 08-03-2020, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

My suggestion is to pull a hub or two and check them for grease on the brake shoes.

If that looks good then go through the wiring making sure the connections are good and tight. Including the ones in the junction box near the front.

Not just check wires but it would be a good idea to see if the magnets are actually drawing current and working as they should.

Many references made frequently to the need for a multi-meter. Even better, a multi-meter with a clamp type DC ammeter.

Amazon has several choices for relatively low prices. I like the "Tacklife" model.

It's one thing to check the wires to see if they are delivering "Voltage" to the brakes but another to check to see if the magnets are actually drawing current. Many will merely disconnect one brake wire at the backing plate and check resistance. I think the proper resistance for a good magnet is 3-4 ohms. If resistance is significantly higher or even infinite, bad magnet.

With an ammeter, pull the breakaway switch "pin" and check current draw. Four wheel brakes should draw somewhere around 12-14 amps total with each magnet drawing 1/4 of that. Only half the above numbers if just single axle with two brakes.

In short, Voltage being present doesn't do anything until current flows through the magnet.

TheTichenors · 08-03-2020, 04:28 PM

Thanks @TitanMike - I did check the total amp draw (using a clamp at the break-away) but not at each wheel. It is drawing 12 amps. I checked each wheel by hand turning each wheel and pulling the break-away switch to see if the brake engages. It does on all four wheels.

I have not checked for grease on the pads though.

It's interesting to see the responses in this thread. Most of the videos and info I've gathered are all over the place on how much stopping power the electric brakes have. Most of the information on setting up a brake controller says to increase the gain until lockup at ~20mph or lockup on a gravel road. While others claim to set the gain until stopping under normal conditions feels natural. I've also read where it was suggested to test the brakes before every trip by pulling 100% override and try driving away. If you can pull the trailer without any tires skidding then it's a no-go.

There are so many different opinions on how much braking your trailer should have (or is capable of). Which is why I'm posting here.

AFDON · 08-03-2020, 04:47 PM

New trailer with only a few weekend trips. Could be that the brakes still need to be burnished, The axle manual in the "new packet" should give the correct procedure for curing the brake shoes.

TitanMike · 08-03-2020, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheTichenors

Thanks @TitanMike - I did check the total amp draw (using a clamp at the break-away) but not at each wheel. It is drawing 12 amps. I checked each wheel by hand turning each wheel and pulling the break-away switch to see if the brake engages. It does on all four wheels.

I have not checked for grease on the pads though.

It's interesting to see the responses in this thread. Most of the videos and info I've gathered are all over the place on how much stopping power the electric brakes have. Most of the information on setting up a brake controller says to increase the gain until lockup at ~20mph or lockup on a gravel road. While others claim to set the gain until stopping under normal conditions feels natural. I've also read where it was suggested to test the brakes before every trip by pulling 100% override and try driving away. If you can pull the trailer without any tires skidding then it's a no-go.

There are so many different opinions on how much braking your trailer should have (or is capable of). Which is why I'm posting here.

To amplify another comment by NMWildcat, your integrated controller may not be sending enough power to the brakes.

One way to eliminate the brakes themselves as an issue would be to park on a paved surface (parking lot preferred

) and pull the breakaway switch pin. Then try and pull away. Ideally it should be extremely difficult to impossible to move the trailer.

If easy to move it's brakes. If difficult, perhaps an add on like a Prodigy controller as suggested would be in order.

TheTichenors · 08-03-2020, 06:51 PM

I haven't tried pulling the break-away and driving on a gravel road. But I have tested the outlet (at the truck bumper) voltage when the controller is at 100% and it is reading 12 volts (with the engine stopped).

You may also like: