How to adjust an Al-Ko caravan / Brian james or indespension Trailer brake
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- How to adjust an Al-Ko caravan / Brian james or indespension Trailer brake
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This video goes into how the brakes are adjusted on a trailer or caravan with al-ko brakes showing how the adjuster is operated and how it should be on a brian james trailer with an indespension axle fitted.
We have many more videos on youtube to do with the repairs, maintenance of trailers and identifying trailer parts.
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Thanks for watching.
Thankyou! Very clear. We went to the caravan service centre and still had a problem with the hub being very hot. Your video helped us figure out the brakes were too tight on that wheel. We just fixed it ourselves.
Glad it helped
I tried this 9 clicks back off on the adjuster and found it not nearly enough on my Bailey unicorn caravan, with the same ALKO brakes. It took around 20 clicks from wheel fully locked up to get the wheel loose enough to spin 1.5 rotations before stopping when you gave it a spin. Thanks for putting up the video, it was very helpful.
This maybe because as you have adjusted the brakes up the auto reverse mechanism has activated that than gives more adjustment before the brake fully locks. when ever checking the wheel is locked. Only turn the wheel in the same rotation as it would turn as the trailer travels forward.
If the wheel is turned in the direction it would travel in reverse the mechanism will shrink the brakes and turning the wheel in the reverse direction will take many more clicks to release the brakes.
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Thank you. I was driving today 400km in the outback and smelled a burning smell at the caravan wheel. Felt it was burning hot 🥵🔥 that's where I realised I'd adjusted not long ago but only a few clicks tighter and the wheel was spinning fine with slight brake noise. I ended up adjusting it back off about 20 clicks and it's cool now but still makes that slight dragging brake noise. Don't know why this might be because on all accounts it should be silent at this rate?
Can I please also ask - do both sides need to be adjusted exactly the same, or is some leeway acceptable? I'm not sure if I'm going to need new brakes or not now, my fuel economy dropped 5 litres oer 100km after the adjustment so seems it was definitely somewhat engaged all that time
Informative many thanks 😊
Glad it was helpful!
Keep the videos coming
Thankyou
Kind Regards
Towing and Trailers Ltd
Is there some magic formula I've not discovered for adjusting the brakes but still being able to reverse. Especially with weight on the trailer or reversing up a hill. My brakes will lock straight up.
Hi Thank you for watching our Video,
Auto reverse can be hard to operate on trailers firstly make sure the brakes are set up correctly, checking the following things.
1. The brake cables are in good order and running smooth.
2. The expander is working correctly. I take it out and make sure the pulling arm will travel full movement under its own weight.
3. Auto reverse mechanism operates properly.
4. The springs for all the brakes have tension and on al-ko check it is not stretched in any part of the coils.
5. The compensator is working correctly as some may jam and not pivot correctly. some use flat nuts on the cables that don't allow them to pivot easily and we have even had some compensators come into us where they have nuts either side of the balance bar clamping the compensator stopping it from pivoting.
Then the brakes need adjusting properly.
Check that the expander is fully closed before adjusting.
Always only rotate the wheels in a forward direction whilst checking never in a backwards direction as this activates the auto reverse mechanism. with BPW brakes the auto reverse mechanism needs pins fitting as the auto reverse mechanism can operate easily while adjusting.
Adjust the brakes once all these checks have been done. the shoes need to be very close to the drum but not slowing the wheel there are many ways people / companies do this. it is always good to lock the brake up and back it off as this settles the shoes but companies and training courses will give different ways from 6-12 clicks back on al-ko or Al-ko themselves say 3-5mm of free play on the front of the cable. Knott there are people that say back off 1/4 - 1/2 turn.
once this is done adjust the threaded bar.
in theory the brakes should reverse when needed if all the above is done.
if you still have a problem don't be gentle when reversing. as you push the trailer back the brakes will go on then the extra force will push the auto reverse mechanism into place reducing the size of the brakes this requires a certain amount of force so set off backwards quick to operate the reverse mechanism rather than steady where the brakes are applied and it stops you.
Hope this helps
Towing and trailers ltd
www.towingandtrailers.com
01909 473749
If you would put more clicks afterwards does this mean you could adjust the brakes in a way they would not be optimaly breaking. Reason for my question is i am researching how a trailer could be supporting regenerative braking of an EV. I know this presents also risks but as said I am researching what methodogies are possible in Europe in this regard and what options for adoptions on a caravan there are. Goal is to optimize regenerative charging of EV while still maintaining security
Hi Thank you for watching our video.
I currently tow with an EV and I know your concerns.
A few months ago I did a bit of research myself that I hope to put in a video later this year where I did the same run 5 times from the car with 3 people in then going up in size of trailer with 2 unbraked trailers then 2 larger trailers from this and other regular towing I have learnt the 2 things that really effect range with a trailer on an EV
The first is speed if you slow from 60 to 50mph the range is far better.
The second is aerodynamics of your load can make a big difference. The 2 braked trailers were approximate the same weight almost the towing limit of my car (1600kg). I did this with a flatbed with no headboard, sides or tailgate with 2 pallets strapped to it then the none aerodynamic large weight was a larger flatbed with all the sides with another flatbed with sides and mesh standing almost 3m high and weighing 1559kg.
Just as a snippet the trip was 31.5 miles each way it was driving on a roads 50mph for 8 miles, then 12 miles on Motorway 60mph and the remaining 10 miles on hilly A roads @ 60mph total elevation on the way out of approx 250m then back.
I tried to keep the figures as controlled as possible and have consumption readings for all stretches of each journey. All 5 journeys were driven on adaptive cruise control set at the speed limit and completed within 2 minutes of each other only thing slowing journeys was traffic the temperatures ranged from 14-19deg C these temperatures were met on the first journey with no trailer and the worst rain. I did hit some rain on 2 journeys. I spread the journeys over 2 days as we were stopping at the unit loading, unloading and charging I did not tow at night to avoid use of lights altering journeys.
The consumption for the 2 heavy trailers and the car on its own for the total journey were as follows.
Car only 230 Wh/mi
Car with flatbed and pallets 418 Wh/mi
Car with 2 flatbeds stacked 644 Wh/mi
For more information please watch the video when it goes live.
None of these runs were driven economically as I wanted to get real life figures so I tried to go as fast as was legal on all roads.
Your braking idea I don't think would work for the following reasons.
You would change the characteristics of the brakes so that they don't work properly,
The draw tube slide in more catching the brakes at the end of the travel that would reduce the life of your damper as it would be working harder.
The brakes will still slow the trailer / caravan so you will not benefit from regenerative braking.
Your trailer / caravan will still push the car with similar force for your regenerative braking before the brakes are applied.
Due to the longer run on the drawtube the trailer / caravan will act like a slide hammer and probably brake harder when it brakes.
if you have an ATC anti snake device it may not work as it may not pull the brake rod far enough.
In my eyes there will be little if any benefits from backing the brakes off. However I am no scientist and this is my opinion from my experience. the best way is to try but I think this is the wrong way to go.
as I stated to start the best ways of betting more range is to drive slower and smother or as many EV's are designed Aerodynamic and efficient make your trailer / caravan as aerodynamic as possible.
Having driven EV's for about 80k miles over the last 6 years I have learn't that Regenerative braking is not the answer to any efficiency issues. Regenerative braking is wasted energy going back to the battery with losses.
When you are driving an EV you are using power from your battery to make the vehicle move this is energy from the battery being transferred to a different type of stored energy (kinetic Energy) in transferring this energy there are other wasted energies produced this is in the form of heat, noise, rolling resistance and the faster you go it is wasted with drag as the vehicle. When you get regenerative braking it changes the kinetic energy back to stored energy in the battery again this will have other losses as it goes back into the battery. To get more range you need to drive efficiently this means avoiding regeneration by anticipating slowing and doing it gently by not going faster than you need to if you do this your brakes on your trailer / caravan will not operate as much so you will not waste the energy in the brakes on your trailer / caravan.
when I have needed to and driven as smooth / efficiently and maybe a bit slower I have seen the efficiency of my EV's improve by over 50% to when the car is driven hard.
To be efficient avoid Regenerative braking, normal braking and high speeds as you only get about 90% of the energy that has left the battery back into the battery. I know this is not possible on steep down hill roads but if you keep constant speed with steady regeneration you will be getting some of the energy you have used to get up the hill before which is far better than an Ice car that keeps burning energy as it goes down the hill. Also any drag you may get from speed or poor aerodynamics you will never get back into the battery.
Hope this helps
Towing and trailers ltd
www.towingandtrailers.com
01909 473749
what was the tool you used to rotate the adjuster, I cant get any leverage with a screwdriver on my pennine pathfinders brakes
Hi
Thankyou for watching our video
Some chassis can obstruct a screwdriver from moving enough to move the adjuster a full click to make life easier we use a Snap-on S5192 brake adjuster tool. That can be found at shop.snapon.com/product/Automotive-Brake-Adjusting-Tools/Brake-Adjuster/S5912
These can be a little expensive for occasional use and I am sure there will be cheaper versions on the market.
Also as adjusters get old they don't seem to be as easy to move they don't click over as easy as a new adjuster if you are getting the adjustment near but not Quite there it may be an idea to replace the adjuster.
I am not sure what makes the difference with a new adjuster over an old one that is totally free, but they do seem a lot easier to use
Adjuster for 160mm brake can be found at
www.towingandtrailers.com/product/trailer-parts/trailer-brake-parts/al-ko-160-x-37mm-trailer-brakes/160mm-alko-brake-adjuster-160x37mm-alko-trailer-brake-spares/
Adjuster for 200 and 230mm brake can be found at
www.towingandtrailers.com/product/trailer-parts/trailer-brake-parts/al-ko-200-x-51mm-trailer-brakes/alko-adjuster-200mm-230mm-alko-trailer-brake-parts-spares/
Hope this helps
Towing and Trailers ltd
www.towingandtrailers.com/
01909 473749
Any video on how to install a new 1300kg knott independent suspension hubs Breaking putting 4 on a self build food trailer
Hi Sean
Currently we have not done a video showing how to do this but if you call us during office hours we can help you.
Open 9-5 Mon - Friday
9-1 on a Saturday
Open bank holidays until 3 pm
Towing and trailers ltd
01909 473749
Amazing!
Thanks!
Kind Regards
Towing and Trailers Ltd