How To Adjust Trailer Brakes the Easy Way
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ค. 2024
- #thetrailersmith #adjusttrailerbrakes #trailerbrakes #trailerbrakesnotworking
Trailer brakes not working? Here are some simple steps you can take to manually adjust your trailer brakes as well as tips for how often to adjust them to maintain the life of your brakes and wheels.
If you found value in this video, please be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to The TrailerSmith channel to stay up to date with future how-to videos, reviews and tips on all things trailer related.
Don't forget to comment down below with any questions or video ideas you would like to see!
Brake Adjusting Tool amzn.to/3Jrjbij
#thetrailersmith #trailerrepair #doityourselftrailerrepair #diy #utilitytrailer #5thwheel #rvtrailer #stocktrailer #goosenecktrailer #trailerbrakes #electrictrailerbrakes #brakecontroller #mechanic
One of the best break adjustment videos I've seen as far as the amount of drag that the wheel hub should have. Thanks. Great video!
Thank you for watching! I appreciate the comment!
I've done plenty of adjustments on older cars so I figured it was the same... then I pulled the hubs to grease the bearings and realized this is a whole different animal. Time for youtube. Thanks for the visuals and all the good information. You earned my subscription!
Thank you for the kind words! I'm so glad to hear my video helped you out. The subscription is much appreciated!
Been pulling a fifth wheel for 8 yrs never knew you had to do this just turned up the controller,best video I’ve seen.Thanks
Larger hubs have room for self adjusting drum brake hardware,i.e. 10 inch and larger drum inner diameter.
Extremely well done, loved the cut-away wheel assembly - had watched other videos and had no idea that I was rotating a toothed wheel. Good work!
Thank you for watching! I'm happy to hear the cut-away was a good visual tool! We truly appreciate the kind words and hope you'll check out the other videos on the channel
Thanks for the video. The cutaway of the drum was super helpful!
Thank you for watching! I'm glad it was helpful!
Thank you very much for sharing - I needed to adjust my 5th-wheel trailer brakes before a cross-country trip. You provided everything I needed to get the job done.., I didn't even know what a brake-adjusting spoon was before seeing your video. The cheap one worked like a charm. Kudos to you!
I am so glad the video helped you out! Thank you for watching! Hope you have a good & safe trip!
Just bought my first horse trailer and the front wheel brakes are too tight while the back ones are lagging. Best video I've found to explain how to do it and seeing the inside with the cut away was super helpful! Easiest tutorial to follow, definitely preventing me from having to spent more money down the road
Excellent information! Now I know why my daughter's magnets and hubs look worn out, but the brake shoes look new! Thank you!
Glad to hear the video helped you out! Thank you for watching!
Thank you sir! The cut away is a great way to show what's happening. Sharing this with my race car friends as most of have trailers or are new to owning a trailer.
Thank you for watching & thanks for sharing! I’m glad to hear the video & the cut away were helpful to you!
Good advice. Simple and complete with understandable points.
This is the best brake adjustment clip yet - really appreciate the cut off view on the adjustment screw 👌👌👌🖖
Thanks for watching! We're happy to hear the video has been helpful! Thank you for the positive feedback!
Who knew? Now i do, thanks to you. Perfect timing, since just yesterday I noticed that my tandem axle utility trailer’s brakes weren’t grabbing. Thanks for showing us how it’s done.
So glad you found the video helpful! Thanks for the feedback and for watching!
THANK YOU!! I'm a noob and it seemed scary to be messing with my teardrop electric brakes. You have changed that.
So happy to hear I could help! That’s our goal with this channel-to empower others with the knowledge they need to either do their own work or to understand the value of what they are paying for if they have to take it to a shop. Thanks for watching and for letting us know how we have helped!
Holy crap!!! I had no idea how important this is and how it can lead to magnet failure and premature drum wear.
@machine7767 unfortunately, many people don't realize the importance of the brake adjustment for their trailers. Regular maintenance on a trailer can literally save it's owner thousands of dollars in repair costs later down the road. That's the reason we started this channel. To share knowledge and to hopefully show how to save time, trouble, and money just by doing preventative maintenance. And to also show why it might cost so much or take a while at the mechanic shop. Thanks for watching!
This is the best video I've come across on this subject. Thanks.
Thanks for watching! I’m glad it was a helpful video. I really appreciate the feedback!
Perfectly executed instructional video.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the reminder.
Great job with the video and I'm impressed how responded to everyone's questions. I'll be viewing more of your videos
Thank you for watching! I look forward to having you as a viewer! Having a full-time day job and doing TH-cam keeps me plenty busy so there have been some comments that have slipped through the cracks. We try to keep up with them as best as we can, while also putting out helpful videos.
Great info presented in a very smooth way. Thank You!
You are welcome! So glad you found the information helpful! Thank you for watching
Thanks for the info ..
We pulled into our stop today and heard a screeching noise.... We are taking the assembly off today. This gives us something to look at and inspect. We have never adjusted the brakes and we are full time RVers.
Thank you for the outstanding video. Your explanations as well as descriptions of what to look/hear for were very helpful. Excellent job!
Thank you for watching! Glad to hear this video was a help! Be sure to check out other videos on the channel for any other issues that may arise with your trailer.
Thank you for the in depth information. Was Greatly appreciated.
Thank you for watching! So glad you found it helpful!
Good work for those who didn't own a '60 VW which required the same service in the same interval
👍
Excellent video, thanks very much for sharing, definitely 5 stars :)
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for making this so well!
You're welcome! And thank you for watching!
Thanks for the educational video. It was very helpful for me and I'm sure many others.
Thanks for watching! Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this video! It was very informative, I will be adjusting my 5th wheel brakes today for sure. I have had my brake controller turned up more than normal and just put front brakes on the tow vehicle! (Pricey)
Thanks for watching! I’m glad it helped you out.
Excellent videos,thanks!
Great content. I appreciate you making the "training aid" to better describe the process.
Thanks for the feedback! We're glad to know the training aid was a help!
dang ..... thank you for taking the time to make this video.
I learned something today.
Thank you so much for watching & taking the time to leave this comment! My goal is to share what I know in order to help others. I'm so glad this video helped you. Feel free to check out my other videos to see if there's anything else that might be of value to you. 🙂
Very instructive video, explained very well. Showing what's going on while adjusting was a big help. Tks for sharing your knowledge and time.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!
Thank you! That was great info. Been getting a feeling that I need to visit this so very helpful!
I'm so glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching!
@@TheTrailerSmith On a trip right now. Looking forward to a complete axel/bearing/brake overhaul. 👍
Great video. Gave me exactly the info i was looking for.
Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching!
Excellent, thank you.
You are welcome! Hope it was a help to you.
Thank you for such a helpful video! Subscribed
Thanks for watching and for the feedback!
Thanks for this. I purchased my first car hauler, and the dealer said the brakes were self-adjusting. But there was only a tiny bit of drag on one axle and zero drag on the other. The trailer wouldn't stop the first time I hauled anything. Thanks to your video, I think I have it sorted out now.
Make sure to check out the burnishing brakes video, as well! That will be key to making sure your brakes are fully functional.
Best trailer brake adjustment video out! #subscribed
That means a lot. Thank you for watching! And I appreciate the subscribe!
Awesome. Finally found someone not using a screwdriver
Thanks for watching!
Thanks buddy, headed out to have a look at it today :) just bought a small dump trailer and am having this exact issue with it
Thanks for watching & good luck!
Very informative. I have recently purchased an older equipment trailer and was experiencing little to no braking without cranking up the controller. A quick visual inspection shows the backing plates were in new condition leading me to think that an adjustment could be the remedy. I new what to do to adjust them but I learned how much drag they should have. Quick and specific information.
Thanks
I'm so glad this video was a help to you! Thanks for checking it out.
@@TheTrailerSmith Update: I adjusted the brakes and seen an improvement.
Thanks for the update! I'm so glad this video was a help to you!
Thank you thank you that was awesome video you helped me out a lot
Glad I could help! Thank you for watching!
Thank you for your very informative video.
Glad it was helpful!
Thx TTS for an informative and interesting video.
You're welcome! Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!
Great videos!! Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Very good video. I was concerned to hear ANY friction because I assumed it would cause overheating between the shoes and the hub. Glad to know there should be some.
Glad to hear the video helped you out! Thanks for watching!
Great video, love the cut away...its nice to know which way is tight and which way is loose from outside the hub... It would be great if you would do a video on hydraulic brake adjustments on a Master Tow tow dolly. Thanks
Thank You
Awesome video thank you SO MUCH!
Thank you for watching! We hope it was a help to you!
I ordered a Brake spoon adjustment made in USA on Amazon, @@TheTrailerSmith
Great video mate,
I will be doing mine tomorrow,
It’s a new van (trailer) so I will know where I’m at after the adjustment.
Cheers Mate.
Thanks for watching!
Great explanation on adjusting brakes. What do they say? A picture is worth a thousand words. Nice shop by the way. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video! Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Nice job on the video. Clear and to the point. Good videography.
The feedback is much appreciated! Thanks for watching!
Very good! Learned a lot!
Do you have anything on axle alignment on 5 th wheel trailers/ tire wear , etc.? I’ve seen straight edge across tires to see if any difference.
Grreat video and instruction!
Thanks for watching! Glad you found the video helpful, that's what we like to hear! Thank you for the positive feedback!
Great video keep em coming thnks
Thanks for watching!
Very helpful thanks 👍🕺
Thank you for watching and leaving a comment! We’re happy to hear the video was helpful for you!
Thank you .
You are welcome! Thanks for watching!
FYI, I suggest you always remove the drum and dump the old ‘brake dust’ out of the drum first! The worn brake shoe material doesn’t just disappear…
It lays in the bottom and is still friction material, just no longer on the shoe itself. It needs to be removed to not effect the adjustment! And repack the and adjust the wheel bearing preload.
(Plus visually seeing how much the brake shoes are worn, and that the hardware, magnet, and springs, etc are all good and in place nicely will give you peace of mind. 👍🏼)
SAVED our vacation! The ebrake controller would error because brakes were not making contact! Couldn't leave driveway!
Wow! Glad to hear this video helped you out. Happy vacation & safe travels to you & yours!
Thank you for what your doing. you are very good at explaining in a easy to understand way !
Question;
I adjust my brakes like you say till a little drag is felt.
when finished I go for test pull and brakes still very weak,won't hold back Duramax at idle on #5 gain !,barely will hold truck back on #10 gain.
Jack up wheels again and now no dragging at all ? should I readjust again or will this result in brakes too tight ? How many re-adjudtments are needed ?
Thank you, I'm learning a lot from you !
Mike.
Thank you very good video
Thank you for watching! So glad you liked it.
Hi thanks great video,any tips why when I have the trailer lift up everything works fine, but as soon I put it down and pull the safety brake away won’t luck?
Thank you. How different are Nev-R-Adjust brakes?
Thanks, great information. Do you also have a video specifically on new install adjustments?
Hi! Thanks for watching!
New install adjustments will include the process seen in this video, along with burnishing in the breaks. I have a video for that here: th-cam.com/video/mLp_5ApVjFc/w-d-xo.html
I also have a video for new brakes & drum install, in case you find that you would like to see something like that.
th-cam.com/video/ZQPS7RgCmJk/w-d-xo.html
I hope you find this information helpful!
Could you do a video on self adjusting brakes and the pros of those on a replacement install versus replacing with manual adjust brakes?
thankyou
I heart the easy way ❤
Thank you
Thank you for watching!
How to replace the brake assembly on good trailers with old mobile home wheels and brakes. Good videos and thanks
👍
Thanks for watching!
Should the Jack point be the axle or the frame and why/why not? Seeing both used and trying to find out the proper procedure. Thx and great tutorial on the adjusting process.
Thanks for watching! I prefer to jack the trailer frame up so that the axle is not under a load and so the jack stand doesn’t interfere with access to the brake adjuster.
Great video. Is there an easy way to tell what lb your axle is?
I have drilled 1” diameter holes 180 degrees across from each other on the face of the brake drum to adjust my trailer brakes .
Recently worked on a trailer with Dexter 12K Axles and Disk Breaks. The Hubs came off with not much problem but fought all the way going back on. Do you have Tip and Tricks for this scenario? Never had this problem with Drums.
Very good. I just went through the brakes on a travel trailer on my channel. I'll be getting in there to do a fine tune adjustment from the back. I've Subscribed. I'm a TH-cam creator located in British Columbia, Canada. I fix my own cars and do a whole bunch of other stuff. Take care and I'll be keeping any eye out for your videos.
Hello, fellow TH-camr! Thanks for watching and subscribing!
@@TheTrailerSmith yOU'LL FIND i AM A WISE GUY THAT IS ALWAYS CRACKING JOKES-yOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!Hahahaha
Good stuff
Thanks for watching!
Awesome and complete explanation !! Years ago with hydraulic drum breaks I drove in reverse & braked to adjust. Elect. is obviously not that way. Quick question.. 10K axel Dexter drum bolt rounded. I'm now drilling out to remove bolt head to get drum off. I suspect welding a nut on stud after drum removal is the best way to extract? Ever seen this? Thank you again.
Yes, welding it on there will work. Most drum mounting bolts use lock tite. Hub has to be heated to release the lock tite. Whenever you weld your nut on, it will be sufficient to release that bolt.
Thanks for watching!
Good video
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I'm a transport trailer tech for a living. I had no clue that trailers like campers, cargo ECT trailers needed brake adjustment... The more you know.
There are A LOT of misconceptions & misinformation concerning utility & recreational trailers!
Great video and cut away on the drum. What are your thoughts on Never-adjust vs manual adjust . My Rpod was only 1,000 miles of use and had a smoking brake failure . The brake assembly was a Never-adjust style .
Hi! We install both manual and Never-Adjust. I'm not a fan of the term Never-Adjust b/c it's misleading. Never-Adjust or self-adjusting brakes will do a good job if everything is in great working condition. However, I recommend doing a manual adjustment every 3000 miles just to be on the safe side. We do see some self-adjust failures for the simple fact that there are extra parts in there to fail. Not sure what the cause could have been on yours, possibly a defective brake from the start. Great question! Thank you so much for watching and commenting with your question!
Very helpful. Thanks.
You kind of touched on it, but can you go into a little more detail about the relationship between the brake adjustment and the gain setting on your brake controller? I have a brand new TT and in trying to adjust the gain, I had it turned up all the way and I could not get the trailer wheels to lock up with just the controller at 20-25 mph. Also, the brakes were really grabby when I used them in normal driving.
Hi! Gald you found the video helpful! You don't ever want your trailer brakes to lock up. If you can get them to lock up, they are probably over adjusted. The electric trailer brake is only meant to assist in slowing the vehicle, not for stopping. If your brakes are functioning and adjusted properly, they will usually work fine at 6 & under on the brake controller. The brakes could be grabby because you may have the gain up too high OR there may still be some burnishing that needs done on the brakes. Check out the burnishing brakes video here th-cam.com/video/mLp_5ApVjFc/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the great advice. I just asked basically the same thing on your burnishing video, also really useful. But you can ignore my comment… 😊
Great tutorial, thanks! Can this also be done with the wheel and tyre still on and jacked up?
The brake adjustment can & should be done with wheel & tire in while jacked up & stabilized. Thanks for watching!!
@@TheTrailerSmith Thanks so much. Can I please also ask what's the name of the adjustment tool?
@@72superlead You're welcome! Yeah, it's just a brake adjusting tool. You can find them on Amazon. Lisle is a good brand.
It looked like the "bad" example at the end was a self adjusting Dexter?
Ps. The is on a 3500 lb lippert 3 inch drop axle with self-adjusting brakes.
the initial adjustment was made with the wheels off, the double check was made with the wheels on, would this make a difference with drum alignment?
Nice video. Do find it good the burnishing procedure by Lippert ? There is two method one more extreme as the other.
Thanks for watching and great question! I find the Lippert video to be a good one. The more aggressive form of burnishing should be performed by someone experienced & knowledgeable for that procedure.
Excellent video. I have a question, I installed a new #10 Dexter torsion axle on a clients trailer, he picked the trailer up and drove it a little more than 100 miles, he said he thought that something was wrong with the road side drum. He brought the trailer back and I took a look at it, first off the brakes seamed to be engaged, so I backed off the adjuster and pulled the hub, everything looked ok at first but I noticed the forward drum brake pad jumped the upper pivot pin just a bit engaging the brakes. Now my question, what would make that happen? was the factory adjustment to far out? It seamed ok when I installed the axle. I hope you can shed some light on this, thanks. I taped the shoe back into place, reinstalled the hub and adjusted the brakes as you suggested, I'm hoping that it won't happen again.
I’ve never seen that exact issue on a new axle. Just keep in mind that they are mass produced. We do have issues from time to time with adjusters missing, nut retainers missing, drums rusted to the shoe & contaminants in the drum like dirt & gravel from sitting on the yard. It would be my guess that the shoe assembly was not installed correctly during the production which led to the issue you’ve witnessed. It sounds like the repair you made was the right move & I think it should solve the problem. Great work! Thanks for watching!
@@TheTrailerSmith Thanks for the reply, your top notch.
One of my brakes was so far out of adjustment, it began locking up. I took the drum off to inspect it and the magnet was toast. I replaced the entire brake assembly. It cost $80 CAD plus tax. I did the work, so no labour charges.
You mentioned the breaks being set properly. I have the dexter electric breaks / self adjusting and one break/hub is getting warm. I have driven about 500 miles on the this set up and now noticed this issue. Is there something I’m supposed to be doing with the trailer break to set the breaks (turning the gain all the up to find lock up point for example). The three other breaks and hubs were cool but not the front left break and rim. I can hear a faint squeal noise now. So I will adjust that break to be looser. Any other tips I would appreciate. Thanks
You never want your electric trailer brakes to lock up. That would be too tight. If you have one getting hot and the others seem to be cool, the trailer needs to be jacked up and the cool brakes need to be checked to be sure they are working and you need to make sure that the hot one isn't doing all the work. Once you confirm that all 4 brakes are working, you may need to do a manual adjustment to make sure they are all adjusted equally. Great question! Sorry you're having this issue. Hopefully this helps!
Question, how about the never adjust self-adjusting electric brakes? How often should I double check?
My brake controller read 4.0 felt a little less break resistance adjusted to 4.5 works fine is there a number on your brake controller for example 7.5 would let you know you need to adjust your brakes
No, there’s no number on your brake controller that would let you know that information. If you’re having to continually increase your brake controller to get the same amount of brake resistance, that is your signal that your brakes are in need of adjusting. Great question! Thanks for watching!
When you put new brakes on do you need to pull the trailer around and use the brakes before adjusting them? Mine have a drag out of the box. Should I adjust them, road test them and then readjust them? Thanks
Hi! The brakes need to have an initial adjustment after installation. Then they need to be burnished in and after a couple hundred miles, they need to be readjusted. Then readjusted every 3000 miles after that. I’ve included the link to our video about burnishing brakes in case you want to check that out. Hope this helps! Thanks for watching!!
th-cam.com/video/mLp_5ApVjFc/w-d-xo.html
Sorry probably a simple question but I am new to this. So, you should hear the slight resistance even though there is NO braking force or power being applied to the brakes correct?
Great question! Yes, you should hear just a slight resistance, even without the brakes being applied.
Do the star wheels move the same direction on each side? And what if there is a self-adjusting lever on the star wheel?
Hi! Thanks for watching!! The star wheels do move the same direction regardless of which side they are on. If there is a self adjusting lever, the only issue you would have is if you adjusted it too tight and had to back it off, you would have to use something to release the adjuster arm in order to back the star off. A small welding rod always works well for me for this purpose. Good luck!
Very informative and useful. So are you still going to hear a little of the drag noise when they are properly adjusted? For example; the sound at 5:49?
My brother in law told me to use a little brake grease (like Prematex anti-seize) of the parts that move.
Thanks for watching! I'm so glad you found the video helpful!
Once you complete the adjustment you will hear some shoe drag. Lubrication of certain parts is fine just don’t over lube. A small amount of grease can be used behind the magnet arm that contacts the backing plate. A small amount of grease can be used on the pivot point were the magnet arm attaches at the top of the assembly. Be careful with spray lube because it can contaminate the shoe surface. If spray lube is used to free any moving parts be sure to use brake cleaner to remove those before adding grease and reassembly.
Wasn't that worn out brake assembly example at the 7:26 time mark an automatic brake adjuster? It has the spring around the adjuster and has a cable well.
Yes it was an automatic brake adjusting assembly. Unfortunately, most of the time the adjusters will get contaminated with brake dust & other road grime and the auto adjuster will not work.
Thanks for watching!
I read you said you should never adj you electric brake controller to the point the brakes lock up. Yet the instructions on my controller said go 25 mph and adj till you see them lock up. I did that and have been using them that way for some time. Have I damaged the system. When I checked them a while ago everything looked good. Just need to know what is best. Thanks great video by the way.
I’ve never seen a controller manufacturer recommend that you adjust until they lock up. I certainly would never recommend that b/c there are so many issues that can come from locking up your brakes.
I would love to know which brand & model controller that is so I could dig into that a little more.
Thanks for watching!
If you have self adjusting brakes do you still recommend doing an initial setup manually to make sure they are matched?
Yes. I would make sure they are all equally adjusted. Good question! Thanks for watching!
Thank you, good video .. where are located if you don’t mind me asking? ..
Thanks for watching! The feedback is much appreciated. We are in North Texas.
Great video. Had my trailer in for bearing repack and now have very little braking power. Mechanic said he adjusted brakes and it will take 500 miles to break in .. WHAT! I am going to work on it Monday myself - any ideas? Brakes were perfect when I brought it in.
Mechanic yeah, he mucked around with the adjustments and b essed you
I have 3500 lb axles with raised spindles, dropped tubes that are in the way of adjustment holes. There's just not an easy way , so I've been removing the hb in a trial and error way to try to get minimal clearance . 1987 and 88 Holiday Rambler trailers .
👍👍
Thanks for watching!
So first time adjusting my brakes 2015 big tex 10k Dexter oil bath axles I over tightened one an can't seem to get it to back off it wolnt move am I doing something wrong ? Is there something stopping it ? Any advise
Yeah. Those brakes have self-adjusters. In order to back it off you will need to use a small screw driver or a small rod (welding rod) to insert through the adjuster hole to push the self adjuster away from the adjuster wheel. While holding the adjuster away from the wheel, use your adjusting tool to back the brakes off.