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electric brake problems

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Old May 9, 2012 | 07:48 PM
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electric brake problems

I have a gooseneck trailer with 2 quality name brand 10,000 pound axles. they have self adjusters. sometimes 2 wheels drag without brakes applied. It doesn't do it every time and the ammount of drag changes every time it drags. Sometimes the empty trailer pulls as hard as it does with a 20,000 pound dozer on it. I pulled the hubs off but didn't see anything that looked obviously wrong but I'm not a pro at electric brakes
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 07:59 PM
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Are you saying yout putting a 20,000 lbs dozer on the trailer or are you saying total weight of the trailer w/dozer is 20,000 lbs? You say your axles are 10,000 each so your GVWR for trailer is only 20,000lbs. If the weight of the dozer is truely 20,000 lbs your trailer is dangerously overloaded. Does it have duals and what are your tires rated for?
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:03 PM
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I put a lot of weight on the truck, it handles it good, brakes give problems empty or loaded
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:07 PM
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It has dual tires, I'm eventually going to put a 3rd axle under it
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:11 PM
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Originally Posted by flyhound
Are you saying yout putting a 20,000 lbs dozer on the trailer or are you saying total weight of the trailer w/dozer is 20,000 lbs? You say your axles are 10,000 each so your GVWR for trailer is only 20,000lbs. If the weight of the dozer is truely 20,000 lbs your trailer is dangerously overloaded. Does it have duals and what are your tires rated for?

with the root rake and full of fuel, it's probably closer to 21k pounds
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:14 PM
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Originally Posted by bradyhill2
I have a gooseneck trailer with 2 quality name brand 10,000 pound axles. they have self adjusters. sometimes 2 wheels drag without brakes applied. It doesn't do it every time and the ammount of drag changes every time it drags. Sometimes the empty trailer pulls as hard as it does with a 20,000 pound dozer on it. I pulled the hubs off but didn't see anything that looked obviously wrong but I'm not a pro at electric brakes
So, if I am following, you have four wheels, all with electric brakes, and the brakes always drag on the same two wheels? To activate the brakes electrically, there are only two possible power sources, your controller and the break-away switch. The wheels turn freely with the source of power disconnected as if you were to jack up each side with not power source?

I am thinking a bad break-away switch would be a possibility, but that would affect all four wheels, as would the controller and it is virtually unheard of. Just shooting in the dark, are you sure all four wheels have electric brakes? I have worked on some trailers that do not have brakes on all wheels. Unless only the two problem wheels have brakes, it seems like a long shot the problem is with the electrics.

What controller do you have?

Steve
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:19 PM
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Originally Posted by RV_Tech
So, if I am following, you have four wheels, all with electric brakes, and the brakes always drag on the same two wheels? To activate the brakes electrically, there are only two possible power sources, your controller and the break-away switch. The wheels turn freely with the source of power disconnected as if you were to jack up each side with not power source?

I am thinking a bad break-away switch would be a possibility, but that would affect all four wheels, as would the controller and it is virtually unheard of. Just shooting in the dark, are you sure all four wheels have electric brakes? I have worked on some trailers that do not have brakes on all wheels. Unless only the two problem wheels have brakes, it seems like a long shot the problem is with the electrics.

What controller do you have?

Steve

I have 2 axles with dual tires. the same 2 wheels drag but not all the time. break away switch is compltetely unhooked and power wire (center prong) is unhooked. i caught it dragging the other day and unhooked the trailer wiring plug completely and it didn't change it. I had a cheap controller that came with the truck but we just installed a maxbrake today
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:38 PM
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so even with no power applied or brake controller not hooked up you still drag two?
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:39 PM
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Originally Posted by bradyhill2
I have 2 axles with dual tires. the same 2 wheels drag but not all the time. break away switch is compltetely unhooked and power wire (center prong) is unhooked. i caught it dragging the other day and unhooked the trailer wiring plug completely and it didn't change it. I had a cheap controller that came with the truck but we just installed a maxbrake today
If nothing was hooked and you still had the problem, it is not electrical. There is something mechanical the matter with the brakes or bearings. If you have a seven pin connection on your truck, the center pin is not for the electric brakes.

Steve
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:49 PM
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Originally Posted by senix
so even with no power applied or brake controller not hooked up you still drag two?
i stopped and they hung up so i got out and unplugged them and they still were dragging, it's not locked up just some friction
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted by RV_Tech
If nothing was hooked and you still had the problem, it is not electrical. There is something mechanical the matter with the brakes or bearings. If you have a seven pin connection on your truck, the center pin is not for the electric brakes.

Steve
I had it all apart last week and the bearings seemed to be ok. I know the brakes are on one of the outside prongs, i thought the center pole was the constant (aux) power wire. I thought it was possible that it was shorting out and causing it
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 08:54 PM
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for some reason I'm thinking the automatic adjusters are causing my problem
 
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Old May 9, 2012 | 09:06 PM
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I would check the arm that the magnet is mounted to and make sure that is moves freely and it goes back to its normal position by itself. If it doesn't you may have a weak or missing spring or where the arm pivots may be rusted or dirty.

Denny
 
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Old May 10, 2012 | 06:44 AM
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Originally Posted by rvpuller
I would check the arm that the magnet is mounted to and make sure that is moves freely and it goes back to its normal position by itself. If it doesn't you may have a weak or missing spring or where the arm pivots may be rusted or dirty.

Denny
I agree. Unless the wiring is completely botched, this is a mechanical, not an electrical issue.

Steve
 
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Old May 10, 2012 | 11:14 AM
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center pin on a 7-wire is for reverse lights.
 
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