5th wheel brakes
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Southeast MO
5th wheel brakes
We've had our 43' 5th wheel for about a year and a half now. I was never happy with the never adjust brakes so I replaced them with Dexter manual adjust brakes a few months back. I did the recommended break in after adjusting them and we just took a trip and they still do not work like I think they should. I know it's not my truck, I have other trailers and they all work fine. The voltage to the rear brakes is right at 12v with my controller set on 10 which is the max. I drive a 2022 F450 btw. I have owned campers for 20 years but this is the biggest one I've ever pulled. Am I expecting too much out of them? If I'm coasting at say 50mph and I manually engage my brake controller with the setting on 10, you can feel a slight drag but nowhere close to bringing you to a stop or locking up. It weighs between 14k and 15k. What are your thoughts?
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2022
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From: Everywhere and nowhere
I swapped the Nev-R-Adjust brakes for Dexter manual adjust brakes on my 43' Grand Design after a couple jack knife turnaround cause the magnets to pinch on the drum and fall apart. I had my brake controller on medium with the gain on 4 and it was noticeable stopping with my 2022 F350 DRW. Even going downhill you could feel the drag slowing the truck down.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Southeast MO
So I'm not crazy!! I don't know where else to go with them. We have a big trip coming up in a few weeks and I'd sure like them to be working properly. Might have to bite the bullet and take it somewhere.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2016
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Might try checking the adjustment now that they've had a chance to break in a little. And they may need a little more break in time...sometimes drum brakes need a few hundred miles to really get "seated".
Are the drums new as well? Wear on the braking surface may require more breaking in time or resurfacing. Wear on the face where the magnet rides can greatly reduce braking strength. The magnet can wear a groove over time that needs to be smoothed out.
Are the drums new as well? Wear on the braking surface may require more breaking in time or resurfacing. Wear on the face where the magnet rides can greatly reduce braking strength. The magnet can wear a groove over time that needs to be smoothed out.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2022
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From: Everywhere and nowhere
I put my 5th wheel on jackstands and adjusted every star wheel until the pads just touched the drums and made that gritty dragging noise. Then I drove on some back roads and kept slamming on the brakes and speeding back up to bed the pads to the drums. After that I actually had to turn my gain down from 5 to 4 because the trailer was stopping too hard on 5 and bucking the trailer but 4 was perfect.
I had a 2021 enclosed trailer with Dexter manual adjusting brakes but on 5k axles and setting those star wheels with the same process that trailer would actually stop my truck when I hit the brakes. If you don't have another trailer to test I would be wondering about the actual trailer brake controller unless you know the brakes are engaging just not stopping very well.
I had a 2021 enclosed trailer with Dexter manual adjusting brakes but on 5k axles and setting those star wheels with the same process that trailer would actually stop my truck when I hit the brakes. If you don't have another trailer to test I would be wondering about the actual trailer brake controller unless you know the brakes are engaging just not stopping very well.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Southeast MO
I did not replace the drums. The surfaces looked like new and only had maybe 2k miles on them. The brakes are getting around 12v when applied with the gain on 10. I will probably check the adjustment again on them. I could tell they worked better as the break in process went on but I feel like im at a point where they are doing all they can as they aren't getting any better. I do have other trailers and the brakes work fine on them with this same truck.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,698
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From: Wyoming
Voltage without amperage isn't going to do much braking. Use a DC clamp-on ammeter to see how many amps are getting to each brake.
I put Dexter Nev-r-adjust brake assemblies on my prior camper and they worked great! I had to adjust down the brake controller quite a bit.
I put Dexter Nev-r-adjust brake assemblies on my prior camper and they worked great! I had to adjust down the brake controller quite a bit.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Southeast MO
I got one ordered, will be here Wednesday. How much should I be seeing at each wheel?
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Wyoming
That multimeter is one of the handiest devices for anyone that owns a camper.
Laughing Gas
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Bob
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Southeast MO
I checked all 4 today, they were all around 3.1-3.3 amps. Had a buddy come help me and the drag I had adjusted in to them when I installed them was no longer there. So we adjusted them again. I'm going to take it out tomorrow and see how it does and I'll update. Thanks for the help👍🏻
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Wyoming
It's been quite a few years since I had to deal with troubleshooting drum brakes. As I recall, a brake that loses tension (from a manual setting) could be due to the adjuster being installed backwards. That was on hydraulic auto brakes, not electric trailer brakes.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Southeast MO
I almost installed hydraulic disc brakes because I was so frustrated with the brakes that it came with. Decided $300 for new drums sounded better than $3k so I went that route. If they don't work right tomorrow after adjusting them again I might just go back to my original plan. We plan on keeping this camper awhile, it fits us perfect and it's too heavy to not have adequate brakes.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2022
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From: Everywhere and nowhere
When I replaced my never adjust brakes with the Dexter manual adjust drums the backing plates came in a Dexter box with all the parts pre-assembled.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Southeast MO
They still don't work very good. With my controller on 10 and I manually engage them they just are weak. I don't know what else to do. I didn't replace the drums but they aren't even 2 years old yet. Just frustrated...