Brake Adjustment

[PackerFan]

If you need to lift only one wheel and don't have a strong enough jack then just put some blocks under one of the wheels on one side and pull only one wheel up on it....the other wheel on the same side will be up in the air free hanging. Do your work on the free wheel and than reverse the process for the other wheel. Just make sure you CHOCK the Trailer and Vehicle Real Good!!!

It's a little extra work but I have done it before when changing out a flat tire on a trailer and I was caught without a jack!

[8.1al]

quote:Originally posted by dieselguy

8.1al ... technically you're right, but this exerpt from Dexter Axle's website is why I just round up and say it adjusts while backing.
"Dexter accomplished this self-adjusting feature by adding a 9 piece “Adjuster Kit” to the standard brake assembly backing plate. This allows the brake assembly to constantly adjust the lining position as the brake drum turns during trailer operation. In speaking to Dexter’s Engineering team, the adjustment feature works as the trailer moves in both forward and reverse directions but the increments of adjustment are much higher in reverse. "

Being a "wrench spinner" I always question when some advertisement says "never" or "self adjusting" ... A once a year check wouldn't hurt as there's no guarantee the star wheel stays free. Before some start running around saying "the sky is falling" I didn't say the never adjust isn't a good system ... I put forth to check it manually once a season.

That's interesting,I was repeating what the Dexter reps told us last year at the fall rally. I have to wonder if it is even possible to make them adjust going both directions

[dieselguy]

I may be all wet, but just looking at Dexter's self adjusting brakes ... they are really similar to automotive self adjusting drum brakes which have been around since "Moby Dick was a Guppie". In other words ... this is not cutting edge new technology.

[8.1al]

You're far from wet,this is old,old stuff but a nice step up from what they used to have

[tracyclifton]

OK, here's the long story. So I decided to address the brakes today. I stopped at Autozone and got a 4 ton bottle jack and a brake adjustment tool. When I got to the storage lot, my batteries were dead, that's another story. The disconnect switch was off, maybe the scare lights work when the disconnect is off? Anyway, I used wood blocks to get the jack high enough and jacked up the first wheel by putting the jack under the leaf spring right by the axel. That worked great. The brakes have 2 adjustment plugs. One for the adjustment wheel, and one for using a flat screwdriver to move the little lever that protects the adjustment wheel. The first brake was adjusted just right, so were the next three. So they must really be self adjusting. All the wiring looked good and nothing seemed to be out of place. So, move to step 2. I disassembled my connector in the bed of the truck and checked all the wiring and connectors. Then I checked all the connectors and the voltage was correct for everything. The controller was putting out 12 volts at the connector on the brake tab. So, step 3. I finally realized I should read the Prodigy instructions again. So right there in black and white is says not to mount any RF devices within 12 inches of the controller. That is when it dawned on me. The brakes had always worked perfectly, that is before I plugged in a blue-tooth connector to connect my Android phone to the OBDII to use the Torque app for gauges, etc. That was right before the trip and that's when I started having brake problems. So, I moved the controller to the right as far as I could. Now it is 13 3/8" from the OBDII port. I didn't have time to go back and hook up and test the brakes, but I will do that without the blue-tooth plugged in and see what happens. If the brakes work right, then I will plug in the blue-tooth and see if that affects the contoller at the new distance.

[tracyclifton]

UPDATE. For anyone who is still interested, my brakes are working properly without the blue tooth plugged in. I took the 5th wheel to the tire store yesterday to get my BFGs replaced and they worked perfect. The next time I hook up I will have to plug in the bluetooth to see if moving the controller did the trick. If not, then I guess I can't use the bluetooth connector while pulling the trailer.

[PackerFan]

As Holmes would say "Elementary Dear Watson.....Elementary!"

[psomers]

Tracyclifton I see you have a model 346 LBQ. I believe that is a Mountaineer. Are we sure the Mountaineer has self adjusting brakes? The reason I ask is I just bought a 2013 358 RLT Mountaineer and I don't think it has self adjusting brakes. My Mountaineer did not list self adjusting brakes as standard or option.
Also if the self adjusting brakes only worked while backing,they would never self adjust with older brake controllers. I think the Prodigy was the first controller that worked while backing. The magnet would energize but no more than just sitting still.