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07-19-2019, 01:31 PM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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Self adjusting brake question
After a long drive, I noticed the ODS rear wheel was running cooler than the other wheels via my infrared heat reader. I since manually adjusted the brake and so far so good. I then decided to "adjust" the brakes by backing the rig and stopping several times. During this process I noticed while using the manual trailer brake, the trailer brakes don't engage in reverse. However, they engage normally going forward.
It seems to me that if the brakes don't engage in reverse then the auto adjusters will not function properly. Any thoughts?
__________________
2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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07-19-2019, 01:55 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Carmichael - CA
Posts: 7,365
M.O.C. #4831
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Unlike automobile self adjusting brakes, the Dexter ones only adjust when going forward.
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Carl (n Susan)
There is more to life than fuel mileage.
2012 Montana 3700RL Big Sky Package towed by a 2015 Ford F350 6.7L PSD 4WD CC LWB
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07-19-2019, 02:53 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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That is good to know.
Wouldn't they still activate in reverse using the manual brake lever?
__________________
2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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07-19-2019, 04:01 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Carmichael - CA
Posts: 7,365
M.O.C. #4831
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Well I stand corrected. Apparently they do adjust in the reverse direction in addition to going forward. The Dexter site has very little in explanation but here is what I found:
Self Adjusting Feature
(Not available on all sizes)
Dexter electric brakes may be equipped with a forward self-adjust feature. This will allow the brakes to adjust on both forward and reverse stops. Brake adjustment occurs when lining wear results in enough gap between the shoes and the brake drum surface. This added clearance will allow the adjuster mechanism to rotate the screw assembly at the bottom of the brake. That action expands the distance between the shoes and thus closes the gap to the drum
surface.
Ref: Page 6 of https://www.dexteraxle.com/docs/defa...4.pdf?sfvrsn=0
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Carl (n Susan)
There is more to life than fuel mileage.
2012 Montana 3700RL Big Sky Package towed by a 2015 Ford F350 6.7L PSD 4WD CC LWB
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07-19-2019, 06:33 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Posts: 2,707
M.O.C. #7992
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Montana Man
That is good to know.
Wouldn't they still activate in reverse using the manual brake lever?
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Mine is an older unit but guarantee they work in reverse with the lever. Use that feature all the time when I move my manual slider hitch. Have to always slide it when I get home from a trip because that is the only way I can back in my driveway.
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2006 3000RK
2009 Ram 2500
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07-19-2019, 09:56 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,700
M.O.C. #12947
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Montana Man
After a long drive, I noticed the ODS rear wheel was running cooler than the other wheels via my infrared heat reader. I since manually adjusted the brake and so far so good. I then decided to "adjust" the brakes by backing the rig and stopping several times. During this process I noticed while using the manual trailer brake, the trailer brakes don't engage in reverse. However, they engage normally going forward.
It seems to me that if the brakes don't engage in reverse then the auto adjusters will not function properly. Any thoughts?
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Your brakes will self adjust without any special work except if there is a failure with the mechanism which can only be seen by removing the drum/hub assembly. This is what one of our brakes looked like earlier this year, and discovered when doing a bearing repack. This is a very good reason to inspect your brakes at least annually.
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Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
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07-20-2019, 06:03 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mountain Home
Posts: 839
M.O.C. #20949
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Yes... your electric trailer brakes do work in reverse. I’d be looking at the tow vehicle .. is it sending a signal to the 7 way plug ? Easy to verify
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07-20-2019, 06:24 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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Thx all. Good info for sure. I will have to work on the no manual trailer brakes in reverse.
__________________
2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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07-29-2019, 08:45 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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Update, FWIW, my buddy has the same truck and similar trailer. His won't stop in reverse using the manual brake lever either.
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2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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07-29-2019, 01:42 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,700
M.O.C. #12947
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I suppose it's best to not be driving these rigs too fast down the highway going backwards if you need to stop real fast Might be an excuse to upgrade to disc brakes.
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Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
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07-29-2019, 05:45 PM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Folsom, California
Posts: 552
M.O.C. #21903
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My F250 brake controller does not send power to the trailer brakes if you apply the brakes and the vehicle is going less than 5 mph. This is the way the factory intended it to work. Pretty hard to go over 5 mph backing up a fiver.
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'05 F250 6.0 Bullet Proofed - Sold
'17 F350 6.7 Lariet
'02 Montana 3280RL Upgraded a bunch.
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07-29-2019, 07:24 PM
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#12
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Arlington
Posts: 132
M.O.C. #21610
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Other than a couple bent and missing parts, what's wrong with it? 😬
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Cande & Daniel (Caniel)
2010 Mountaineer 295RKD | 2019 Chevrolet 3500 Duramax 4x4 CC LWB DRW
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08-04-2019, 02:11 PM
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#13
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Established Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Ocala
Posts: 42
M.O.C. #17136
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I found mine not adjusting at all, even though they all have the self adjuster mechanism, (which is designed to operate in forward or reverse). Had a long discussion with a Dexter engineer explaining what I found. There is nothing to hold the star wheel from freewheeling back and forth with the lever that is supposed to do the adjusting. The lever moves the wheel just fine but when the brakes are released, the wheel returns where it was instead of the lever racheting over the ramped notch in the wheel. In previous designs, I'm used to the spring holding the front and rear shoes together to contact the star wheel to keep it from turning backwards. The engr. told me that on electric brakes, they made the star wheel smaller in diameter because of the extra parts.
They sent me 4 new adjuster assemblies, but they were exactly the same. I bent my springs to contact the star wheel, and am watching for any difference. Plan on manual adjustment in the near term. It's not that hard.
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Andy
2007 Ram Megacab 6.7 L diesel, 2015 Montana 3610RL
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