Brake Adjustment Interval

[denandannie]

I've adjusted car brakes. Which if mem'ry serves, was way back in 1965 with my first car--a 1950 Chevy. Now, here I am having to do it with the new Montana. There is about 2000 miles on the 5th wheel. Any advice on how often I should do a brake adjustment?

I've been putting this off as I do not have any level areas to do it. Its all uneven dirt. I was thinking of pulling the trailer up a ramp until the wheel is off the ground. Adjust the brake and repeat the process three more time.

[Trailer Trash 2]

the brakes are some what the same as your old car except for the magnets on trailers. adjusting is the same except that once you adjust the wheel untill the wheel cant move, you then back the adjuster off I believe one full turn, I'm sure that another member will give the correct amount of clicks or turns.

[Tom S.]

First, make sure the unit is on level ground. For extra safety you can hook up to the tow vehicle and set its parking brake. I use two 12 ton bottle jacks for this, one on each side of the wheels on one side of the trailer. Raise it just enough to take some tension off the springs, then put a small 1.5 or 2 ton jack under an axle and raise it until the wheel is off the ground. Remove the plug in the backing plate of the brakes. A brake spoon works best, but a screw driver can also be used to turn the star wheel adjuster inside. I tighten them until I can't turn the wheel, then back them off until the wheel is just loose enough to turn by hand. There may still be some drag because the drums and shoes aren't perfectly matched, but I ignore this. What little bit of drag there is will quickly wear off. Lower the small jack and move on to the next axle.

[1retired06]

To your question on how often to adjust, a variable of how you drive and how much milage you drive. I have never felt the need to adjust the brakes in 12 years of pulling montanas, including 5 years of fulltiming. I do carefully inspect when repacking the wheel bearings and am gentle on the brake pedal. My recommendation: if the brakes are working to your satisfaction, then adjustment not necessary.

[camper4]

Personally, I adjust mine around each 10 thousand miles.

[helmick]

What year is your Montana, a lot of the newer once have self adjusting.

[southern thunder]

Mine is a 2012. How can you tell if is self adjusting?

[camper4]

The ratchet adjustment wheel is there only for manual adjust brakes. Self adjusters are smooth. No place to get a grip with the screw driver or adjustment tool.

[pineranch]

quote:Originally posted by camper4

The ratchet adjustment wheel is there only for manual adjust brakes. Self adjusters are smooth. No place to get a grip with the screw driver or adjustment tool.

My self adjusting brakes have the manual adjustment wheel. Just put brakes on my rear axles. Take a look at the picture and note the wheel.
http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brak...er/23-465.html
Mike

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by camper4

The ratchet adjustment wheel is there only for manual adjust brakes. Self adjusters are smooth. No place to get a grip with the screw driver or adjustment tool.

Sorry, but you are mistaken. Auto drum brakes were self adjusting for years, but still has star wheels. the adjusting mechanism itself worked by using this wheel.

If you follow this link, you will find a picture of the system that you can zoom in on. Doing so, you will see the star wheel is still present. http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brak...er/23-458.html

As for the self adjusting brakes in general, they may still need to be adjusted. Auto self adjusters worked when the brakes are applied as the car was moving backwards. The ratio in a auto moving forward vs. backward compared to a trailer doing the same might be much more frequent in an auto than a trailer, especially for those of us who seek out pull through camping spots.

[TLightning]

To answer the OP's question, annually...it's an easy job.

[camper4]

Thanks for the correction on the star wheel. I thought I knew what I was talking about, but then I was thinking again.

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by camper4

Thanks for the correction on the star wheel. I thought I knew what I was talking about, but then I was thinking again.

Ha ha - happens to all of us. And I find the older I get, the more it happens!

[8.1al]

According to Dexter their auto adjusters work going forward. Must know a lot of us don't like going backwards