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Old 07-31-2009, 03:08 AM   #1
winter texan
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Trailer Brakes

Lost my trailer brakes while traveling back from Nashville. Have checked the controller and it's putting out voltage as it should. Can adjust controller 0 to 10 and has no impact on brakes. Is there a fuse or breaker on the trailer that could be blown? I had unit serviced last year on the way to Fall Rally and brake shoes were good. Have driven appx. 5000 miles since then. Unit is a 2007 Mountaineer 5W. I'm thinking electrical but before I start trouble shooting, I wanted to see if someone has a suggestion for a obivous place that I should start. All connections in the junction box seem to be intact.
 
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Old 07-31-2009, 04:27 AM   #2
WorkerB
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Winter Texan,
What brand and model of brake controller do you have?
What year and model of TV?
I had a problem where I had no trailer brakes when I used the foot brake BUT when I used the manual trigger on the Prodigy controller the brakes worked. There was a 10A fuse blown on my 2004 Chevy Duramax. The fuse was designated VEH CHMSL. This 10A fuse is responsible for protecting the third brake light at the top center of the cab. It also protects the light blue trailer brake wire going to the 7 pin trailer outlet at the rear bumper. I discovered that something in the electronics in the Prodigy was latched up. I kept blowing fuses. By unplugging the Prodigy I removed the 12V from the red wire feeding the Prodigy. This allowed the electronics to relax and everything started working as advertised.
A simple test might be to jack up a tire and spin it. Actuate the brakes. Poorly adjusted brakes can feel like no brakes. If its not an electrical problem you will hear the magnets and shoes trying to work. Hope this helps. Let us know what you find. Good Luck,
John
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Old 07-31-2009, 04:40 AM   #3
capn chris
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Following workerb's test idea, If it's adjusted properly and still no luck, could be grease on the break shoes. Don't ask how I know?!!
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Old 07-31-2009, 07:06 AM   #4
winter texan
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Thanks WorkerB and Capn Chris. Just took a test light and checked in the trailer junction box and I have power. As I increase the controller the light will go from dim to very bright @ 10. All functions are getting there and everything is working on the trailer except the brakes. Controller is a Drawtite Activator II and TV is 2005 2500 Dodge.
Guess my next step is to jack it up and spin some wheels as you suggested. But from the 2008 Fall Rally, Capn Chris knows that on a hot humid day, I would rather be sitting outside the trailer with a cold one versus laying under it.
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Old 07-31-2009, 07:18 AM   #5
WorkerB
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Do you also get the bright light when your assistant presses the brake pedal?
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Old 07-31-2009, 08:15 AM   #6
bigmurf
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Pull out the breakaway cable and see if they lock up. This would tell you if the trailer brakes are working.
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Old 07-31-2009, 09:37 AM   #7
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I have a friend who owns SOB. He recently found his brakes were not operating properly on the trailer and found the wire nuts to the brake wires were broken, leaving the brake circuits to those wheels dead. Something you might want to check on when you stop. If you travel on gravel roads or where gravel is used as a temporary road repair, those stones can reek havock on those wires and their wire nuts.

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Old 07-31-2009, 09:50 AM   #8
winter texan
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by WorkerB

Do you also get the bright light when your assistant presses the brake pedal?
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Old 07-31-2009, 09:56 AM   #9
winter texan
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[quote]Originally posted by WorkerB

Do you also get the bright light when your assistant presses the brake pedal?
[
/quote]

The voltage increases when the controller setting is increased either with the brake pedal or manual slide. All wiring that I can see is intact. I've been under the trailer and looked @ the back of the hubs. Will probably be next week but I'll want to check brake adjustment. The idea to pull the emergency cable is another idea.
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Old 07-31-2009, 10:31 AM   #10
WorkerB
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Sounds like you are narrowing it down. Work safe and let us know what you found.
John
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Old 07-31-2009, 11:21 AM   #11
KTManiac
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You can use a small hand held compass to check each wheel for brake magnet operation when brakes are activated to see if they are getting power to them that far down the line. Quick and easy, without having to jack up the wheels. It can help narrow down the possibilities quickly.

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Old 07-31-2009, 01:41 PM   #12
lfw
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by KTManiac


You can use a small hand held compass to check each wheel for brake magnet operation when brakes are activated to see if they are getting power to them that far down the line. Quick and easy, without having to jack up the wheels. It can help narrow down the possibilities quickly.

That is a good idea.. I will give it a try and make sure all 4 brakes are working on my Monty...
This is a very good forum.. I learn something every time I log on to the best forum on the WWW... as some else as said..
lfw
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Old 07-31-2009, 05:17 PM   #13
sreigle
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Bigmurf's suggestion of pulling the emergency brake cable out to lock the trailer wheels will tell you if the brakes are working. If they're not locked up, they're not working. Either have someone drive the rig slowly while you pull the cable loose. Or jack up one or more wheels, then pull the cable out. If any wheel will turn, that brake is not working.

Actually, I like the compass idea, too. I never heard or thought of that one.
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Old 08-02-2009, 05:03 AM   #14
winter texan
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Thanks for all of the suggestions. Being curious, I'll try KT's compass approach later today. It's about time to repack the bearings, so maybe the end of this week, I'll get to that and will totally inspect the brake system then. Don't have another trip planned for about 3 weeks and then to the Fall Rally in Goshen in Sep.
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Old 08-11-2009, 07:35 AM   #15
winter texan
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Resolved the problem. Capn Chris was right. Brakes on right side of trailer had grease on them, plus shoes were more than half worn. Had my bearing repacked last Sep and I've got to dig up the bill which I believed included new seals. Funny thing was that we removed the hubs, 3 seals were the same and one was different. Wonder how that happened?
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