Question on brake adjustment

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Respected RV guy we have known for a long tome said tighten the star wheel until it stops then back off 3 clicks. That's it!

Adjust till it won't spin, back off until it rotates 3/4 to 1 turn under a moderate spin. IT will make a distinct scrapping sound when properly adjusted. Usually this is 3 or 4 clicks out from "no spin".

This is different(tighter) than normal hydraulic drum brakes because electric trailer brakes use magnet pull plus inertia to expand the brake shoes.

To loose makes your brakes slow to engage and brake controller needs extra boost to help make up for the extra shoe travel.

Respected RV guy we have known for a long tome said tighten the star wheel until it stops then back off 3 clicks. That's it!

riggsp wrote:
I was taught to adjust drum brakes until the wheel won't spin (this centers both shoes in the drum)then back off a few clicks until it just slightly drags...back off all of them the same number of clicks...never had any problems doing it that way.

This is the way I have done many different trailers, not just my RVs, and has always worked well for me.

Jerry

I was taught to adjust drum brakes until the wheel won't spin (this centers both shoes in the drum)then back off a few clicks until it just slightly drags...back off all of them the same number of clicks...never had any problems doing it that way.

Too tight of brakes will be detectable as excess heat in the hubs. I've had a trailer brake drag before and the hub kept getting hot. I thought it was the bearings so I kept messing with them. Eventually, I found out that the heat was transferred.

All my life I have been taught to adjust till wheel won't spin and back off 5 clicks

I don't know how hard you are spinning the wheel but it would seem to be toward the tight end of normal.

X2 Just installed Dexter Nev-R-Adjust brakes. Same for them the first time out. You adjust until you feel the drag and you're good to go. Auto adjust takes over from there.

I looked it up about 3 or 4 months ago dexter said you tighten until you hear the the brake start to drag when you turn it. I did it and mine doesn't have any that lock up. So I guess they were right.