In the real world...Questions about adjusting your brakes on towables (trailers and 5th wheels) How often do you do it? Do you adjust your brakes and call it good, or do you pull your hubs to check for grease and re-pack bearings and break out volt meter to check voltage? (Just trying to see what other peoples routine is. I usually don't do anything until I feel some lose of stopping power or a wheel shows more temp heat than others.) What's your routine?

About every 7 years or so I take a peek at the bearing and brakes.If the bearings look good I throw the tire back on and call it good. I get about 7 to 10 years out of a set of magnets. I think I've only changed the shoes once and that was like 15 years ago.So to answer your question, about every 7 years.

If the trailer never sits and never goes in the water, bearings should go 25 or 30 thousand miles. If you let it set for 3 or 4 months the bearings might not last 2 years. I adj the brakes when they don't work like I want, maybe every 4 or 5 years, but never replaced a set on a TT. At work we changed the electric brake shoes on the trailers about every 30,000 miles, some salesmen were hard on equipment.

FYI, on my used trailer.. dealer said brakes worked.well I pulled all 4 drums..( 12 inch drums ) 3 of the 4 brakes had NO linings.. so only 1 brake worked. and these magnet operated brakes do not go metal to metal .... they just no longer make contact with the drums..dealer did replace all 4 brake sets. Free. backings and all.I would guess every 3 years or 15,000 miles. also do bearing service then.my opinion.

K Charles wrote:If the trailer never sits and never goes in the water, bearings should go 25 or 30 thousand miles. If you let it set for 3 or 4 months the bearings might not last 2 years. I adj the brakes when they don't work like I want, maybe every 4 or 5 years, but never replaced a set on a TT. At work we changed the electric brake shoes on the trailers about every 30,000 miles, some salesmen were hard on equipment.I'm curious, why would bearings go bad quickly if a trailer sits for 2-3 months? Never heard of that before.

At beginning of camping season I do an adjustment on brakes, check wiring connections and take volt readingsRepack bearings every 5 yrs unless I get strange readings using my infrared thermometer.

Brake adjustment questions in the real world | Good Sam Community

Lynnmor
Explorer
Aug 17, 2016
In 11,000 miles my Chinese bearings were failing. Magnets and brakes are dependent on how and where you drive. Many don't setup the brake controller correctly and brake life and adjustments can vary greatly.

Adjust your brakes every few thousand miles till you get an idea what works for you.

I pull my hubs every year and completely service them.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Aug 17, 2016
At beginning of camping season I do an adjustment on brakes, check wiring connections and take volt readings

Repack bearings every 5 yrs unless I get strange readings using my infrared thermometer.
Boon_Docker
Explorer III
Aug 17, 2016
K Charles wrote:
If the trailer never sits and never goes in the water, bearings should go 25 or 30 thousand miles. If you let it set for 3 or 4 months the bearings might not last 2 years. I adj the brakes when they don't work like I want, maybe every 4 or 5 years, but never replaced a set on a TT. At work we changed the electric brake shoes on the trailers about every 30,000 miles, some salesmen were hard on equipment.

I'm curious, why would bearings go bad quickly if a trailer sits for 2-3 months? Never heard of that before.
Chuck_thehammer
Explorer
Aug 17, 2016
FYI, on my used trailer.. dealer said brakes worked.

well I pulled all 4 drums..( 12 inch drums ) 3 of the 4 brakes had NO linings.. so only 1 brake worked. and these magnet operated brakes do not go metal to metal .... they just no longer make contact with the drums..

dealer did replace all 4 brake sets. Free. backings and all.

I would guess every 3 years or 15,000 miles. also do bearing service then.

my opinion.
K_Charles
Explorer
Aug 17, 2016
If the trailer never sits and never goes in the water, bearings should go 25 or 30 thousand miles. If you let it set for 3 or 4 months the bearings might not last 2 years. I adj the brakes when they don't work like I want, maybe every 4 or 5 years, but never replaced a set on a TT. At work we changed the electric brake shoes on the trailers about every 30,000 miles, some salesmen were hard on equipment.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Aug 17, 2016
About every 7 years or so I take a peek at the bearing and brakes.

If the bearings look good I throw the tire back on and call it good. I get about 7 to 10 years out of a set of magnets. I think I've only changed the shoes once and that was like 15 years ago.

So to answer your question, about every 7 years.

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