Ya know, I wish I would have used the camera feature of the imager so y'all could see what I saw. I literally put the "cross hair" on the perimeter of the drum as that was the hotest part showing. I have aluminum "mag" wheels and the spokes have space enough through them so that the drums are very well exposed. 160 degrees didn't seem all that "hot" to me at all especially considering when the one brake failed to work. With no heat to mention it still was 85 or so degrees. I have to believe that with brakes applied, that the drums would warm up more than 15 to 25 degrees.
As far as annual inspections, I check my brakes regularly and adjust as needed. However, even with an annual or regular "checkup". My brake failed while I was traveling and again I ask, how would I have known. How can you know short of jacking up the trailer or each wheel while on the trip and pulling the brake away switch and checking each wheel? I mean really, all due respect, who is gonna do that while traveling? Or even find the gravel road, which is a good idea but it may be a little out of the way. Just trying to be practicle while in travel, short of some sort of temperature reading device, how can one know they have a failing brake?
I can say this, minus the thermal imager I used from work. I would have continued business as usual thinking everything was fine. I would have come home, emptied the TT cleaned it up and got it ready for the next trip whenever that may be. The next trip I would have loaded it up checked the brakes for adjustment as needed hooked up and pulled away, gave the brake controller a manual slide and felt the response from the trailer and been on my way thinking all four wheel were braking fine.
I wonder how many are on the road right now without a clue that they may have a bad magnet or even two for that matter thinking everything is fine because they feel the trailer tug on the rear of their TV when engaging the brakes? I can promise you, I could'a and probably would'a been that guy!
