Trailer Brakes - How hot is TOO hot?
Hi everyone, I have a new rig (see sig). It weighs 12,130 lbs unloaded and we may have 400lbs loaded in it so we're not close to overloaded. I've been worried because I have the gain set to 10 (...
Forum Discussion
Something is wrong with your brakes and needs to be checked out. Brakes should be warm, if working properly and having just been used, but not hot. Your axles provide plenty of braking action for your trailer.
Perhaps one axle isn't working at all causing the other axle to do all of the braking. Of my triple axles, I found one axle had a bad electrical connection and has never worked since new (it works now).
Maybe the brake controller in your truck is malfunctioning and sending some juice to your brakes that causes them to engage when you aren't braking. Have you tried the different settings on your controller?
Have you jacked up your trailer and tried turning the wheels? If the brakes are dragging you'll feel it. While it's jacked up, pull your trailer's break-away switch and give your wheels a spin - they should rotate slightly and then lock up. Reinstall the switch and your wheels should spin freely.
You could also have a bearings that are too tight causing the heat buildup, which will ruin the bearings. Again, spinning your tires while up on jacks would reveal this problem.
Bottom line is you shouldn't have hot wheels, which is a sign that something is very wrong.
Perhaps one axle isn't working at all causing the other axle to do all of the braking. Of my triple axles, I found one axle had a bad electrical connection and has never worked since new (it works now).
Maybe the brake controller in your truck is malfunctioning and sending some juice to your brakes that causes them to engage when you aren't braking. Have you tried the different settings on your controller?
Have you jacked up your trailer and tried turning the wheels? If the brakes are dragging you'll feel it. While it's jacked up, pull your trailer's break-away switch and give your wheels a spin - they should rotate slightly and then lock up. Reinstall the switch and your wheels should spin freely.
You could also have a bearings that are too tight causing the heat buildup, which will ruin the bearings. Again, spinning your tires while up on jacks would reveal this problem.
Bottom line is you shouldn't have hot wheels, which is a sign that something is very wrong.
