Trailer brakes

Get out your DC clamp-on ammeter and check that you are getting 3 amps at each wheel while your buddy manually applies the controller.

Still if braking seems fine all is probably normal.

Otherwise the ultimate solution is disk brakes.

DutchmenSport wrote:
I had 3 different travel trailers and none of them would actually "lock up" the brakes. I had 3 different tow vehicles, 3 different brake controllers, and none of them would lock up the trailer. I just kept the setting as high as I could.

Even my last TT, my Outback with the integrated brake controller on my current truck, would not lock up. But it braked just fine, even in a panic stop.

Then I got my current 5er last October and I had my brake controller (integrated) set for the Outback I just traded. I hit the brake peddle the firs time and almost got slung through the windshield, had it not been for the seat belt. I tried the manual brake on the trailer and sure enough, the brakes locked up tight. I had to reduce the gain on the brake controller from 10 to about 3.5 in order to keep from slamming my nose into the steering wheel.

It was then, I realized it was just the nature of the travel trailers with combinations of 3 different trailers, 3 different trucks, and 3 different brake controllers, and they all acted the same, until I got the 5er.

my outback 295RE, same as dutchman also would no lock up the brakes regardless of controller setting. Neither would my 14ft cargo trailer. On the outback I replaced the trailer brake wiring with 12ga wiring star formation so each brake wire only needed to supply the current for that brake. the wiring normally daisy chains to all the brakes, and is normally 14 or 16 ga wiring. In a longer trailer the resistance is high enough compared to the electric brake magnet resistance that the brakes become current limited and often won't see the max current they are designed for and hence no ability to get enough brake force to lock the wheels.

Once I completed the job on the outback a setting of 6 or 7 on the integrated controller will lock the brakes. normally I have it set for 5.

Also, you do not want to set an integrated controller high enough to allow the trailer brakes to lock.

Now once you have a trailer with 5,000lb or up axles you also often go from a 10" to 12" brake drum and do get better braking even with the undersized wires.

The brakes on my 5er won't lock up using my 18 Ram OEM brake controller. They wouldn't lock up with my 12 Ram OEm TBC either. They would lock up when I swapped out the 12 Ram TBC for a Tekonsha P3. Very easy to lock up with it. Had a previous Tt that the brakes would lock up using my 2010 F150 OEM TBC. Towing that same TT with my 12 Ram the brakes would not lock up.
It could be the brake controller on you truck. Both the TT and my current 5er have the brakes adjusted properly.

Lynnmor wrote:
It may be the undersized wires commonly used on trailers to save a dime.

Yep, and those wires get smaller every model year, it seems. One of my RV projects for spring is rewiring the brakes on my Coachmen with #10 and getting rid of the Scotchlok connectors.

donn0128 wrote:
How do you adjust the brakes? Even if you have the so called self adjusting brakes, whixh by the way only self adjust when backing you need to start with properly adjusted brakes.

Dexter Never Adjust Brakes adjust only when going forward.

How do you adjust the brakes? Even if you have the so called self adjusting brakes, whixh by the way only self adjust when backing you need to start with properly adjusted brakes.

check all of your wire connections, I struggle with mine for two years and found a loose connection after replacing all four brake assemblies, they lock up now with the brake (P2) controller set on 8,
Good Luck

It may be the undersized wires commonly used on trailers to save a dime.

I can not lock up the brakes on My current TT (which is the smallest
and lightest TT I have owned) either, when I use the manual slider.

I could lock up on all my other TTs. However this TT is the first one I have
had with "self-adjusting" brakes - not sure if this play a factor.

However - on the road I have plenty of stopping power, so never gave it a 2nd thought.

Per Dexter, Alko or Lippert who make the brakes they state in the owners manual that the brakes will not lock up on every trailer. Likely has to do with the size of the brakes and weight of the trailer, wire gauge to the brakes and probably some other things like adjustments. If you can feel the trailer brakes working when you pull the manual release and have good braking you are likely fine.

Rob