Amps/voltage to trailer brakes

ivbinconned wrote:
We have several fifth wheel trailers. Brakes work very well on all but the 12000 lb. Cedar Creek.
I have manually adjusted them. Cleaned them. There is current to each and there is breaking to each wheel.
But at the highest setting it feels far from adequate.
Is it a possibility that the trailer brake wire is to light a gauge to deliver the proper level of current?
Or is the weight of the trailer so much more than the other trailers it just feels poor.

On the other trailers the brakes will cause the tires to stand if pulled full. But the RV certainly will not.

Yes, it is possible the wiring is not of sufficient wire ga and a lot of braking power is being lost through the wire resistance.

12K lbs is certainly a lot of weight but it is do able with standard drum brakes.

I have a 10K lb GVWR open flatbed Utility trailer and I have had loads well above 10K lbs on that trailer and yet the stock drum brakes still have no issue with slowing the entire trailer and truck combo down.. Granted, my flatbed is much shorter at 18ft and the manufacturer used 12 ga wire on it.. Length and wire ga can make a difference.

Try a emergency breakaway test, pull the break away pin then pull forward. The trailer brakes should lock the wheels from turning.

If only minor braking effort is noticed, then checking the trailer wiring is your next item to check/replace.

If wheels do lock, the wiring is good enough for the breakaway but may be still a bit light for the brake controller.

Also do be aware, if you are using an integrated brake control, they are typically programmed to deliver less braking effort at low speeds. Some of the newer IBCs have multiple preset effort braking levels (low/med/high) which allows you to adjust the aggressiveness of the controller.

Have you pulled the wheels and inspected the brakes?

BB_TX wrote:
Have you pulled the wheels and inspected the brakes?

Good question.

I forget that a lot of folks "adjust" their brakes through the tiny hole on the backing plate :S

I never use that hole but a lot of people including mechanics do. I had a inspection mechanic back one of mine off doing that :M

Very easy to accidentally loosen the brakes doing it that way since most axle drum brakes are not self adjusting so there is no lever that stops you from turning the star wheel backwards..

Just curious how a person would adjust a manually adjustable drum brake unless they used the "tiny hole on the backing plate"?

I'm curious, and I know there will be an answer!

Jerry

In original post I mentioned I “clean” the brakes.
I think I know what I’m doing.
Packed hundreds of wheel bearings over the years and have installed many a brake set.

Our truck is an 16 Ram. Has the “integrated” controller.
And yes to “clean” them...they get inspected.

It is very likely that the wiring is too small. Here is information on testing the brakes.

Lynnmor wrote:
It is very likely that the wiring is too small. Here is information on testing the brakes.

I'm with you,especially from this RV manufacturer. Too small from the brakes to the trailer plug in.
But, owner should make sure he got the brakes he paid for, number of and size.

fj12ryder wrote:
Just curious how a person would adjust a manually adjustable drum brake unless they used the "tiny hole on the backing plate"?

Me too.

Put your DC clamp-on ammeter on the wire at each wheel while a buddy manually applies the brakes using the controller.
You should see about three amps at each wheel.