Have a 36' 9500 loaded TT and a new 2017 F 350, CC, SWR truck.Just had the bearings repacked and brakes adjusted before start of season by local shop. When I picked it up I did not feel much from the TT brakes.I took it back and me and the tech turned the star wheel on the back of the drums until we felt some good friction than backed it off. The wheel would turn pretty freely and there was a slight amount of the noise from brakes hitting the drum. Did this on all 4 tires.Set the gain to 10, got up to 20 mph and applied full pressure to brake controller(integrated) and could feel the TT brakes but no where close to locking them up. After pulling about 200 miles it actually felt like more resistance on the TT brakes when pulling into the CG using the same test. Is this normal? Couldn't lock them up but felt that they gave a bigger jerk to the truck when fully applying the controller.My question is should a gain of 10 lock up a TT this heavy. I kept in on 10 for a 1700 mile round trip. No issues but then again I have an exhaust brake and pulled from VA to FLA so it was flat land. I just want to make sure I am getting stopping assistance from the TT as well as the truck in an emergency braking situation. tks

When using truck brakes and therefore trailer brakes get applied you are NOT sending FULL battery voltage to trailer brakes ----proportional braking based on how hard truck brakes are appliedIF you are going 20 mph and apply trailer brakes via MANUAL Lever FULL battery voltage WILL be applied to trailer brakes and you MAY or may not full lock up trailer brakes.S/B able on dirt/gravel....maybe on asphalt---maybe BUT should notice strong braking actionSetting on 10 is too high in my opinion----brakes are still too loose.Spin wheel and it should rotate 3/4 turn then stop when brakes are adjusted.

Old-Biscuit wrote:Setting on 10 is too high in my opinion----brakes are still too loose.Spin wheel and it should rotate 3/4 turn then stop when brakes are adjusted.Agreed. I set to 10 in hopes of dialing it back to 7 or so to keep them from locking up. I you-tubed adjusting brakes and one video said to turn the star wheel until you can't manually turn the wheel by hand and then back off the star wheel about 8 times. Does this sound right. I assume you are also suggesting that once brakes are adjusted properly they should only rotate 3/4 turn without applying brakes while tire/wheel are still in the air. I know for a fact we could turn ours and it would spin a few rotations or more. tks

When the system is 100% functional and in good repair you should be able to lock them up which is 100% braking force. On my current trailer I spent almost 2 years figuring out why I wasn't getting full braking from the trailer brakes. After cleaning adjusting, checking connections, voltage and amp draw as well as resistance checks everything was showing OK. As a last resort I changed out all my brake magnets and after 20 miles of burnishing them in the trailer finally was able to lock up the brakes manually. Obviously you don't set them so they lock up, but you want to be sure you are getting full brake application. I would say I was originally getting about 40%!!! And when I found this my trailer was 2 years old with about 1500 miles on it. It would stop but not as well as my previous smaller trailer. After I fixed it the heavier trailer stopped faster than my lighter one did. And it still brakes very well to this day.

Often the brakes need to run in a bit when first adjusted or have been in storage for a bit. This would drive me crazy with electric drum brakes. Put the gain up for a while then need to back off some. Yes should lock up when properly adjusted etc. but not all do. This all pushed me to go disk with all issues eliminated.

Should TT Brakes Lock Up | Good Sam Community

54 Replies

K_Charles
Explorer
Apr 24, 2017
Did they burnish the brakes?
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Apr 24, 2017
When the system is 100% functional and in good repair you should be able to lock them up which is 100% braking force.
On my current trailer I spent almost 2 years figuring out why I wasn't getting full braking from the trailer brakes. After cleaning adjusting, checking connections, voltage and amp draw as well as resistance checks everything was showing OK. As a last resort I changed out all my brake magnets and after 20 miles of burnishing them in the trailer finally was able to lock up the brakes manually. Obviously you don't set them so they lock up, but you want to be sure you are getting full brake application. I would say I was originally getting about 40%!!! And when I found this my trailer was 2 years old with about 1500 miles on it. It would stop but not as well as my previous smaller trailer. After I fixed it the heavier trailer stopped faster than my lighter one did. And it still brakes very well to this day.
Cecilt
Explorer
Apr 24, 2017
Old-Biscuit wrote:

Setting on 10 is too high in my opinion----brakes are still too loose.
Spin wheel and it should rotate 3/4 turn then stop when brakes are adjusted.

Agreed. I set to 10 in hopes of dialing it back to 7 or so to keep them from locking up. I you-tubed adjusting brakes and one video said to turn the star wheel until you can't manually turn the wheel by hand and then back off the star wheel about 8 times. Does this sound right. I assume you are also suggesting that once brakes are adjusted properly they should only rotate 3/4 turn without applying brakes while tire/wheel are still in the air. I know for a fact we could turn ours and it would spin a few rotations or more. tks
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Apr 24, 2017
When using truck brakes and therefore trailer brakes get applied you are NOT sending FULL battery voltage to trailer brakes ----proportional braking based on how hard truck brakes are applied

IF you are going 20 mph and apply trailer brakes via MANUAL Lever FULL battery voltage WILL be applied to trailer brakes and you MAY or may not full lock up trailer brakes.
S/B able on dirt/gravel....maybe on asphalt---maybe BUT should notice strong braking action

Setting on 10 is too high in my opinion----brakes are still too loose.
Spin wheel and it should rotate 3/4 turn then stop when brakes are adjusted.

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Should TT Brakes Lock Up

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