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Assume electric trailer brakes with electric Brake Controller used for your TV/TT combo.
Many different areas to check / adjust to ensure smooth braking operation. They are:
- Trailer bakes must be within mechanical specs. If haven't done in the last 12 months (which is standard mtce schedule), remove brake hubs and measure remaining brake pad thickness, magnet thickness and inner brake drum contact areas. All inner brake hub inner contents must be better then minimum specs. And, must all look the same as well. re: Don't want one hub dramatically scared and others with same smooth wearing surface. All hubs must be within same wear state - to ensure mechanical balance.
- Trailer brake pads must be adjusted the same as well. Using cold drums and flat screw driver, adjust the brake pad contact point. Then, back off 10 clicks. Lots of You-Tube videos on how to mechanically adjust the trailer brake pads. Again, all hubs must be adjusted the same or one hub endures more stress (usage) than the others. And, braking becomes unbalanced.
- The wiring from each wheel hub to the Tow Vehicle's hitch must be checked and ensure all is good. For every trailer I owned, I puposely remove the factory "weak design" linear wiring and UPGRADE with much better STAR wiring design. Before and after results are amazing. If planning to keep your TT for 3+ years, I'd replace with STAR wiring design (using thick 10 gauge 12V wiring). re:
- click here for poor "factory" linear design - - click here for much better STAR design - Note: IMO, factory minimum should be STAR design. That's how much better and "balanced" current flow it is (compared to low cost / linear minimum code factory design).
- Brake Controller needs to be inertia (motion sensor) based - like the Prodigy Px models. If you have a "timed" technology brake controller, definitely remove, trash it and replace with inertia type - like Prodigy brands. IMO, "timed" brake controllers should be illegal and pulled from all Tow Vehicles. IMO, Time technology is trash!
- Brake Controller must be set for each unique trailer. And, some BC's must be set for empty and loaded trailer load as well. For example, my empty utility trailer needs 3.5 setting. But my 3,000 lbs loaded utility trailer needs 5.5 setting. Loaded at 2,000 lbs needs an "in the middle" number. When pulling my boat, I use a 5.0 boost setting on my Brake Controller. Your Brake Controller and/or "average loaded" trailer will need its own unique adjusted number as well.
As a suggestion, start from the top list items (re: hub's inner mechanics) and work your way down the list. If one item is off (for example, one brake pad is improperly set or too worn out compared to others), then one's trailer brakes will always feel funny. Everything must be balanced.
And rememberโฆ. When setting brakes with "inertia" technology Brake Controllers, best to test doing 25+ mph. If testing at lower speeds (or if wheel hub is lifted on a jack), the BC's internal inertia triggers aren't very accurate (or won't work at all). Best to test braking "smoothness" feeling going 25+ mph down a smooth road. And, remember to test with "average" loaded trailer. Testing with empty trailer (before going on that long trip) doesn't create most accurate BC setting number for loaded trailer towing either.
Hope this helpsโฆ
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