Braking Q?????

[Kstar]

Two years ago I spent a lot of money having my brake drums and faces turned. I replace the magnets on all four brake assemblies. The brake pads I had replaced the year before. After spending all this money my brakes don't function much different. One or more tires will lock up when coming to a stop, ect... Also, they don't seem to work as well as I would think they should. If I completely slam on my brakes with the controller maxed out the tires won't even lock up. I was wondering after all the money I spent on repairs wouldn't a person have been money ahead just replacing the whole brake drum? The drum assembly comes with a brand new brake assembly including magnets, brake pads, springs, ect...

[Janets Husband]

Originally Posted by Kstar

Two years ago I spent a lot of money having my brake drums and faces turned. I replace the magnets on all four brake assemblies. The brake pads I had replaced the year before. After spending all this money my brakes don't function much different. One or more tires will lock up when coming to a stop, ect... Also, they don't seem to work as well as I would think they should. If I completely slam on my brakes with the controller maxed out the tires won't even lock up. I was wondering after all the money I spent on repairs wouldn't a person have been money ahead just replacing the whole brake drum? The drum assembly comes with a brand new brake assembly including magnets, brake pads, springs, ect...

If everything was done properly, and all parts are still in good condition you probably only need to manually adjust the brakes. It is really tough to get all wheels set at the same shoe clearances. With this done all brakes will work.
Lock up the tires is probably due to adjustment.
As for replaceing the drums and backing plates, I feel you are always money ahead by doing a whole sale replacement if you are working with a trailer that is 20 years old or more. That is just my personal opinion, of course you want to weigh condition against age. I have seen it where the sum of the piece parts were more than buying the whole assembly.

[BigAl]

Kstar,
I am going through the same thought process. Same as Tarheel,
Mine is a '94 that I bought last spring. Assumed that everything was ok, since the previous owner only had it one year and bought it from a reputable AS dealer. When I took the wheels off to repack bearings and adjust brakes I also found one wheel with the brake adjuster broken and it had been rolling around in the drum.
Therefore that brake hadn't been doing any good.
Brake shoes still have some life in them but it is obvious that the brakes are original so next time around I am buying new brake assemblies(complete) and new hub\brake drums.
Much cheaper than individual parts and then I will be sure of what I have under the trailer.
check out low cost trailer supplies on line.
they have competitive prices.
Al

[Inland RV Center, In]

Kstar.

Old brake controllers somtimes no longer apply maximum voltage to the electric brakes.

12 volt electric brakes are designed to "lock up" if they are perfectly adjusted, at 8 volts on the magnets.

Adjusting electric brakes is rather simple, but most of the time, owners don't do it.

The adjuster should be tightened until you cannot pull the tire through with two fingers, not all five fingers. Then you back off the adjustment 3 to 4 notches. That adjustment procedure works very well, unless, there is another problem.

You can also measure the voltage at each brake magnet, by having someone hold the controller at maximum.

CAUTION] DO NOT MAKE THIS TEST BY PULLING THE BREAKAWAY SWITCH.

If the drum surface is true, then an old drum should work as well as a new one.

Most often, we find a problem with the controller, the connectors or the wiring, both within the tow vehicle as well as the trailer. Each electrical connection should be confirm, not assumed.

Andy