Hey Ryan,
From what I can see in your picture it looks like you either have an electric drum brake assembly so you should have a standard hub/drum setup. If the hub is moving in and out on the spindle then the bearings either are the wrong size or just aren't seating onto the spindle correctly. You should not be able to pull or push the hub back and forth on the spindle. When putting the hub on you'll need to use a wrench to tighten down the spindle nut to seat the bearings and then you'll... view full answer...
Hey Steven,
If just one side our your Hydraulic Trailer Brake Kit - Left and Right Hand Assemblies # AKUBRK-7 is sticking then the brake shoes were likely over adjusted and you'll just need to back the adjuster sprocket off to loosen the tension. You should hear a little bit of drag when spinning the wheel and it should stop spinning after roughly 1-2 rotations. You can use a brake spoon # W80630 to make turning the sprocket easier.
If the assembly wasn't overtightened then it would... view full answer...
Hey Tony,
The brake magnet # AKBRKR-M12 is placed on a metal arm with a spring on the back side of the magnet to push the magnet up away from anything and a clip to prevent it from popping off the arm. When the brake is energized by the brake controller the magnet will stick to the drum. As the drum spins it will pull on the magnet arm which pushes the brake shoes out to contact the drum and slow the trailer down.
I've attached a short video where I replace a brake magnet that will... view full answer...
My guess would be that your trailer is sitting a little nose down which is putting excessive wear on the front axle instead of the rear. If you look at the trailer when hooked up does the suspension equalizer sit level or is it angled? If it's not level this would show it's not sitting level. I attached a help article on picking out ball mounts as well. view full answer...
Hello Eric, thanks for reaching out. Are the brakes on your trailer new by chance? New brakes need to be properly bedded, and if the bedding process is not done you will get weak braking pressure like you are describing. Also if the brakes are very old and worn, the same thing could happen.
To bed your brakes what you do is drive the trailer out into an open area, like an empty parking lot. Get up to around 40 MPH and apply the manual override on your brake controller. Make sure the brake... view full answer...
Hello Eric, thanks for reaching out. Are the brakes on your trailer new by chance? New brakes need to be properly bedded, and if the bedding process is not done you will get weak braking pressure like you are describing. Also if the brakes are very old and worn, the same thing could happen.
To bed your brakes what you do is drive the trailer out into an open area, like an empty parking lot. Get up to around 40 MPH and apply the manual override on your brake controller. Make sure the brake... view full answer...
Thanks for your continued support, Ryan!
While it's normal to be able to hear electric brake drums, like your Dexter Nev-R-Adjust Electric Trailer Brake Assembly # 23-464, humming when power is being applied to them, I recommend trying to physically move your trailer tires before investigating every inch of your wiring and magnets (which would be the next step).
Sometimes the magnets can be a little quiet so what I recommend doing is lifting your trailer up by the frame enough for the... view full answer...
Hey Maurice,
The first thing I want to confirm is that you have disc brakes and not drum brakes? The Dexter DX Series Electric Over Hydraulic Brake Actuator # K71-651 is designed for disc brakes and would send out 1,600psi instead of just 1,000psi that drum brakes would need. If you have drum brakes then you would need the # K71-650 instead.
The Tekonsha P3 only sends out voltage to the actuator so it's likely not the issue as long as you have the settings correct for electric-over-hydraulic... view full answer...
Hey David, there's a pretty good chance you could but it really comes down to by how much lower the drop axle is to determine if you have fender clearance. Generally you want to have at least 3 inches of fender clearance. So you'd need that as a minimum unless you'd be willing to raise the fenders up.
To pick out an axle you'd need to know the capacity you need, distance between spring centers, and then distance from hub face to hub face. view full answer...
Hey Bill thanks for your question. Like you said there are several things that can cause an intermittent trailer disconnected message. The most common cause is a rusty or corroded trailer connector. Go ahead and inspect the trailers 7-way plug. If there is noticeable rust or corrosion it will need to be replaced with something like the 7-Way Round RV Style Trailer Connector # A7WCB. I suggest using a bit of Dielectric Grease # 11755 on the trailer plug and the vehicles 7-way.
It is ok... view full answer...
Hi Bill,
You can get a 6 foot (72 inch) long axle, though not one rated for 3,500 lbs; the max capacity for that length is the 2,200 lb Dexter Trailer Idler Axle w/ Hubs # 20545I-EZ-72-10. The shortest 3,500 lb axle is the 89 inch Trailer Axle With Idler Hubs # e65GR.
There is a different option which doesn't require any specific length which I also wanted to mention, which is the Timbren Axle-Less Suspension # ASR3500S05. These are a standard height but there is also one with a 4" drop... view full answer...
Hey Steven, is there something going on with the brake assemblies? Did you possibly blow a grease seal and now the hubs are covered in grease which prevents the brakes from functioning? I would also check to make sure the grounds on the assemblies and main ground harness of the trailer is in good shape. view full answer...
Thanks for reaching out, Cody!
Standard 15" wheels have a max of a 6 bolt pattern which is why you're having such a problem finding something that will work for you.
None of our 15" wheels have more than 6 bolts so your options are to continue searching for the elusive wheel, go with 16 wheels/tires, or to try switching your hub to a more standard one with a 6 bolt pattern. If you choose to go with either of the latter options please let me know and I'll be happy to help you look into... view full answer...
Interesting situation you've got, Steve. Typically weak bakes are a sign that the brakes need to be adjusted, but since you've already done that, It makes me think that maybe the brake controller is not putting out enough voltage.
To check, you'll need to turn the gain all the way up then test the brake output pin on the vehicle side connector using a multimeter # PT89ZR while someone applies the manual override on full.
You should be getting 12v, but if you're not then there is an issue... view full answer...
Hey Gary,
I would start by inspecting the wiring for any shorts or loose connections. From there I would check the brake assemblies to see if they are just over-adjusted. Is it hard to spin the hub with the wheel off? How does the tread pattern look on the wheels? view full answer...
Hello Robert, thanks for reaching out. When you put these new brakes on, did you complete the break-in process? The break-in or "bedding" process is necessary for new brakes because it allows the brake shoes to seat correctly in the drum. If you get new brakes and do not break them in, you will see little to no braking power no matter what you do. Based on what you are telling me, it sounds like this is what is going on. Here are the steps for completing the brake-in process:
-Drive the... view full answer...
Ray, you should be fine to get your trailer to a shop as long as you take it easy on the way there. There are a couple of things you can do before that though if you want to try and fix it yourself.
The first thing I'd do is pop off the wheels/hubs and inspect the all of the internal components (shoes/springs/adjuster wheel). If all that looks good, then I'd move to the bearings and make sure that they are all properly lubricated. If they are not properly lubricated, that could cause... view full answer...
Hey Mark,
What gauge wire did you use to run from the junction box to the brake assemblies? If you didn't use at least 10AWG wire # 10-1-1 that could explain the heat build up and voltage drop. I don't recommend leaving the manual override clamped for long periods of time. I recommend reconnecting your brake assemblies, activating the manual override, and then then testing both wires coming from the brake magnets to see if there's voltage on both wires. Only one should have voltage and... view full answer...