Are trailer brakes working?

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robdrew7

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Back in September I pulled my 7,200 pound TT on West I-80 down from Donner Pass to Auburn, CA.  It's about 40 miles of constant downgrade, with some 5% and 6% sections.  I stopped halfway to cool the brakes on the TT and my F-150, and thought to play with a newly acquired infrared thermometer by measuring the brakes.  Those on the Ford varied from 180 degrees to 220.  Trying to measure the hubs on the TT wheels I consistently measured 90 degrees.

I confess I wasn't sure where to point on the TT wheels, and tried several spots - same result.  Is there a chance the TT brakes aren't being engaged, and the Ford was doing all the braking?

Thanks,

Rob
 
Your brake controller should be able to "dial in" more (or less) trailer brake bias.  As you turn it up, you can begin to feel the trailer pull the truck backward as you apply the brakes.  As you turn it down, you can feel the trailer push the truck.  It sounds to me like you have very little trailer brake bias....can you feel the trailer brakes engage?

Where you set it is personal preference to some degree, but I prefer it where the two vehicle brake as one to the extent possible. Each vehicle should do its requisite share of the braking load. I can feel a very slight amount of pullback from my trailer, which is where I like it.
 
Oh....almost forgot...on a pass that steep, I would recommend gearing down and using the brakes sparingly.  As an example, coming from Cloudcroft to Alamogordo NM, I drop from 9000' to 4000' in 16 miles....about 6% grade.  My trailer grosses at 7700 lbs, and I pull with a 1989 F250.  If I gear down at the top and keep speed at or slightly below speed limit (45 mph), I only nurse the brake pedal 3 or 4 or times on the whole descent.  Brakes never even get very warm. 

I'd rather descend the hill in the right lane at a slower speed than heat my brakes up.  Each situation is different, of course. 
 
some tandem trailers only have brakes on one axle. if you look underneath you will see the wires for the electric brakes going to either one or both axles. the one (or two) sets of hubs with the wires going to them are the brake hubs.
 
It does sound like you have figured out the problem.  Having the trailer brakes that much cooler than the truck would suggest no braking as opposed to reduced braking.  My trailer brakes run a little hotter than that when I test after just pulling into a rest area.  Simple tests for the brakes are to have somebody in the truck engage them while you stand by the trailer wheels.  You should be able to hear them "clank" on, or if your controller has a manual lever for appplying the brakes you could do that while moving and see if you feel the trailer pulling the truck (that engages the trailer brakes without the truck brakes).  Doing this on gravel helps you as they should drag in the gravel.  Or, you could check current to the brakes in the wires going to the brakes, both with the truck brakes on and then off.  Or, not quite as easy but certainly doable and a positive result, would be to jack up one side of the trailer at a time, spin the wheels and then engage the truck brakes and see how well they hold the wheel when you try to move it. 

Good luck.  Hope you can find it quickly.  Brakes are sure good to have, especially on the grades you describe.
 
quick trick to raising one wheel on a tandem trailer is put a block of wood and create a ramp in front or behind of adjacent tire and drive up onto it. it will raise the other wheel without need of a jack. have done this to change a tire in a pinch.
 
I always test the trailer brakes with the manual control lever on the controller.  Tests when starting out, at every rest stop, etc.  If trailer brakes won't stop motion from about 5mph, I know I have a problem.
 
Thank you all very much!  Especially for the suggestions on how to test the brakes standing still and when underway.  I learn something useful and clever every time I come to the forum.
 
I'm a little late on this topic but something that nobody has mentioned so far is your actual trailer brake adjustment (unless I missed it).

Keep in mind that electric drum trailer brakes only use "one" brake shoe for each direction of travel unlike an auto or pickup with drum brakes. Proper adjustment of each brake is extremely important for proper operation. Your brake controller itself cannot do its job if the brakes are out of adjustment on the trailer.

I've found through experience that trailer brakes benefit from "frequent" adjustment, depending upon use it can be as little as 5,000 miles between adjustments. The process is simple and easily accomplished by the owner with a simple drum brake adjustment tool available at any auto parts store and a bottle jack.  I personally would ensure that my brakes are adjusted properly before readjusting the controller. Granted the controller is quite possibly not adjusted properly but without the brakes set correctly no amount of fiddling with the controller is going to cure the problem.
 
Testing the trailer brakes with the controller is good. I always test the brakes just after starting out. However, the speed to test depends on the controller. My 2005 Ford F350 built-in controller does not apply trailer brakes at less than about 10 mph.

One other thing...to prevent heart attacks, let your passenger(s) know when you are going to do the test.  ;) ;D
 
BruceinFL said:
Testing the trailer brakes with the controller is good. I always test the brakes just after starting out. However, the speed to test depends on the controller. My 2005 Ford F350 built-in controller does not apply trailer brakes at less than about 10 mph.

One other thing...to prevent heart attacks, let your passenger(s) know when you are going to do the test.  ;) ;D

That's a nice feature on the Ford....keeps you from dragging the trailer through campgrounds with gravel drives.  Warning passengers also prevents spilled beverages too.  ;D
 

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