Troubleshooting trailer ground (weak brakes)

[RobertN]

They used wire nuts on it, like for house wiring?

 

[joshuabardwell]

They used wire nuts on it, like for house wiring?

There are two larger wires that run down the length of the trailer, carrying hot and ground. A jumper wire runs, via a clamp-down style splice, from the main wires to the brake leads. The jumper wires are connected to the brake leads with a wire nut that has been crimped down.

On one of the brakes, one of the wire nuts had come off. I didn't have any nuts handy, but I did have some left-over heat-shrink tubing from a previous project, so I split, straightened, and re-twisted the connections for that brake, then applied the heat-shrink. I didn't bother doing the other brakes because the nuts were still intact, and I figured if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I have a tendency to go hog-wild making every little thing "perfect," and I waste a lot of time and drive myself crazy if I succumb to it.

 

[RobertN]

Any pictures?

Attention to detail can be the difference between working vs not working brakes, especially after a few years of use.

A jumper wire runs, via a clamp-down style splice, from the main wires to the brake leads. The jumper wires are connected to the brake leads with a wire nut that has been crimped down.

I have a tendency to go hog-wild making every little thing "perfect," and I waste a lot of time and drive myself crazy if I succumb to it.

 

[jeffsw6]

There are two larger wires that run down the length of the trailer, carrying hot and ground. A jumper wire runs, via a clamp-down style splice, from the main wires to the brake leads. The jumper wires are connected to the brake leads with a wire nut that has been crimped down.

You'll end up replacing all of those eventually. They are called skotchlok connectors and you will never read anything good about them. Plan on re-wiring your whole trailer when you have free time to do it.

I have a new trailer that I've pulled maybe 400mi and already I have a weak right turn light, one of my trucks doesn't even supply enough voltage for you to be able to see it in the daytime (old truck old skotckloks on it too!) and the other one, the right turn light is way dimmer than all the other lights. I have no doubt it is a crappy skotchlok splice and I should probably be out repairing it right now, but I am waiting for cooler weather. I am going to replace all of them this winter if they last that long.

 

[joshuabardwell]

You'll end up replacing all of those eventually. They are called skotchlok connectors and you will never read anything good about them. Plan on re-wiring your whole trailer when you have free time to do it.

Well, it's always nice to know the next time I'm bored, I can come up with something to do. At least it's a job I have the skills for (wiring). What's the best way to do those splices? I can pull out a soldering iron if I need to.

 

[jeffsw6]

Solder + heat-shrink should last a long time, or until you run over a big chunk of re-tread.

I am thinking of using heavy rubberized junction boxes and SOOW or TRC cable on mine. It is more likely to survive big road debris impacts than the crap wire used on most trailers. It won't be cheap but I don't want to replace the wiring twice.

 

[BobRip]

I agree, Scotchlok connectors are junk.

 

[RobertN]

Interesting, the Dexter link I had posted, indicates to replace both magnets on an axle; replace in pairs.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Interesting. Maybe to keep the wear similar? Given how new the trailer is, of don't think I'll do that.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Interesting. Maybe to keep the wear similar? Given how new the trailer is, of don't think I'll do that.

I would not either.

Chris

 

[ptgdigger]

That replace in pairs is for replacement due to face wear reaching it's limit, not really applicable to your problem. Lotsa people out there who ignore the magnets until the face wear rubs into the coil and kills the magnet, you see the difference losing one makes , imagine losing 2 or more.

Ray

 

[joshuabardwell]

That replace in pairs is for replacement due to face wear reaching it's limit, not really applicable to your problem. Lotsa people out there who ignore the magnets until the face wear rubs into the coil and kills the magnet, you see the difference losing one makes , imagine losing 2 or more.

What can you do? I don't remember seeing a mileage recommendation for changing the magnets in my manuals. Do you just wait until they fail and then replace them? Seems kind of risky.

 

[RobertN]

When I got my used 5th wheel three years ago, and wanted to check the brakes and repack the wheel bearings, I read thru the Dexter manual. They recomend:

Adjust the brakes
- After the first 200 miles and brakes a "seated"
- Every 3000 miles
- Or, as use and perfromance requires

Bearings
- Lube or repack every 12 months or 12,000 miles

Magnets
- Inspect for wear and current draw every 6 months or 6000 miles

Hard part is, how do you check magnet wear at 6 months or 6000 miles, without removing the drum...?

Above from Page 83
http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/6-8K_Service_Manual_1-12/600-8K_Complete_Service_Manual_1-12.pdf

What can you do? I don't remember seeing a mileage recommendation for changing the magnets in my manuals. Do you just wait until they fail and then replace them? Seems kind of risky.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Hard part is, how do you check magnet wear at 6 months or 6000 miles, without removing the drum...?

Exactly! And by the time you've pulled the drum, you may as well replace the magnet as long as you're in there! Well, sort of.

Maybe there are amp or ohm tests that could be done with a multimeter to detect an out-of-spec magnet?

 

[Diamondpilot]

When I got my used 5th wheel three years ago, and wanted to check the brakes and repack the wheel bearings, I read thru the Dexter manual. They recomend:

Adjust the brakes
- After the first 200 miles and brakes a "seated"
- Every 3000 miles
- Or, as use and perfromance requires

Bearings
- Lube or repack every 12 months or 12,000 miles

Magnets
- Inspect for wear and current draw every 6 months or 6000 miles

Hard part is, how do you check magnet wear at 6 months or 6000 miles, without removing the drum...?

Above from Page 83
http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/6-8K_Service_Manual_1-12/600-8K_Complete_Service_Manual_1-12.pdf

This is why I have now converted all my brakes over to disc brakes with the exception of my car haul trailer. I will be converted at some point. I hate pulling hubs and bearings to do a simple brake job and now no more adjustments.

Chris

 

[jeffsw6]

This is why I have now converted all my brakes over to disc brakes with the exception of my car haul trailer. I will be converted at some point. I hate pulling hubs and bearings to do a simple brake job and now no more adjustments.

Are there places near Louisville that I could go for a brake swap like that? I think it is over my head but I would sure like to have disc brakes.

 

[ptgdigger]

I can't make a blanket statement that all magnets have a visible wear limit because there are a lot of magnet brands out there.

However most quality magnets do have some type of wear indicator, because of all the variables I can't tell you what to look for on your particular magnets, some have a brake pad looking material covering the coil others have what looks to be a shiny black "potting material", look for shallow holes drilled or dimples pressed in the face , or a step molded in near the center hole, whatever the indicator is on a brand new magnet it should be somewhere between 3/32 and 3/16 inch with most of them being about 1/8".

If you check out this pic , the 4 holes closest to the corners will be about the depth I stated above, if any of those 4 are close to the bottom the magnet should be replaced along with it's partner at the other end of the same axle.

Ray

 

[ptgdigger]

Let me make it a little clearer, with all the holes in the center boss it may be unclear which holes I meant.

If you pull your hubs for packing once a year that should be often enough to look at these, unless you do a lot of mileage on a camper or such.

Ray

 

[Diamondpilot]

Are there places near Louisville that I could go for a brake swap like that? I think it is over my head but I would sure like to have disc brakes.

Its not that hard. I can do a axle in about a hour. If you have done basic wiring and front brakes on a car you could do the swap.

Chris

 

[joshuabardwell]

Hey all. Just thought I'd update you. Got a new magnet in the mail today (finally). Pulled the hub off and, upon trying to remove the old magnet's wires, discovered that one of them had broken somehow, up close in where I wasn't noticing it when the wheel was on. Spliced it back together and the magnet is working fine.

Just goes to show...

At least I know how to remove my dust caps, find the zerks on the axles, and take off the hubs now.