Trailer Brakes Overheating

[Hanksride]

Ok, I am fairly new to the world of electric trailer brakes so please lend me some knowledge.

I have a 2010 18ft tandem axle dovetail trailer for hauling my L2800 on not to mention jeeps, smaller tractors etc. I recently installed a Tekonsha P3 brake controller on my 2004 Z-71 pickup. I bought the trailer when it was a year old, owned by an old man and I don't think the trailer brakes were ever used on it. The trailer was kept inside a shed and probably didn't have 2 to 3 pulls on it, just like new.

I hooked the brake controller up as directed and made all the adjustments then loaded the tractor for a quick 10 mile round trip run to try it out. The rear axle (brake axle) got so hot I could smell it when I got home and I couldn't touch the wheels but for about 1 second. I figured, the brakes had not been used, maybe corroded a bit and needed to wear in then this should stop. Since then I have made a few more short runs with tractor, all within 10 miles of the house and I get the same result. I haven't smelled them any more but the wheels are still extremely hot.

I hooked it all up and jacked up one side and spun the wheel with both the brakes hooked up and with them unhooked, and the wheel spun the same (very freely) both ways. I thought I might be getting bled voltage causing them to engage slightly, but it doesn't appear to be that.

I tried once to get one of the hubs off but it didn't want to come off easily and I didn't have time to play with it long so I never actually got it removed.

Any ideas?? How warm or hot should the hubs and wheels actually get. As for stopping, they seem to be working very well except for getting pretty hot.

Thanks,

 

[tcreeley]

Are the bearings shot and over heating? Can you set the brakes too come on less?

 

[tcartwri]

Electric brakes are really a compromise. If you set the gain so that they give strong braking performance, they will get hot. If you set the gain so that they don't get overworked, you won't have full braking power when and if you really need it. Basically they teach you how to drive very conservatively with the trailer loaded. Surprising that the brakes are on the rear axle as well. Usually they're on the front.

 

[Furu]

Out here normally brakes would be on both axles not just one. I would possibly look at the bearing and see what is up with it as tcreeley said.
If you tow with the brake controller off does it still happen?
If you jack up the rear axle and spin the wheels with someone slowly applying the brakes does the wheel slow and then stop or is it an instant slam stop with any input of brakes.
My trailer wheels rarely get very warm with a 10K trailer fully loaded.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Check the bearings but as most state electric brakes are tough to find that sweet spot. It's just the nature of the beast.

Chris

 

[oldballs]

Although this comment is not helpful, I've never seen a piece of equipment, that just follows something around, cause so much maintenance and apprehension. I've put more time, and maintenance, and money on my trailer than on the old Super Duty that pulls it. :2cents:

 

[Stimw]

On my controller I have to turn it up when I have weight on the trailer and down when empty.
You might try backing off on the setting because you might be using too much pressure.
A little pressure makes a huge difference in overall vehicle braking but the trailer brakes are not meant to stop the whole load, truck and trailer and you might be adding too much.

 

[s219]

What setting (0-10) are you using on the brake controller? I guess if it was too high, the braked wheels would lock.

I have brakes on both axles and haven't really noticed them getting too hot. With brakes on just one axle, it certainly has to work harder, not to mention that is a lot less rubber to resist lockup. So maybe that's the nature of the beast as Chris said.

 

[Travelover]

It's not clear to me if all the brakes are overheating or just one or two. If all, I look for a controller issue. If just one or two, I'd look for corroded or stuck internal parts. Machinery that just sits develops all kinds of weird problems from corrosion.

 

[nc redneck]

If your Tekonsha is like mine and I think it is. It is a great controler but very hard to set correctly. My wife still struggles with after 2 years. She liked the older truck with cheap Reese set by # controler. Tekonsha is proportional and has 3 levels of boost depending on size of trailer. Check boost first and then brake adjustment under hard braking. I try to set mine in neighborhood before I hit busy streets. Truck and trailer should work together smoothly. I would guess at 4.5 or less when loaded. Unloaded 1.0 or less.
Scott

 

[3930dave]

Along the lines of what Furu was talking about.....

You may need to verify the wiring on the trailer - the signal going to the brake puck coil should vary as you adjust the brake controller. Most controllers have a manual test mode, so you don't have to drive. Read the voltage with a DMM, set to DC Volts - brake controller line, measured to ground.

If the trailer was mis-wired such that your normal brake light signal (as opposed to the variable controller signal) goes to the brake puck coil, then that would slam your trailer brakes on full, regardless of what you did with the controller.

Rgds, D.

 

[Ken45101]

I would have the brakes adjusted at a shop that understands these kinds of brakes. Manufacturers tell you to have them adjusted after initial use.

As suggested, try driving with the controller set at zero (unloaded trailer, of course). If it still heats up, the shoe is dragging.

I have had a Tekonsha proportional controller for almost ten years and love it. I use multiple trailers and it's easy to adjust. According to the manual, the braking should be increased until the trailer wheel locks up and then back off a bit.

(In many states, brakes are required on all trailer axles for trailers over 3000 or 3500 gross weight. I haul 10-14K trailers and definitely want brakes on all axles).

 

[radioman]

If it was me, I would be pulling the drums off NOW and grease all bearings. Before reassembly, I would inspect the wiring to the magnets. sometimes it gets eaten up by mice and the other brakes tends to overcompensate and get hot. it also makes the trailer pull to one side when using brakes.

 

[Diamondpilot]

If it was me, I would be pulling the drums off NOW and grease all bearings. Before reassembly, I would inspect the wiring to the magnets. sometimes it gets eaten up by mice and the other brakes tends to overcompensate and get hot. it also makes the trailer pull to one side when using brakes.

This is a good point. Who knows what's in them drums with all the sitting around that trailer has done. I once had a guy bring in a trailer for service and the drums were full of dog food.

Chris

 

[Hanksride]

Update: I did a thorough inspection of everything, wiring is clean and good, everything looks like new. I backed the brakes off by turning the adjustment screw in the drum and still could not get the drums off. I pecked on it with a 2lb sledge, pryed with large pry tools, nothing to the point of damaging anything but enough it should have come off. Never could get it off, have not tried the other side yet. BTW both sides are getting hot, not just one side.

I adjusted the brakes back to about where it was at when I started then I hooked it to truck and jacked the trailer up and had my wife push the brakes while I was spinning the tire. The tire free spins very loosely and as the brake is applied comes to slow stop, if she hit the brakes quickly it stopped quickly. Everything seemed to be working as designed. I took the dust covers off the buddy bearings and found nice clean red hi-temp grease in the hub area, again never could get to the bearings to inspect them.

As for settings on the brake controller. I was using the medium boost and had it set on max output of 8.0. Again that is max output, that does not mean that it is putting that to the wheel under normal braking, I would have to push the pedal through the floor to get that output. Maybe that is to high but I didn't think it would be if I never got to that point unless needed an emergency quick stop. Next time I drag it I am going to back the settings way down and see if that helps.

Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate it. I got a little busy and just now got back out here but certainly picked up on a few things to try.

 

[3930dave]

Post a picture of the drums you have..... a guy like Chris will have seen just about every variation that's recently been on the road.

On mine (been a while....) I'm pretty sure that I had to pull the bearing buddy off, and undo the axle nut, then pull the outer bearing to get the drum off. I had the advantage of having the OE manual that the previous owner of my TT passed along to work with.... so was easy to see at the time.

With the bearing buddy, go easy on the gun.... one of mine had about half a tube of grease pumped past the seal, and into the brake area - all parts were in good shape, but the brake was doing nada - kinda the opposite of your problem.

Good luck, and do try dialing back the controller as a test.

Rgds, D.

 

[Diamondpilot]

You must remove the buddy bearing, pull the cotter pin, back off the axle nut, remove the thrust washer, and then pull the drum on trailers to get the bearings out and inspect the shoes.

Chris

 

[3930dave]

Thanks Chris....

I was reasonably certain that was the standard setup, but didn't want to advise Hank that, and have him struggling with a specialized Schnitzengruber fitting I didn't know about.....

Rgds, D.

 

[Poodlehead]

Following:
I started dealing with this same problem today (14' Ranch King, tandem axle, single brake axle, one brake wheel getting much hotter than the other one). After reading through these posts, I have some good ideas to try tomorrow. Thanks!
I'll update if I make progress...

 

[3930dave]

Following:
I started dealing with this same problem today (14' Ranch King, tandem axle, single brake axle, one brake wheel getting much hotter than the other one). After reading through these posts, I have some good ideas to try tomorrow. Thanks!
I'll update if I make progress...

Welcome to TBN.

Many of these threads are timeless..... as Murphy, mice, and other nefarious forces are always lurking !

Good Luck with your fix, and please post-up how it went.....

Rgds, D.