Brakes install stalled out!

[Joe MacDonald]

remember, you can adjust the brake controller for more power, rather than running the brakes too tight and damaging them

[DogHaus]

So the mechanics tried adjusting the brakes several times over three days, each time with me taking it for a test drive. We could not get the brakes to work without heating up, one side more than the other. Super frustrated, I brought the poor little Scamp home for the weekend, and Hubby took another crack at it. He found that a) the castle nut was tight on that one problem side, but loosening it caused too much play in the wheel for his liking. He found a compromise spot that allowed the wheel to spin freely with no play, but isn't terribly happy about it. What might be happening here? And b) on the brake assembly on that problem side, the clip had come off of the magnet. It feel out onto the ground when he pulled the drum off. And so the magnet had been floating freely and making contact with the drum all this time. There is a lot of black dust inside the drum and the magnet looks kind of bad. I'll try to upload a picture. He was able to put the magnet and clip back onto the arm, but he is not happy with it. With it reassembled, we adjusted the brakes and on the problem side are not gettting anywhere near as much braking action as we are on the non-problem side. We took it for a test drive, (I know, what was the point?) and found that when the brakes were applied hard, one side is locking up (we could hear the tire skittering on the pavement - we were going slowly) and it feels like the camper is pushing the tow vehicle to one side. Then the next day I removed the brake controller and took it for a test ride and the problem side hubs are hot. So something is still dragging in there. So I'm thinking now that we need to replace the magnet or replace the whole brake backing plate and replace the bearings. Or, just scrap the whole idea of installing brakes and put the old hubs back on and GO CAMPING. Who else is sick of this story???

[DogHaus]

oh, and p.s., Hubby gave me his IR temp sensor to try to measure the temp of the hubs, and I inserted the battery backwards. There was a spark and loud pop and a bad smell, and I think I fried it. Sheesh!<_<

[RogerDat]

Is it possible there is a short to or in the brake wiring? Not enough current to fully activate the brakes but enough to cause one to drag unless backed too far off.

I'm not sure if the brakes are wired in series (current flows from one brake to the other) or parallel (each has it's own power line) but a limited short giving small amount of power to the brakes in series might engage one side more than the other if there was not full power.

Also is there a fuse that would blow or a circuit breaker that will keep resetting on the brake circuit. Have seen cases where a little bit of a short such as a wire with the insulation pinched or just barely worn through will slowly trip circuit breaker which cools then resets only to trip again in a minute or two.

Weirdest short I ever saw that was not a full short was a camper with a bare 110 volt wire touching a can with a paper label. Would not trip circuit breaker but if you touched the door handle in bare feet you got zapped. Paper would not let enough current flow through can to trip but enough to give you a poke. Saw the same thing in a house, kids got small poke from light switch, adults did not. No tripped fuse. Turned out kids stood on the heat vent under the switch and were grounded, adults stood further back due to longer arms and being taller. Not on heat vent so not grounded = no poke.

This is just SWAG but might be worth checking to see if any current is flowing through brake circuit without brakes being applied. Especially if you have a timed brake controller which can be tripped by current back feeding into brake light circuit. Possibly even if not enough current to light the brake lights.

If you set the spindle nut using a torque wrench and backing off correct amount I would accept that as "good" and move on to testing other things.

[Jack L]

[QUOTE=Doghaus;474626] We could not get the brakes to work without heating up, one side more than the other.

Brakes do get hot when you use them. Heat from braking is normal. Hub should never generate enough heat to get more than warm by themselves but using your brakes heats the drums and that heat transfers to the hubs.

I try and check my hubs by driving down the highway and stopping without using the brakes. Coasting to a stop or downshifting if I can. Then I get an accurate analysis of hub temp. If I use my brakes I expect the heat generated by the brakes to increase hub temp. Brakes should heat up evenly. Both drums should be fairly close to the same temp.

Now,I do think you have some issues with your brakes or hubs or maybe both, but first you also need to determine the source of the heat. I would disconnect the brake controller and adjust the shoes until I'm sure they are not dragging. Then I would carefully drive and check. If the hubs are cool and properly adjusted the hubs are not the problem. Once I had the hubs where they should be I would reconnect the brake controller and adjust the shoes. Then check brake operation.

The black dust you described is worn brake shoes. This is a normal situation on properly adjusted brakes.

Two years and al least 15,000 miles ago I installed Dexter self adjusting brake assemblies on my Bigfoot. They are great. The self adjusters cost $10 a wheel more. Hope this helps.

[Bob Miller]

I'd also take a look at the wiring to the brakes, especially any splices. There may be a bad connection or damaged wire along the line and, with reduced braking current available, the mechanic may be setting the shoes so close to work that there is constant contact. I am sure that there are some numbers available about how much current should flow to each magnet. Find that out and see if you are at or above that number.

[DogHaus]

Alright, thanks. We did wonder aloud about an electrical problem the way the brakes are behaving. He took the news that I fried his temp. gun pretty well tonight, I'll just wait 24 hours or so before suggesting anything else....

[DogHaus]

Just wanted to post the resolution to my problem here: I took the camper to a local-ish RV repair place (not a big chain) and they found that the little 40 cent clip that holds the brake magnet on the arm was messed up. They replaced the 40 cent clip, checked everything over, tweaked the adjustment on the brakes, which was a little off on one side, and everything worked fine afterwards. Wish I had gone to them in the first place. Now I know, and now I have a repair place that I trust. Can't wait to get out camping again come spring!

[Borrego Dave]

Congrats, always like hearing a good ending that doesn't involve a lot of $$$$$$