Today we are going to show how to remove the break shoes on a typical electric break axle, this one in particular is a twelve inch drum. We are using that one because it is large and easy to see. This applies to virtually all electric brakes from this size on up and down to the smaller sizes. We will go over how it comes apart and the tools you will need to do it with.
Before we get started here, we will go over a couple of notes. First off, obviously, this brake assembly is not attached to an axle so just for clarity we just left it off the axle and we will work with it as is. All the steps pertaining are the same, however you will have a bit more leverage when you have an axle. You will need a few specialty tools also, you can pick these up at a local auto parts store, you are going to spend probably around twenty to twenty-five dollars, well worth the money and hassle. You are going to need three tools. You will need this adjustment tool to be used on the adjuster right here, you will also need this shoe spring tool which will be used on these spring tensions right here, and this tool here will actually be used to remove the spring here which actually keeps all the tension. These three tools are basically all you need to take it apart with.
First step in what we are going to do is you have to start on the back side of the backing plate. In our case we are going to have to flip it over, but go behind your axle and take off this cap for the adjuster and this adjuster here you will want to spin it down as close as possible so it takes out a lot of the tension. Then we will go back to the front side of the backing plate and take off these tension springs up here. Much easier than a pair of ice grips. Once you have this loosened up, you can actually pull it apart a little bit and get some tension off. And then you can go ahead and, to take some tension out, you can actually pull this apart and get your adjuster out of there. That way you do not have to worry about these little pin points, it is just a lot easier to do it that way. Last but not least, go ahead and take out your shoe retainer springs, that is the technical term. This just sets on and you just spin them and they come off. That is pretty much the extent of taking them apart. Just reverse the procedure, we will show you that, and put it back together.
Once you have your new shoes ready to go on, just go ahead and repeat the procedure and start by putting your shoe back in place. Get your retainer springs ready to go. To get your shoes back on, in my case we are going to have to get underneath of it to push this pin back to hold it in place. It will be a little bit easier when you have it on the axle. By the way, quarter turns is all it takes to put them on or off. And what you can do is put your adjuster back in there. Start with the spring. What you can do here, same principle, since there is no tension there just sneak it back in there. Now we will start moving on this spring here. Give it a quick test by moving it back and forth, center it and you will be ready to put your hub back on. After you get your hub back on, go back to the back side and use your adjuster to adjust the brakes as you need to.
Diagnosing a Brake Controller Problem
Alright, today on this 2009 Ford F-150 we are going to diagnose a brake controller problem. Now we can use these steps on any brake controller that is on the market to verify if it is working or not. Now our brake controller is already telling us that it has an error message. It is flashing an Er on top. Usually it means an internal problem. We tested our trailer so we know it is good. So, it is not that. So first off we will make sure we have a constant 12 volt power supply. We will check the black wire first. OK, we are good there. Now we will try our red wire for our brake signal. OK, that is good there. Now we will try our blue wire and that will be our output. So we should have output on this wire whenever we hit the foot brake or the manual override. OK, we get nothing on the foot brake and nothing on the manual override. So definitely the error is internal and this brake controller does have to be replaced.
Trailer Brake Controller Reverse Light Lead Installation
All right what we are going to do on this install is the reverse light lead to our electrical connector. For instance on a 5-pole you can use this on a boat trailer that has a reverse lock out for hydraulic brakes on it. Also you can use on a 7-pole application the trailer may have reverse lights on the back of it. Some RVs have a reverse light hook up on the back of it. I will show you the basic generic steps of how it is installed. 00:22
Trailer Brake Controller Comparison Review
Today we are going to talk about the two main kinds of brake controllers, the proportional and the time delay. The two we have here are the Journey HD and the Draw-Tite Activator II. These are what you call the time delay brake controllers. Basically what happens is that when you hit the brakes, they come on at a certain speed that you set on the brake controller. Like on this one here, we have a sync switch here that controls how fast it comes on and then this knob here controls how much power it takes to stop the trailer. Basically you hit your foot brake and it comes on at the rate you determine and at how much power you have set aside for it, and then it stays there until you completely let off the brake.
Trailer Brake Controller Wiring Colors
Today we are going to cover a frequently asked question. It really turns up a lot. And actually it is easier than you think. Basically, if you have a pickup and you got a tow package with it and you got one of these wire harnesses that plug underneath the dash and plugs into your brake controller, you might have five or sometimes even more wires coming off of it. And you notice that your brake controller only uses four. We have got one over here, we will show you, that has just the four wires and what do you do with the extra wires? The short answer is do not worry about it, because the brake controller has all that it needs from these four wires.
Trailer Brake Controller Wire Testing
Today we are going to cover a few notes on testing an electronic brake controller. What we are going to cover here is going to apply to virtually all brake controllers. Basically, if you run into a problem where you think your brake controller is not working, well, it could be a the brake controller or it could be something in the truck itself, in the connector or c it actually could be problems in the trailer. What we are going to show you today is how to look for problems that will either rule out the brake controller or make sure that it is the brake controllers fault. Just like any electronic devices, they seem to have a limited lifespan some will work for years and some will not. But this way you can also verify that it is working good.
