How to Adjust Drum Brake Pad Pressure Using Brake Spoon Tool

Updated 02/27/2018 | Published 02/25/2018

Products Featured in This Question

etrailer Electric Trailer Brakes - Self-Adjusting - 12" - Left/Right Hand - 5.2K to 7K

(2887)

$192.35

Brake Adjustment Spoon for Drum Brakes

(215)

$9.54

Question:

I have a 2015 Cougar 28foot with 12x2inch brakes controlled with the Prodigy 2 controller. I cant get to trailer brakes to get close to a lock up, just a soft drag and not enough to be any useful breaking. Using the manual lever on the Prodigy controller I set it on 6.2 Tested the trucks bumper plug and get 6.5. Ok to that point! But when I test voltage on the trailer at its junction box I get 4.9. I disconnected the brake wire at the first brake and after separating this wire from the brakes Im back to 6.5. That just confirmed I did not have a bad wire to that point. So Question.. Do the electric brakes have a natural voltage when all wires connected or may I have a magnet with stray voltage. Im reluctant on buying 4 new brakes before I know why the soft brake problem. I serviced the bearings this week and there is little wear on the brakes. Thanks for any help or advice.

asked by: Mike M

Expert Reply:

If you have not already done so you can adjust the brake pad pressure star wheel to increase the pad pressure on the hub surface. This will increase your braking force. Since it sounds like all the brakes are behaving in the same way (and have the same modest wear) this is most likely the issue.

You can use the brake spoon adjustment tool # W80630 or a flat blade screwdriver to rotate the star wheel upward (as viewed from the rear of the brake, where the adjustment slot is). Please refer to the linked videos for the brake spoon tool to see the adjustment wheel and how to access it.

expert reply by: Adam R