Troubleshooting Weak Braking on One Side After Installing New Trailer Brakes

Question:

I re did my grounds and am getting the same result. I checked resistance in the circuit and am getting 0 ohms so I know my ground is good. I check voltage and I'm getting the same as the other side.

asked by: Jesse W

Expert Reply:

Since you just installed the # AKEBRK-35-SA on your trailer and are experiencing this issue, the most likely cause is just a weak ground wire on the right side. I recommend checking the wiring on the side that is providing weak braking (the right side that you've indicated) and reconnecting those wires; if you've grounded the brake wire directly to the trailer frame, make sure that it is firmly connected to a paint and rust free surface.

In this case, the best thing to do might be to remove existing ground screw. You'll want to find different location and sand down a dime sized area to bare metal and then use a star washer between the ring terminal and trailer frame, so it bites into the frame member. When attached, shoot connection with spray paint. If you just use self tapper on painted surface, the threads of screw are the only thing making ground connection. If you sand to bare metal, the threads and the ring terminal are in direct contact for a bomb-proof ground.

If you reconnect the ground wires and still are getting weak braking on that side, please let me know and I can provide you with a few other troubleshooting steps for this.

expert reply by: Erik B

Jesse

5/12/2020

I re did my grounds and am getting the same result. I checked resistance in the circuit and am getting 0 ohms so I know my ground is good. I check voltage and I'm getting the same as the other side.

Erik B.

5/12/2020

If all of the electrical is checking out and the grounds are good, there could be only 2 possible things going on here. The first one would be that the right brake just needs to be adjusted further- if you haven't already done that. With the wheel of the trailer jacked up off the ground, you'll want to spin the wheel and adjust them until you feel a slight drag. Once you've completed this, you should go out and see if that helps. If it doesn't help, I would inspect the inside of the drum and see if it's excessively worn down or damaged. For whatever reason on that side, the drum may need to be replaced so that there is sufficient surface on the interior of the drum to apply pressure to.