Are All Trailer Wheels Supposed to Lock when Trailer Breakaway Pin is Pulled

Updated 12/07/2015 | Published 12/05/2015

Products Featured in This Question

Hopkins Engager Trailer Breakaway Kit w/ Charger, LED Tester, and 5 Ah Battery - Side Load

(743)

$59.83

10 Gauge Wire - Blue Primary - Per Foot

(103)

$1.80

Question:

I pull pin and one tire locks a slides other 3 tires roll. Are all 4 tires suppose to lock and slide when pin is pulled

asked by: Bruce P

Expert Reply:

As long as all 4 tires have brakes installed, all 4 tires are supposed to lock when the pin is pulled. If only one axle has brakes, the 2 of the 4 tires should lock. There are a couple of possible problems your trailer may be experiencing.

One possible option is that there is not enough voltage reaching the brakes that aren't locking up when the pin is pulled. You will want to check the wires and connections for the brakes on those tires. If there is a pinched or torn wire, or if a connection is loose or has corrosion, you will want to replace the wire. For new wire, you can use something like # 10-1-1.

Another possibility is that there is an issue with the trailer brake grounds. A loose or damaged ground can cause many different problems. All of the trailer brake grounds should be wired back to the main trailer ground. Any damaged grounds and grounds with corrosion need to be replaced.

The trailer brakes may also need to be adjusted. If the brakes are not properly adjusted then there may not be enough force being applied by the brake to lock up the wheel. I have attached a video that will give you an idea of how to adjust the trailer brakes. The brake adjustment begins around the 3:00 mark in the video.

If one of these possibilities doesn't provide a solution for you, please feel free to let me know and I will be happy to provide further troubleshooting for you.

expert reply by: Victoria B