Troubleshooting 3 of 4 Trailer Brakes Locking Up

Updated 07/22/2019 | Published 07/18/2019

Question:

I have a 2003 fifth wheel camper and when i hooked up this year after it had not been used for about 18 months I found that three of the four brakes on it did not fully release. Two of them felt pretty hot after a few miles of driving but the third one was very hot. I got on a country road with little traffic and unplugged the trailer and they seemed to be alright. When I tested the brake controller it showed 0.2 volts when the brakes were not applied. Is that enough voltage to slightly activate a magnet and cause the brakes to drag some?

asked by: Paul L

Expert Reply:

The little bit of voltage you are seeing from your brake controller is typical as that is how they test to see when a trailer is connected. I believe your problem is related to the wiring, brake magnets, or your brakes need to be adjusted. Start off by checking the connections for your brakes and looking for any places where it may be damaged or exposed. Also be sure to check that your grounds are connected to a clean, bare-metal surface. You can also adjust your brakes with a spoon # W80630 and back them off some.

If the wiring looks good then you need to test your brake magnets. I have attached a helpful article that shows you the steps to do this. If you are still having issues please let me know and I can help you troubleshoot further.

expert reply by: Jon G