Why Would One Wheel of Trailer with Self Adjusting Brakes Drag More than the Others

Updated 09/11/2019 | Published 09/10/2019

Question:

My trailer has self adjusting brakes but my one tire drags compared to the other 3 tandem axle. Any thoughts?

asked by: Chris

Expert Reply:

First thing I'd check is to see if the spindle nut is on too tight. If the brakes are tensioned properly and there's still more drag on one when than the other most likely somebody tightened the spindle nut too much.

The spindle nut needs to be pretty loose actually and not torqued down. The hub is placed on the spindle, making sure the inner and outer bearings are correctly seated. The spindle nut is then run down until you start feeling resistance. At that point, spin the hub and check for end play (wobble). If the hub still seems a bit loose, you can run the nut down a bit more.

As you'll see in the video I've linked to, tightening the nut is something you'll do by feel, not by a particular torque rating.

expert reply by: Jameson C