Troubleshooting Trailer Brake Assemblies that Are New But Not Strong

Published 10/09/2019

Question:

i replaced brakes with new brakes not self adjusting i had my son try his truck and thy work great so that means my truck has soothing wrong is it the circuit in the controller or module above the spare tire or something other thanks

asked by: Rj M

Expert Reply:

Since you mentioned that your brakes are brand new it's very likely you have a set of self-adjusting brake assemblies that just haven't adjusted fully to the point of activating strongly. This is a very common problem actually and has a very easy solution. What you'll want to do is find somewhere you can tow your trailer slowly like an empty parking lot and the manual override lever of the brake controller several times. Each time you apply the override the assemblies will tighten slightly till they are fully adjusted.

expert reply by: Jameson C

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Rj M.

10/8/2019

i did not use self adjusting brakes

Jameson C.

10/8/2019

Since they are manually adjusting it's very possible they need additional adjustment and just aren't tight enough to stop your trailer. You can see the adjustment procedure by clicking on the video link I've provided. Simply fast forward to the 4:24 minute mark.

Rj M.

10/9/2019

Jameson C.

10/9/2019

Since the brakes work fine with a different truck that would mean the problem is on your truck like you mentioned. Since you have an integrated brake controller on your Silverardo (at least that's what it sounds like) that makes it harder for us to troubleshoot since it integrates further into the vehicle setup than aftermarket ones. You can take the truck into a dealer to see if they can troubleshoot and/or replace the controller or for an easier solution you can bypass it with an aftermarket solution like the Brake EVN # TK63VR. I attached a help article that covers the entire process of installing a brake controller in a 2012 Chevy Silverado with an integrated brake controller. Basically you will wire the # 5535 to the wire bundle that is under the dash near the brake pedal. I also attached a picture that shows where this is. There are some connections that will need to be made at the rear of the vehicle and under the hood as well.