Troubleshooting Electric Brakes on Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro E20BHS

Question:

Hi, I have a new EPro trailer, E20BHS and it’s braking is pathetic. It’s a single axle trailer with a Dexter Torflex axle. It came with oversized tires and 10” brakes. I have already overheated them once and am wonder if I can install 12” brakes on this axle. As it is, I have real safety concerns over its stopping power. Any help would be appreciated.

asked by: Levi M

Expert Reply:

So there are a couple of possible issues here, though just to answer your question about larger brakes, you do need to stick with 10 inch brakes as 12 inch brakes will be too large. Based on my research, your Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro E20BHS.

The first thing it may be is just that you haven't traveled far enough yet with your trailer. Electric brakes need about a 200 mile breaking in period to allow the brake shoes and brake magnets to bed into your drum. During those 200 miles you need to make sure you apply the brakes with a marked decrease in speed at least a couple dozen times - ensuring you let the brakes cool between applications - to get to the point where the brakes won't feel weak like they do now.

It may also be that the brakes are not adjusted properly. Self-adjusting brakes do take some time to fully adjust, or if they are manually adjusting you need to use a brake adjusting tool # W80630 to turn the star wheel at the bottom of the assembly until there is a slight but constant drag of the shoe pads on the drum. If you go to about the 4:40 mark of the linked video you can see how to adjust brakes.

It is also possible that you have an issue with bad wiring or bad brakes/magnets, but since you mentioned a new trailer, this is very unlikely.

expert reply by: Kyle S