Troubleshooting Brake Controller and Poor Braking on Trailer Towed by 2018 Toyota Tundra  

Question:

Expert Reply:

The three main things that could be causing your issue are:

1) Insufficient brake adjustment. The adjusters should be turned 'out' until you can't turn the wheel by hand when it's jacked up off the ground. Then the adjusters should be backed off by 10 or so clicks so there's still a slight drag from the brake shoes.
2) The brake shoes should be broken in correctly or 'burnished'. This is done by applying the brakes 20 to 30 times to decrease the speed by 20 mph. Example, once reaching 40 mph use the manual override to slow down to 20 mph. Once at 20 mph, release the manual override and travel about a mile to allow ample time for brakes to cool and repeat the process again. You will need to repeat this process 20 to 30 times. This allows the brake shoes and magnets to slightly wear-in to the drum surface so they fit together perfectly.
3) Use a voltmeter to check the voltage reaching the brakes with the manual override fully engaged with the gain turned up all the way. Ideally, you'll want to see 10-1/2 volts reaching the magnets but certainly no less than 10 volts.
4) Check the pins on the trailer connector on the back of the truck for debris or corrosion. If you see any green or white corrosion on the pins, it might be preventing all the voltage from reaching the trailer brakes. Clean the pins or replace the trailer connector as needed. Part # A10-7072VP would be a good replacement.

I've linked you to some trailer wiring/brake controller troubleshooting articles which I hope you'll find helpful.

expert reply by: Mike L

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