How To Manual Adjust My Electric Brakes

Updated 03/21/2022 | Published 03/18/2022

Products Featured in This Question

etrailer Electric Trailer Brakes - Self-Adjusting - 12" - Left/Right Hand - 5.2K to 7K

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etrailer Electric Trailer Brakes w/ Dust Shields - Self-Adjusting - 12-1/4" - Left/Right - 10K

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Question:

Installed akebrk7, was trying to manually adjust brakes to get them close, but I dont see a way to access the star wheel?

asked by: Walter

Expert Reply:

When it comes to adjusting your electric brakes # AKEBRK-10 you will adjust them out until you hear a slight but constant drag of the pads on the drum. There are specialty brake adjustment tools that you can buy locally but if you have the right sized flathead screwdriver you will be ok.

There is a star wheel inside the brake assembly, accessible through an opening at the lower, back side of the assemblies. There may or may not be a plug in the opening that you would have to take out first to access the star wheel.

On self adjusting brakes like mentioned in this answer, you should not manually adjust them. If you over adjust it is very very difficult to back off. Going on a safe road and hitting the manual override without the brakes of the truck a hand full of times (can be up to 20) will get the brakes to seat/adjust to their drums and won't over adjust

I will attach a link for an electric brake installation below. Around the 4-5 minutes mark they will talk about manually adjusting.

expert reply by: Noah E