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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper Chewwi's Avatar
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    Initial Brake Adjustment by the DEALER ??

    The Dexter axle manual recommends the brakes be adjusted “after the first 200 miles of operation when the brake drums and shoes have seated.”

    Unless your dealer is located less than 200 miles from the GD factory, it appears that brake adjustment should part of the dealers PDI. Does anyone know whether this is being performed?

  2. #2
    Site Team Ynot4me2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chewwi View Post
    The Dexter axle manual recommends the brakes be adjusted “after the first 200 miles of operation when the brake drums and shoes have seated.”

    Unless your dealer is located less than 200 miles from the GD factory, it appears that brake adjustment should part of the dealers PDI. Does anyone know whether this is being performed?
    I strongly doubt. Ours haven't been working as advertised since day 1. I had the dealer checked them when it was in for some other warranty work. They said they're ok, we pulled the brake away switch and the brakes activated they said. This was just before we put it away for the winter. I plan on doing it myself come spring the proper way.

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    Steph & Lise
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  3. #3
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    [QUOTE=Ynot4me2;340879]I strongly doubt. Ours haven't been working as advertised since day 1. I had the dealer checked them when it was in for some other warranty work. They said they're ok, we pulled the brake away switch and the brakes activated they said. This was just before we put it away for the winter. I plan on doing it myself come spring the proper way.

    Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk[/QUOTE

    I felt the brakes on my 21bhe weren't working correctly when I picked it up. Dealer told me that was normal until the brakes got "seated". Found out months later the rear axle brakes weren't even connected.

    I'd jack it up, pull the breakaway switch and check every wheel.

  4. #4
    Seasoned Camper
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    I doubt they did it. My recommendation is to adjust manually then hook up and adjust brakes with brake controller . If they don’t feel like they are grabbing, remove brake hubs and inspect for grease on brakes.
    When a shop/dealer states they checked the brakes and they work, what does that really mean? The simplest meaning is they pulled the E-brake cable and heard the magnets energize. That means they are working but doesn’t mean they are working properly. Food for thought.
    2019 Momentum 351M, Disc Brakes, Roadmaster Slipper Springs/shocks
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  5. #5
    Commercial Member huntr70's Avatar
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    We verify that they are working for the pdi and also PA State Safety Inspection.

    Most of these have "self adjusting" brakes now.
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  6. #6
    Seasoned Camper Chewwi's Avatar
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    Based on the Dexter Axle Manual,

    If

    1. you have Dexter axles,
    2. you don’t have self adjusting brakes or disk brakes, and
    3. your dealer is NOT within 200 miles of your GD build location;

    You shoud insist on the initial brake adjustment prior to accepting your RV (even if you have to pay extra for it).

    Merely checking that brakes are “OK” is not enough.

  7. #7
    Big Traveler Wicked ace's Avatar
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    As soon as I pulled out of the dealer lot I noticed one axle (it truly felt like only one wheel ) was grabbing. After a couple hundred mile shake down I left it at the dealer with the brake issue and a complete explanation on the list. I got it back with the brakes backed off which eliminated the grabbing but also I effectively had no trailer brakes. I was told the brakes are "self adjusting" and would come in after a period......Yeah Right. I took it upon myself to jack up each wheel and adjust the shoes to the drums and now know that they are working correctly.
    2018 F150 XLT 301a, Screw, 4x4, HDPP, Max tow, Andersen Ultimate w/ Curt Double Lock hitch.
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  8. #8
    Rolling Along AZMike's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chewwi View Post
    The Dexter axle manual recommends the brakes be adjusted “after the first 200 miles of operation when the brake drums and shoes have seated.”

    Unless your dealer is located less than 200 miles from the GD factory, it appears that brake adjustment should part of the dealers PDI. Does anyone know whether this is being performed?
    Funny that I came across this thread now. The brakes on my 2600RB have been very grabby from when I picked it up, meaning I could not do the initial setup properly with my brake controller. The brakes would lock up no matter how I set the initial voltage on the controller. This controller has worked fine on the other two trailers that I've recently owned. I took it in for some warranty work this month and told them about my issue, and that I felt pretty strongly that the brakes needed to be adjusted. Well, lo and behold, when I picked it up, they told me that the brakes were fine, that I needed to adjust or replace my brake controller. Do you know how they check them? They pull the breakaway switch and if all of the magnets energize then the brakes are fine! Well, I was a brake mechanic in a prior life (when disc brakes were in their infancy) and I know when drum brakes need adjustment. So, here I am, at my campsite, having just completed a brake adjustment on all four wheels, and I could not believe (or maybe I could) how far out of adjustment they were. I'm pretty sure that they were not adjusted since Dexter built the axles. Why can't service people actually listen to customer's problems? There were other issues that I can rant about, but this one was pretty important.
    Mike & (RIP Karen)
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  9. #9
    Site Sponsor
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    It took me 3 full turns on the star wheel to do the initial brake adjustment. And I had to solder a bad crimp connector to get the brakes to work on the front axle.
    2019 F-250 Supercab
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  10. #10
    Seasoned Camper Chewwi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wicked ace View Post
    As soon as I pulled out of the dealer lot I noticed one axle (it truly felt like only one wheel ) was grabbing. After a couple hundred mile shake down I left it at the dealer with the brake issue and a complete explanation on the list. I got it back with the brakes backed off which eliminated the grabbing but also I effectively had no trailer brakes. I was told the brakes are "self adjusting" and would come in after a period......Yeah Right. I took it upon myself to jack up each wheel and adjust the shoes to the drums and now know that they are working correctly.
    Were they self adjusting like your dealer said?

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