Brake Adjustment

Thanks for the information. When we bought our last travel trailer we had to pay to get brakes adjusted right after we got home. 1 axle was getting over heating as the other axle was not engaging. I was told by the shop I took it too, that the axles get shipped to the trailer company and they are installed, sometimes without be adjusted. When we bought our current 323bhs I asked if the brakes were checked during PDI for correct adjustment. I was told they were. I have towed the trailer a total of 30 miles and now have to take it to a shop to get the brakes adjusted. We love the trailer, just a little frustrated as I am sure the dealership that I bought it from will not cover the adjustment as a warranty item?
 
When we bought our current 323bhs I asked if the brakes were checked during PDI for correct adjustment. I was told they were. I have towed the trailer a total of 30 miles and now have to take it to a shop to get the brakes adjusted. We love the trailer, just a little frustrated as I am sure the dealership that I bought it from will not cover the adjustment as a warranty item?

Similar story here. Too funny. Sales guy says, oh yeah, brakes are adjusted as part of our PDI. Wrong. And, guess how much they want to adjust the brakes? $375!!! Guess what I told them? Shove it! Really the brakes on these aren't that hard to adjust if you have the time and tools (mostly the ability to jack the tires off the ground). Mine is at the dealer for some other warranty repair so I asked them to adjust the brakes knowing I would have to pay. I sure am glad he provided me with the estimate so I could turn it down.

This is certainly not a GD issue. I sure wish GD would get more dealers in Southern California. The only dealer serving the greater Los Angeles area and south to the border are terrible for service after the sale.
 
Brakes are the most critical component for fifth wheel safety. It is very good that Janice has stated that our units have manual adjusting brakes. They must be adjusted so that the brake shoes are very close to the drums but not rubbing when not applied. Brake application causes a magnet to energize a cam action lever that spreads the tops of the shoes and causes them to contact the drums, more voltage from the controller means more spreading of the shoes relative to the drum=more stopping power. But as others have said much more clearly than I, the brakes on the tow vehicle and fifth wheel must be in a harmonious relationship, meaning the fifth wheel is neither pushing forward or pulling back on the tow vehicle upon brake application. The mechanical parts (shoes and drums) must first be properly adjusted before the electrical parts (controller output) can be properly set. Many have said that the self-adjusting brakes that we can retrofit are a lot better than standard. But from my years in auto/light truck repair, a vast majority of vehicles with front disc/rear drum brake setups with self adjusting rear brakes go through four or five sets of front pads and the rear brake shoes still have lining left. Why?? I'm afraid the answer is- drivers do not know how to make the rear self adjusters WORK and the rear brakes are not even working during light to moderate braking. The vehicle needs to be backed up with some speed (not crawling) and the brake pedal must be pushed pretty hard. Unfortunately, according to the information I am reading on etrailer.com, their Nev-E-Adjust brakes work the same way. Some of you may be able to do otherwise, but all the situations I get in requiring backing are pretty much crawling, so I question how well the self-adjusting would work!
 
Brakes are the most critical component for fifth wheel safety. It is very good that Janice has stated that our units have manual adjusting brakes. They must be adjusted so that the brake shoes are very close to the drums but not rubbing when not applied. Brake application causes a magnet to energize a cam action lever that spreads the tops of the shoes and causes them to contact the drums, more voltage from the controller means more spreading of the shoes relative to the drum=more stopping power. But as others have said much more clearly than I, the brakes on the tow vehicle and fifth wheel must be in a harmonious relationship, meaning the fifth wheel is neither pushing forward or pulling back on the tow vehicle upon brake application. The mechanical parts (shoes and drums) must first be properly adjusted before the electrical parts (controller output) can be properly set. Many have said that the self-adjusting brakes that we can retrofit are a lot better than standard. But from my years in auto/light truck repair, a vast majority of vehicles with front disc/rear drum brake setups with self adjusting rear brakes go through four or five sets of front pads and the rear brake shoes still have lining left. Why?? I'm afraid the answer is- drivers do not know how to make the rear self adjusters WORK and the rear brakes are not even working during light to moderate braking. The vehicle needs to be backed up with some speed (not crawling) and the brake pedal must be pushed pretty hard. Unfortunately, according to the information I am reading on etrailer.com, their Nev-E-Adjust brakes work the same way. Some of you may be able to do otherwise, but all the situations I get in requiring backing are pretty much crawling, so I question how well the self-adjusting would work!

That is why I purchased Forward Adjusting Brakes from Lippert when I changed mine out. They adjust with every forward stop. I purchased mine at Camping World. Here's a link about them:

http://lci1.com/self-adjusting-brakes

Jim
 
Thanks Jim! I just saw the availability of the forward adjusting brakes on lci1.com. The perfect solution, what early 60s Corvette had before going to four wheel disc! Appreciate you a lot, Jim! I wonder if others have the forward adjusting brakes? I'll bet genuine Lippert wasn't cheap!
 
Years of adjusting these brakes is not all that difficult with a little work, the hardest part in my opinion is getting wheel of ground to adjust, and yes you might get dirty. For $200.00 I can wash a lot of clothes! I know it is frustrating, but people don't care any more!!
 
Looks like I have another item to look at when we get ours out of storage in a few weeks. I used to work at a large service shop during my college years to help pay for college and adjusted many brakes but that was 40 years ago. Just looked in my tool chest and still have my brake adjusting tool......crap !........looks like I'll be "getn dirty" again. I assume the adjusting for our RVs is just like the older cars/trucks and if so which way do I rotate the adjusters ?.....I can't remember.

Dan
 
Looks like I have another item to look at when we get ours out of storage in a few weeks. I used to work at a large service shop during my college years to help pay for college and adjusted many brakes but that was 40 years ago. Just looked in my tool chest and still have my brake adjusting tool......crap !........looks like I'll be "getn dirty" again. I assume the adjusting for our RVs is just like the older cars/trucks and if so which way do I rotate the adjusters ?.....I can't remember.

Dan

Dan - look at the video in post #9. The video was produced by Lipert and give very clear instruction on how to adjust them properly, including the direction to move your brake spoon. I was a mechanic from 1977-1979, and found my brake adjusting spoon in the toolbox too.

Jim
 
The Lippert video is a great resource!

PERSONAL OPINION
Number one brake option is what TucsonJim has, forward adjusting brakes by Lippert
Number two would be the factory brakes, especially if you have the tools and ability to adjust them yourself (I do)
Number three would be self-adjusting brakes that work when stopping in reverse. Reasoning- they would give us a false sense of security that all is well when in all likelihood the brakes are not actually adjusting. See my previous post referring to automotive applications.

When I have time soon I am going to start a thread "Braking Techniques" because this is the third Essential in properly slowing and stopping your combination vehicle in almost all foreseeable situations without incident or tragedy. We just came over Wolf Creek pass Monday with no drama because I used what I have learned from others and have practiced for a long time!
 
Jim--as Steve& Lynne stated the video is a great tool and thank you, much for providing the link ! I did watch it and will get the buttered popcorn ready so my wife can watch it later as well so she knows how to adjust the brakes :) Now I need to go find her coveralls.

Dan
 
Coming home from a 1500 mile trip got a red light camera ticket because brakes on my Reflection all of a sudden would not stop me. They were adjusted when we left on the trip. So it doesn't take long to go out of adjustment. Don
 
Coming home from a 1500 mile trip got a red light camera ticket because brakes on my Reflection all of a sudden would not stop me. They were adjusted when we left on the trip. So it doesn't take long to go out of adjustment. Don

Or you may have some other issue like failed wheel bearing seals allowing grease all over the brake shoes and drums.

Dave
 
Or you may have some other issue like failed wheel bearing seals allowing grease all over the brake shoes and drums.

Dave


I have my trailer at the dealer this week. Had them check just to be sure this was not an issue with our trailer.

Turns out it was,, all brakes totally greased up and we had NOT used a grease gun on the trailer. Waiting to hear about the repair from the dealer.

Lost
 
I have my trailer at the dealer this week. Had them check just to be sure this was not an issue with our trailer.

Turns out it was,, all brakes totally greased up and we had NOT used a grease gun on the trailer. Waiting to hear about the repair from the dealer.

Lost

Interesting lost. I just tool my trailer to the dealer yesterday for some warranty repairs so I asked him to check. I was going to have him adjust my brakes because I have just over 3,000 miles on it but decided against it since they want $375! I think he said he would still look at one wheel just to see if there was any indication of grease. If so, we will contact GD for advice.
 
How's that working out for you? I bet you are putting on YOUR coveralls as you read this! Hope to see you on the road somewhere!
 
The previous post was a reply to Toes in the Water! I bet his butt is NOT in the sand, but under the Reflection!
 
Steve & Lynne--I may have miscalculated my wife's appreciation for the learning opportunity and hands on experience. All is well though, I bought her a new torque wrench:eek:

Hope to see you out on the road as well just not in my coveralls under the RV. Wife has commented about going to the rally......will have to get this figured out in next few weeks.

Dan
 
Looks like the prudent thing to do is check the bearings, grease and replace the seals. I travel mostly on the Sierra's and do not want any challenges with stopping at 8500 feet.

Puzzling that this is an issue/concern, I suspect that most of us can say the issue never occurred on our previous RV.
 
If we can break away from our workamping assignment to attend the rally, I will be glad to manually adjust any and all attendees' brakes for a whole lot less than $375.00, how does $15.00 per axle sound? Just kidding, I do not want to charge anyone for anything! I am only making the point that it is NOT a 3 hour job (at $125.00 per hour). Having been in auto/light truck repair for many years, although there may not be a flat rate/estimating manual for RVs, 1/2 hour per axle would be a fair rate.
 

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