TrailManor Owner's Forum  

Go Back   TrailManor Owner's Forum > TrailManor Technical Discussions > Frame
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-18-2020, 12:15 PM   #1
Pater C
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 32
Default Testing New Brakes

I just replaced my brake assemblies with new Dexter Nev-r-adjust brakes. I am not sure I have the wiring installed correctly. I tried applying the brakes from the TV while the TM was still jacked up on one side and the brakes didn't seem to apply. I know the self-adjusting style brakes take some use to fully adjust so I tried to test the voltage to the brakes. I couldn't get a reading, but my brake controller (Tekonsha P3) shows about 11-14 amps being sent to the brakes.

If the brake controller shows the amps going to the brakes does that confirm the amperage or do I need to try again to use my meter at the brakes?

2017 Honda Ridgeline
2001 2720SL
Pater C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2020, 12:23 PM   #2
Pater C
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 32
Default

I should also add that I first tested the brakes by pulling the pin from the breakaway switch. That's when I first noticed the brakes didn't seem to actuate. The break-away switch is getting 12v of power. I tested the line with my meter.
__________________
Pater C.

2017 Honda Ridgeline
2001 2720SL
Pater C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2020, 04:20 PM   #3
Larryjb
Site Sponsor
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Vancouver BC
Posts: 1,518
Default

Bill recommended that I get a clamp style ammeter to measure current going to the brakes. I got this one:

https://www.kmstools.com/klein-tools...p-meter-169424

It has been well worth it. This way you would be able to tell if current is flowing through the system or not.
__________________
Larry

2002 Tahoe
2008 4.6 Explorer
2001 2720SD

Various TM images that you may or may not find elsewhere:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/album.php?u=11700
Larryjb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2020, 04:51 PM   #4
Bill
Site Team
 
Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,088
Default

Pater C -

11-14 amps is too much, so there may be a problem. Unless the Never-Adjust Brakes are different from other brakes (I don't think so), each brake should draw around 3 amps or a bit more. If we say 3-4 amps, you should be looking at 6-8 amps total.

By any chance, did an earlier owner tie the TM's brake lights into the brake control line? That is unneeded and not planned for. An easy way to check is to pop the lens off the taillights (both sides) and remove the bulbs. Now what is the amp reading?

Do you have anything else tied into the brake circuit, like an electric tongue jack (hope not) or a front light, or ... ?

Rather than pulling the pin, what does your controller measure when you activate the brakes manually at the Tekonsha control?

If your rig is moving and you step on the brakes, what does the controller say?

Unless you have a DC-capable clamp meter, trying to measure the current at the brakes is a real pain because you must disconnect the wires. The wires are connected with wire nuts, which you must unscrew (easy) and then must re-apply - kind of a pain since you must make them waterproof. We discussed DC-capable clamp meters here on the forum, but even though they are cheap, I don't think many folks bought one.
https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...light=clamp-on

As for your other question - why don't the brakes grab? - I think think the installation instructions say that you have to drive at relatively slow speed (30 mph?), then apply the brakes. (You can do this forward or backward.) Now do this 12 more times. ISTR that for me, I actually had to do this many more times before they first began to take hold. Take a look at the instructions again.

But resolve the brake line current issue first.

Bill
__________________
2020 2720QS (aka 2720SL)
2014 Ford F-150 4WD 5.0L
Bill's Tech Stuff album
Bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2020, 05:26 PM   #5
Bill
Site Team
 
Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,088
Default

The Dexter web site is a pain to use - you need lots of patience. I'm assuming you have found this document. There is a lot if info in it, much of which does not apply to TM brakes. But some of it does. In particular, it says that the current expected in each brake magnet is 3 amps, so you should be looking for a total of 6 amps.
https://www.dexteraxle.com/docs/defa...rsn=12dee048_0

It occurs to me that 11-14 amps might represent a dead short, with current limited by the wire resistance. This limiting is especially applicable if your Tow Vehicle has #14 or #12 wires from the controller to the back bumper. The TM is wired with #10, which is proper, but most tow vehicles are not. Who wired the controller wiring for you?

The presence of a short is easy to identify. Just disconnect the trailer from the tow vehicle, disconnect the TM battery, and measure the resistance from the brake line pin in the TM's 7-pin connector cable, to ground. Each brake is around 4 ohms, so the parallel pair should measure about 2 ohms. Anything less suggests the presence of a short.

Bill
__________________
2020 2720QS (aka 2720SL)
2014 Ford F-150 4WD 5.0L
Bill's Tech Stuff album
Bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2020, 07:07 PM   #6
Pater C
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 32
Default

Bill I missed the post on “clamp on” meters. I think I saw a different one and got a meter without a clamp because an electrician said I would never really need the clamp. Hmm...in any case I have one I can borrow this go around.

I do have a problem with my left brake light, some sort of periodic short. I haven’t traced it yet. I don’t think the lights are tied in. I haven’t traced them yet, but there are 3 wires to the brakes on the left side. I think they are just wired to power, the breakaway switch and the brakes on the other side. My break controller was factory wired. All I had to do is plug in the controller to the port. A more promising thing to look at is the resistance on the TM that you mentioned. The bargeman connect was severed at some point by a previous owner. It was connected by a bouncy of pigtail connectors (those ones they use a bunch of in the TM) and protected by a piece of PVC. One of them came loose and I decided to removed the pigtails and solder all the wires. I checked the connects before, but not the resistance.

Click image for larger version

Name:	7335E9F3-535C-4B1C-AD1A-14617DCAD775.jpg
Views:	59
Size:	1.19 MB
ID:	18820
__________________
Pater C.

2017 Honda Ridgeline
2001 2720SL
Pater C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2020, 07:12 PM   #7
Pater C
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 32
Default

I went to chef a few of the things. When I hook up my TV and TM and pull the brake controller to manually activate the brakes I get 13.4

I also looked at my TM brake lights. The picture is from the left light which is the one that seems to have a short. The light works or not according to how tight the screw is in the upper left. That screw does not bite very well so it comes and goes. I am not sure what you where suggesting to measure with hte bulbs removed. The bottom lights had .2 amps. The top light had no amps because they were not activated.

I will have to wait for daylight to check the resistance on the TM bargeman or roll down the street and test the brakes.
__________________
Pater C.

2017 Honda Ridgeline
2001 2720SL
Pater C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2020, 07:21 PM   #8
Larryjb
Site Sponsor
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Vancouver BC
Posts: 1,518
Default

The clamp on multimeter I referenced does measure DC current at the clamp. You do have to be careful which style you get.
__________________
Larry

2002 Tahoe
2008 4.6 Explorer
2001 2720SD

Various TM images that you may or may not find elsewhere:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/album.php?u=11700
Larryjb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-19-2020, 08:05 AM   #9
Pater C
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 32
Default

I think you are correct that the blue and white go to the controller. However, the two black wires go to the brake on the passenger side. The two green wires pictured go to the brake on the passenger side. Each brake has two green wires. The black wires are the connection between the brakes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
__________________
Pater C.

2017 Honda Ridgeline
2001 2720SL
Pater C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-19-2020, 09:27 AM   #10
Bill
Site Team
 
Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,088
Default

Thanks for climbing under and checking. I wish I'd had my TM to cross-check my hypothesis. I am going to delete my post, since I don't want to mislead anyone in the future.

Bill
__________________
2020 2720QS (aka 2720SL)
2014 Ford F-150 4WD 5.0L
Bill's Tech Stuff album
Bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Trailer Brakes hal General Maintenance and Cleaning 23 12-28-2010 02:18 PM
New Brakes mbd4kids General TrailManor Topics 5 08-27-2009 07:59 PM
Just changed brakes and bearings -- why are the hubs so hot? ShrimpBurrito Frame 19 10-22-2008 01:32 PM
Brakes Grabbing zemmels Frame 10 07-03-2007 10:30 AM
Adjusting brakes hal Frame 5 07-20-2004 08:18 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:19 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 2022 Trailmanor Owners Page.