How do you adjust the trailer brakes?

Here is my advice, do not listen to anyone on forums or YouTube videos, have someone actually get under the truck or trailer and show you exactly how it is done and what to look for.

why?



because this crap happens.

 

Exactly!

 

Well

Considering most don't look at their brakes. Or even bother with their brakes.

They also don't look at their hubs either.

I'm willing to bet that was a hub/bearing problem over brake problem. Just look at the pic. That's a common scenario right there. Rather then brakes that no one touches.

See that happen all the time.

So you really can't say don't listen to forum or YT. Lot of good comments were posted on this thread.

How you gonna learn if you don't ask?

 

Lots of misinformation too.

 

I believe that's the case.

 

Not seeing it.

 

Steer axle brakes are backed off a 1/4 turn. Everything else is 1/2 turn.

Going backwards does nothing. A hand brake is handy, but several hard stabs on the pedal will do the same thing.

There are a couple different styles. Some are 7/16. Some have a 3/4 lock on the side that either needs to be removed or the spring loaded pawl needs to be pulled out. Those have a 5/16 square drive head.

This is just plain false. You can still purchase new ones. They are no longer installed from the factory and you can’t retrofit a new trailer/truck with them.

This is way too tight. You are shortening the life of you shoes, creating excessive heat and losing fuel mileage due to brake drag.

These are just a few things from the first couple of pages. I’m sure I can go on.

 

To everyone saying “grab a 9/16 wrench”, I highly doubt the OP is pulling a trailer old enough to have manual slack adjusters.

If your trailer brakes won’t hold enough to slide your tandems the first thing I’d do is release the trailer brakes and mash the brake pedal to the floor a couple times. Then set the trailer brakes and try again. If they still won’t hold then I’d call someone because it would be obvious that the auto slacks aren’t working as they should.

 

There's no brake drag or there would be smoke. From heated brakes. Seen in the mirrors.

There's roughly 1/8ish turn before the clicks even happen. Throw in 3 or 4 clicks you're practically 1/4 turn.

Watch your brakes next time.
You can actually see them moving to the drum and away from the drum.