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Re: [RC] Trailer brakes--disasterous - Sisu West Ranch"....and found out I've never had brakes,,,," There are two ways to find out if your trailer brakes are working at all. The first test is to look at the controller when you have your foot on the brakes. All have some way of letting you know that the controller is sending power to the brakes. One of mine has a green LED on it that only turns on when there is a circuit. It turns various shades of red when brakes are applied. The other has numbers that show how much brake voltage when brakes are applied. The numbers only show up when there is some current is going somewhere. If wiring is shorted, or something is mechanically out of wack on the brakes you still could have no actual brakes. The second test is to take the empty trailer out on a relatively safe road. Adjust the brake controller to produce much more braking than usual. Go down the road at moderate speed and gently apply the truck brakes. If the trailer brakes are working, you will feel a jerk when they engage, and perhaps the trailer wheels will skid.. You now know know that you have brakes and have adjusted the controller to to much braking. Follow the instructions to readjust the controller to the proper amount of braking. Note: neither of these tests eliminate the absolute requjirement that every other spring, someone remove the wheels, inspect the brakes, and regrease the bearings. You do not want to wait until a wheel bearing burns up from lack of grease. It always happens at 75 MPH, down a mountain, 100 miles from the nearest town. If you think about all the boat trailers you have seen next to the highway with one wheel missing you will understand what can happen. Boat trailers need to be regreased much more frequently, because the hot wheels are dipped in the water when launching the boat. The water cools things and draws water into the bearings. If neglected long enough, the same thing will happen to horse trailers. I had to replace all 4 sets of wheel bearings on my LQ trailer when I bought it used. All of the bearings were dry, and showed evidence of over heating. Ed Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower Road Victor, MT 59875 (406) 642-9640 ranch@xxxxxxxxxxx =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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