| This story begins when I offered to haul my | | | | give up and order new assemblies, I stumbled |
| friend's Aerostar van for him. He lives at | | | | upon Auto Safety House. They could use some |
| the top of a very steep gravel hill.We drove | | | | work on their web site, but they have great |
| the van on the trailer, strapped it down | | | | prices.I found a pair of new drums on e bay |
| tight, set the weight distributing hitch and | | | | and I was the only person who bid so I got |
| I headed down the hill. It was all going well | | | | both for the price of one. Then the wait for |
| until I hit the brakes.Basically there were | | | | Danny - my UPS driver - to bring them to me. |
| none. Only the fronts on the Suburban were | | | | Naturally the drums and magnets arrived on |
| locking. I pushed the big red button on my | | | | different days so he got to visit with my dog |
| home made trailer brake controller giving | | | | Smash twice.Upon closer inspection of the |
| them the full 13.7 volts but nothing. Well | | | | trailer brakes, I noticed that I still did |
| almost nothing. I was still going down way | | | | not understand how they worked. Something |
| faster than I wanted to!The trailer brakes | | | | just did not look right about the way the |
| should have locked up solid when the red | | | | cams worked. It sure looked like they would |
| button is pushed making everything at least | | | | be stronger in reverse. And this trailer has |
| slide straight - instead of the trailer | | | | always been tough to back up when the brakes |
| trying to pass the Suburban. Talk about the | | | | are working right.A quick look at the Dexter |
| cart before the horse!The way the load was | | | | Brakes web site confirmed my suspicions. The |
| pushing around that Suburban, I was really | | | | rear axle on my trailer was installed |
| glad I had not tried to tow with my little | | | | backwards.I decided the bearings did not |
| Jeep Cherokee.Once that job was done I backed | | | | really care if they were spinning backwards, |
| the trailer into the shop to take my first | | | | so I elected to simply swap the brake |
| look at those trailer brakes. I have owned | | | | assemblies left to right.Having them off made |
| this trailer for nearly twenty five years and | | | | installing the magnets and routing the not so |
| I have never seen inside the brake drums on | | | | little green wires somewhat easier. I found |
| it. I guess it was about time.My inspection | | | | that some lubricant made getting them through |
| of the first drum showed me a little about | | | | the grommets a lot easier.Dexter Magnets are |
| how electric trailer brakes work. There is | | | | identified by the wire color. The correct |
| an electromagnet that pulls against the | | | | one for my 3500lb axles is the green wire. |
| inside of the drum. The friction of the | | | | Nice they have not changed that in 25 |
| magnet against the drum moves one shoe that | | | | years.The magnets are held in by spring clips |
| in turn moves the other shoe with a cam | | | | that are really hard to get off. I used a |
| action.Pretty simple. But I did not see | | | | small screwdriver and a pry bar and bent them |
| anything wrong. The shoes looked fine, the | | | | slightly to get them off. The new magnets |
| drum was fine except for some scoring where | | | | came with new clips anyway.I loaded the new |
| the magnet rubbed. I put power to the magnet | | | | bearings with axle grease and installed the |
| and it seemed to pull OK. But, the friction | | | | new brake drums. They are not Dexter brand |
| of the magnet against the drum was obviously | | | | but the fit just fine.The wiring is was |
| not enough to work the shoes.I could not | | | | pretty simple to reconnect since there is no |
| figure out how a magnet could go bad, but | | | | polarity on the magnets. Just connect one |
| that is what it seemed. Time for some | | | | wire to the brake controller power lead and |
| Internet research.I eventually found a site | | | | one to ground. Dexter recommends running a |
| that said magnet failure was common on | | | | separate ground wire but I just grounded it |
| electric trailer brakes. So I went shopping | | | | to the trailer frame like it had been done |
| for trailer brake magnets. Most places | | | | before.Now my trailer has brakes again.For |
| wanted more for the magnet than I could buy | | | | pictures that go with this article see |
| the whole backing assembly for. To get one at | | | | Strawbridge is the owner of Straw Solution |
| a local parts store I would have to pay more | | | | Performance Improvement Consulting. He |
| than I could buy two backing assemblies for. | | | | enjoys helping others achieve their full |
| And new magnets are included in the backing | | | | performance potential and knows a thing or |
| plate assemblies.Just when I was about to | | | | two about keeping them safe while doing so. |