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