5th wheel brakes

namusmc65 · 09-12-2018, 05:37 AM

Brakes went out on 5th wheel. Found blown 40 amp fuse on truck and replaced. Did not fix problem. Pulled break away switch and trailer brakes did not lock up. Does anyone know if there is a fuse in pigtail wiring or someplace that would cause this. Electronic display on truck shows trailer not connected. Thanks for any help. I am going to get a computer read out on truck this am to make sure truck is ok.

PlayersZ28 · 09-12-2018, 05:43 AM

The only thing between the breakaway switch and the battery in my Jayco drawings is a 50A breaker. On my trailer it's in the side battery compartment and ALL power goes through it before going anywhere else. This means that if you have lights in the trailer while unhooked you should have power at the brakes when the breakaway switch lanyard is pulled.

3'senough · 09-12-2018, 06:38 AM

Check all your connections at the axle. If one fails it shows the truck display and could, if the right one, knock out all 4.

namusmc65 · 09-12-2018, 06:38 AM

Do have 12 volt supply everywhere else, at least while plugged in. Charge is staying good.

Shackrat · 09-12-2018, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by namusmc65

Brakes went out on 5th wheel. Found blown 40 amp fuse on truck and replaced. Did not fix problem. Pulled break away switch and trailer brakes did not lock up. Does anyone know if there is a fuse in pigtail wiring or someplace that would cause this. Electronic display on truck shows trailer not connected. Thanks for any help. I am going to get a computer read out on truck this am to make sure truck is ok.

The blown fuse in the truck is a clue. Was it specifically for railer brakes, or was the fuse for the 12v charge line? If it is the former you likely have a short in the brake wiring. If it's the latter, the entire 12v system could be suspect.

First thing to do is take a multimeter and measure the resistance across the +brake and ground. If theres a short you'll see a very low resistance measurement of less than a few ohms or less. If you have low resistance chances are you have a wiring fault or bad magnet.

RoadrunnerII · 09-12-2018, 07:20 AM

Go back check fuse on truck has not blow a second time.
Crawl under trailer at the axles and disconnect the first connection to the front axle in the chain. My trailer is driver side front is first in the line. With it disconnected plug into truck 7pin. Pull the breakaway switch. Check for 12volts on line from front /truck. . Narrows down the issue. Either in brakes or wiring. If 12 volts present then its in the brakes or connections after the first connection at front axle. If you have 12vilts first place to look is wire inside axle or a bad shorted magnet in brakes

RoadrunnerII

namusmc65 · 09-12-2018, 07:45 AM

Thanks guys. Currently camping at Georgia Good Sam State Rally. I will have to get someone to check as I am physically unable to crawl under the rig and start pulling connections. Just recently had a brake job done and suspect that is where the problem has started. I hate to pull the rig all the way back to the dealer as that is a 70 mile haul, with no brakes.

vcbice · 09-12-2018, 08:00 AM

FWIW, I have found myself without trailer brakes before. If you take it slow and avoid traffic (if possible) you can do it.

Or, if you can afford it, have a mobile service come look at it.

I'd call the place that did your brakes in the first place. If it is a reputable shop then they might work something out with you.

namusmc65 · 09-13-2018, 04:10 AM

Thanks for all the replies guys. This forum has a wealth of information. I re-checked the fuse on the truck and all is good. Have power at the 7-way trailer brake connection. Called a guy who has done some work for me before and he happened to be driving right by the Georgia National Fairgrounds where we were camped. Said he would turn around and come back. Told him the symptoms and he said probably a break in the wiring somewhere. He climbed under the rig to the axles like someone suggested and found a disconnected wire. It seems when my brake job was done, someone forgot to crimp one of the connections and they had come apart. Crimped those together and all seems to be working. Thank goodness an easy fix. We hooked the trailer up to the truck and brakes working fine. The best part of all about this was he charged me $20 and a bottle of cold water. It was 96 degrees when he was crawling around under my rig. Thanks again to all of you who responded.

**norty1** · 09-13-2018, 05:06 AM

I just had one of my brake assemblies replaced and was alarmed when I saw all the crimped connections under there. I spent several hours a few weeks back soldering and sealing every wired connection and it made a huge difference in my trailer braking.
Crimps and wire nut connections when exposed to road grime and water can slowly degrade your brakes due to the way they are all wired together.

The brake assembly at the end of the chain will be less effective than the first one.

Glad you got it repaired.

Wrascal · 09-13-2018, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norty1

I just had one of my brake assemblies replaced and was alarmed when I saw all the crimped connections under there.

While I was originally of the old school opinion that soldering (early 1970s) was the best choice (NASA) I was subsequently schooled (early 1990's - aviation) that crimping is a better option when vibrations are taken in to consideration.

I'm now many years outside of this knowledge base so YMMV.

Times are always a'changing.

PlayersZ28 · 09-14-2018, 06:16 AM

I like to use the heat shrink butt connectors. The crimp connectors that look like wire nuts are everywhere in the trailers as they only require one crimp rather than two. Time is important when you're trying to build a trailer in a few hours

namusmc65 · 09-16-2018, 06:31 PM

I do know this, my old brakes were much more effective than my new brakes. I hardly slow down when applying the new brakes with the hand brake controller and full resistance applied. My old brakes would jerk the truck back when trailer brakes applied. The dealer told me they had to burn themselves in.

oldmanAZ · 09-16-2018, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by namusmc65

I do know this, my old brakes were much more effective than my new brakes. I hardly slow down when applying the new brakes with the hand brake controller and full resistance applied. My old brakes would jerk the truck back when trailer brakes applied. The dealer told me they had to burn themselves in.

My brakes took lots of stop and go driving before they became seated/adjusted and started braking effectively. But after reading so many comments here about poor crimped connections, I'm going to look mine over carefully before next season. Poor connections will reduce current flow and brake performance.

RoadrunnerII · 09-16-2018, 07:24 PM

Something is definitely wrong on your trailer brakes. Either they have gotten grease on them from the inside seal or the wiring or the magnets. If you are handy with a ohmmeter you can check the magnets and wiring. On a hard flat surface trailer brakes only doing 20mph it should pull you to a stop and not lock up. Wheels jacked up you should hear the brakes dragging when you spin by hand. Or they did not adjust them up properly.

RoadrunnerII

Quote:

Originally Posted by namusmc65

I do know this, my old brakes were much more effective than my new brakes. I hardly slow down when applying the new brakes with the hand brake controller and full resistance applied. My old brakes would jerk the truck back when trailer brakes applied. The dealer told me they had to burn themselves in.

**norty1** · 09-16-2018, 07:36 PM

If your trailer was towed from the factory, the brakes should be already burned in when you get it.

oldmanAZ · 09-16-2018, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norty1

If your trailer was towed from the factory, the brakes should be already burned in when you get it.

Not necessarily, norty1...
I picked up my TT from Middlebury, IN and towed it to Cottonwood, AZ (~1,800mi on the Interstates) but my TT brakes were very weak the whole way. It wasn't until we went camping south of Phoenix with lots of stop and go traffic along the way that my TT brakes finally worked as they should. I think the brakes adjust a bit with each complete stop so IMO it depends on the route the delivery driver took.

PlayersZ28 · 09-17-2018, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Not necessarily, norty1...
I picked up my TT from Middlebury, IN and towed it to Cottonwood, AZ (~1,800mi on the Interstates) but my TT brakes were very weak the whole way. It wasn't until we went camping south of Phoenix with lots of stop and go traffic along the way that my TT brakes finally worked as they should. I think the brakes adjust a bit with each complete stop so IMO it depends on the route the delivery driver took.

You're in Cottonwood? We like that town and area. We boondocked on Thou Trails. We'll see how the tail end of the winter works for weather to get back there again this yr.

namusmc65 · 10-05-2018, 12:03 PM

The saga continues. On my last trip, although had current to brakes, had hardly any braking action at all. When I parked it, we got under it and only the driver's side was getting power. You could put the truck in gear and not add any gas and on a level surface with the trailer brakes appllied full, it would creep forward. No braking at all. Found another bad connection and finally got power to driver's side. Pulled all wiring through the axle and rerouted it outside the axle in a protective sheaf. Re did all connections and finally got power to all four wheels. Readjusted all 4 set of brake pads and I do believe I will have good braking now. Lifted each wheel to adjust brakes so a little friction was felt. They lock down real good now when brakes are applied. Hopefully, this will take care of my braking problem. Leaving on a trip Monday morning so we will soon know.

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