2018 Whitehawk 27RB - Brakes Seem Weak

hankstone · 02-20-2019, 06:10 PM

Hi,

Over the summer I picked up a new 27RB... drove to Utah to pick it up and turned around 3 times to have the dealer look again at the brakes. On my old trailer, a trailite 23 footer the brakes had a very positive grab and I could make them lockup easily with the brake controller (of course I dialed that out of the gain). With the new trailer, even with my controller maxed out if I hit the manual trailer brake it slows me down, but it is weak.

The dealer kept telling me that's how it is with a bigger trailer (the 27RB is like 32ft) and in the end I was fine going over the pass (back to CA) but it's never stopped worrying me that the brakes aren't right...

So... those with 30+ft trailers... is this how they work due to the weight (3000lb vs 7000ish lbs loaded)?

Wondering if I've got grease on the pads or something... The dealer warned against tightening the brakes further as they said they will rub and wear out quickly....

woggy718 · 02-20-2019, 06:31 PM

I recently purchased a 28BHBE (around 6800 lbs) and I am the farthest thing from an expert but I have my gain at 1.5 and mine grab pretty good. To the point where I don’t feel the trailer pushing me at all when I break. I tow with a Yukon XL so if my brakes were weak, I think I’d feel it.

Dave.H · 02-21-2019, 09:58 AM

I've never had an issue with the drums on mine.

Should be able to lock them up.

Sundancer330 · 02-21-2019, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hankstone

Hi,

Over the summer I picked up a new 27RB... drove to Utah to pick it up and turned around 3 times to have the dealer look again at the brakes. On my old trailer, a trailite 23 footer the brakes had a very positive grab and I could make them lockup easily with the brake controller (of course I dialed that out of the gain). With the new trailer, even with my controller maxed out if I hit the manual trailer brake it slows me down, but it is weak.

The dealer kept telling me that's how it is with a bigger trailer (the 27RB is like 32ft) and in the end I was fine going over the pass (back to CA) but it's never stopped worrying me that the brakes aren't right...

So... those with 30+ft trailers... is this how they work due to the weight (3000lb vs 7000ish lbs loaded)?

Wondering if I've got grease on the pads or something... The dealer warned against tightening the brakes further as they said they will rub and wear out quickly....

Which brake controller are you using, my P3 had two different settings gain and boost, if I just turned up the gain to max not much happened, also needed to adjust the boost setting.

oldmanAZ · 02-21-2019, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hankstone

Hi,

Over the summer I picked up a new 27RB... drove to Utah to pick it up and turned around 3 times to have the dealer look again at the brakes. On my old trailer, a trailite 23 footer the brakes had a very positive grab and I could make them lockup easily with the brake controller (of course I dialed that out of the gain). With the new trailer, even with my controller maxed out if I hit the manual trailer brake it slows me down, but it is weak.

The dealer kept telling me that's how it is with a bigger trailer (the 27RB is like 32ft) and in the end I was fine going over the pass (back to CA) but it's never stopped worrying me that the brakes aren't right...

So... those with 30+ft trailers... is this how they work due to the weight (3000lb vs 7000ish lbs loaded)?

Wondering if I've got grease on the pads or something... The dealer warned against tightening the brakes further as they said they will rub and wear out quickly....

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new trailer.

On my new 2015 trailer the brakes were weak until they were worn in. That took MANY stops in city traffic. My trailer owners manual mentioned this. Maybe yours does, too.

On the highway from Indiana to Arizona there were not enough stops to wear them in; it is stops, not just miles. After a trip through Phoenix city stop and go traffic, the brakes started working great and still do.

There have been a couple of people on this site that did have grease on their brakes. Hopefully when your dealer checked for that when you returned to have them checked.

hankstone · 02-21-2019, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundancer330

Which brake controller are you using, my P3 had two different settings gain and boost, if I just turned up the gain to max not much happened, also needed to adjust the boost setting.

I'm using the factory controller built into my 2017 F-150... there are three settings for low/med/high and gain... tried all.

hankstone · 02-21-2019, 11:27 AM

Thanks!

They have improved a little over the drive from Utah to CA and the 3 or 4 trips I've taken... and haul mode on the truck and brakes together haven't felt weak in use... it's just applying the manual brake that isnt stellar.

And no, they didnt pull any wheels and look (at the time I was unaware of that possibility). Its just like with Harleys... reply is always "its normal". I'll give it a few more trips and keep an eye on them!

Appreciate all the replys!!

mia389 · 02-21-2019, 12:16 PM

Brakes need to break in.

This is from Lippert,

Quote:

General Maintenance
Break-In Period For Electric Drum Brakes (Burnishing)
Prior to any adjustments, your coach brakes should be burnished-in.
The break-in period is a typical phenomenon with drum brakes and especially electric drum brakes. Electric
drum brakes will require a break-in period to achieve full performance. This break-in period applies for new
axles and any time new brake shoes and/or magnets are installed as part of regular maintenance.
Lippert Components has found through extensive brake testing that the break-in period for our drum
brakes can range from 20 to 50 brake applications.
Brakes can be seated in by applying approximately 8-10 volts to the coach brakes at an initial speed of 40
mph and allowing the truck/coach combination to slow down to 20 or 25 mph. For best results do not use
truck brakes during this procedure. The coach brakes will seat in faster by using them to stop both the truck
and coach. The easiest method is to apply the coach brakes using the manual activation lever located on the
in-cab brake controller. Care must be taken to not overheat the lining material, therefore brake applications
conducted at one mile intervals will suffice. The driver should feel a noticeable difference in the brake
performance during this period, sometimes in as few as 10 applications. After 50 applications, the brake
lining material will be fully cured from the heat and develop close to 100% contact with the brake drum
surface.
This break-in period not only seats the shoe lining material but also seats in the brake magnets. During the
break-in period, the linings will wear at a faster rate than they do after they are seated in.
Note: Brakes should be manually adjusted after the first 200 miles of operation and periodically thereafter,
at approximately 3,000 mile intervals.

hankstone · 02-21-2019, 12:41 PM

Thanks Mia... I'll give it time and keep an eye on em!

Dave.H · 02-21-2019, 01:00 PM

Interesting. I have always gotten lucky. Learn something new everyday.

mtb4life · 02-22-2019, 09:33 AM

If you towed it over from UT to CA, I would have expected that brakes would have already burned-in. You don't have to open it but I would just check each drums.

If you have a temp gun, on your next outing, check each hub for the temperature. If one of them is extremely cooler than the others, then it's time to check that hub.

I had felt weak brakes at one point and that's how I found out on mine that I have only 3 functioning brakes out of the 4. The shoe came off completely out of the post and trashed the hub.

hankstone · 02-23-2019, 08:39 AM

Wow... I'll pick up a heat gun

ALJO · 02-23-2019, 09:18 AM

Better choice if you expect less braking and all the TV settings are at maximum, is to check the amps at the drum or remove each hub and check for problems.

hankstone · 02-23-2019, 10:42 AM

They did check the voltage but at the plug, not at the hubs...

ALJO · 02-23-2019, 10:55 AM

Voltage and amps are two different things. Get the Axle mfg. Manual for instructions). When I replaced all my brake assemblies it took about a 1000 miles to be fully adjusted before I had firm brakes.

hankstone · 04-29-2019, 05:07 PM

took it in for some warranty work, issue with a magnet on one brake...

Scott_Trailer_Newbe · 04-29-2019, 09:20 PM

We had a 24’ RKS with a P3 in our Tundra. You had to really dial the breaks up in the mountain passes to feel them. About 7-8.0 gain and they were there. Same with our 2018 28RL with the factory brake controller, 7-8.0. Try pulling into a gas station with this setting and forget it. I think this is just how trailer brakes work.

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