How to Maintain Your Utility Trailer Brakes
Your trailer brakes are an essential part of staying safe on the road and getting where you need to be efficiently. They can seriously help take the pressure off your tow vehicle brakes, so they’re an important part of your mobile unit, but you might also start to take them for granted. Not properly maintaining your trailer brakes can let problems appear and manifest until you’re looking at a nasty, expensive fix.
As much as we enjoy your visits to Uvalco Powersports & Equipment, we don’t like to see our customers angry and frustrated over preventable problems, so we’ve provided some tips to keep your trailer brakes in peak working condition. If you need more help and want to talk to one of our experienced professionals, stop by our store in Bandera, TX. We also proudly serve San Antonio and Uvalde, TX.
Types of Trailer Brakes
First, you’ll want to understand how your particular trailer brakes work and you’ll probably be looking at one of two options: electric and surge. Electric brakes use an electrical connection between the tow vehicle’s brakes and the trailer brakes to tell the latter when it’s time to stop. This way, when you press on your pedal brake, a signal gets sent to your trailer brakes, activating them at the same time.
Surge brakes get triggered by the forward jolt of the trailer when you slow down. When the system senses the trailer is shifting forward, it automatically activates the brakes to keep the trailer from pushing into the back of your tow vehicle. The benefit here is that if you spend a lot of time around water, you won’t have to worry about fried electrical connections.
Brake Inspection
The most important maintenance tip we can give you is to perform regular inspections, no matter what kinds of brakes you have. You’ll want to roll up your sleeves (maybe literally) and inspect every part of the braking system to check for obvious signs of damage or disrepair. This should include the drums, shoes, and shoe return springs and hardware. Look for signs of corrosion, parts that seem to be grinding together, and shoes or drums that are too thin and need to be replaced. You’ll also want to compare both sides of the braking system. If your brakes seem to be wearing unevenly, this could either be a sign that you’re not loading your trailer correctly, that there’s something wrong with the hitch, or there might be some other issue at play that needs to be fixed.
Your Brake Types
When it comes to the specifics of your brakes, think about some of the defining factors of each system. Electric brakes will need their wiring and connections checked for frays and broken wires. Try pushing trailers with surge brakes to see if the braking system activates. If not, it might be an issue with the brake fluid or the master cylinder and wheel cylinders.
Frequency
You’ll want to perform these inspections at least once a year (or every 12,000 miles). They’re particularly important if you don’t use your trailer all the time. If it spends more time sitting than moving, consider taking your trailer for a drive every two or three months. This way, all the parts will get the exercise they need and you’ll avoid experiencing malfunctions related to disuse.
Inspections are important for keeping your brakes running smoothly, but you’ll want a plan for when you run into a problem. Some trailer owners feel confident repairing certain issues on their own, but this isn’t true across the board, so it’s always good to have a professional in mind. Feel free to stop by Uvalco Powersports & Equipment if you want to talk trailers. We welcome patrons from the Bandera, San Antonio and Uvalde, TX, areas.