CTD2001

I have a dual axle snowmobile trailer that has electric brakes on the front axle. The brakes on the trailer seems to be acting funny and i am not sure if anyone could help me out.
I jack the front axle off the ground so i can spin the front tires by hand and have another person step on the brake pedal in the truck. When i spin the tires and have the person step on the brake pedal, the trailer wheels slowly come to a stop and do not lock up (this is with the gain set up high on the brake box). Next i will spin the tires by hand and have the person in the truck use the manual slide on the brake box and with the use of the manual slide on the brake box, the trailer wheels lock up instanly.
My question is, why are the wheels on the trailer not locking up instaly when the trucks brake pedal is applied, but they lock up instanly when the manaul slide is used on the brake box??
It seems that the trucks brake pedal is not sending a strong enough through the brake box then to the trailer brakes like it does when you use the manual slide on the brake box.
Hope this makes sense

GAmes

Probably because the controller is a pendulum type and the truck has to be decelerating to give max voltage to the brakes.

Totallyrad

I would agree.

CallmeD

These guys hit it dead on.

CTD2001

Ok, Thanks for the advice, i will have to investigate some more into it and see if that is the case, thanks

bnold

If it is a pendulum device most have to be mounted fairly horizontal... Is yours mounted this way?

Busboy

My pendulum style controller has a wheel on the side to compensate for mounting attitude. If yours has the same deal the wheel may have been turned accidentally so it's not working properly.

CTD2001

I dont believe that my brake box is a pendulum style box, it nothing fancy just a $60 Dollar unit from a local automotive store, A hopkins brake force brand .

GAmes

I can almost guarantee it is a pendulum if it is cheap.

AggieJustin

The inertia activated boxes will have two ***** on them (unless it's really low-end and can only be mounted horizontal).

One **** is used to correct for the angle that you have the box mounted, the other is the gain control to set how hard the brakes are applied. Check that first **** to make sure it is compensating for how your box is mounted.

So how are the brakes acting when you are driving? No stopping force? Too much?

CTD2001

There is only one **** on the brake box, the the dial for the gain setting, the brakes hardly work while pulling the trailer with the brake box gain all the way up. If i am pulling the trailer and use the manual slide, the brakes on the trailer will lock up. I emailed tech support at the company and described what was going on and they said to send the box back to them and they would send me out a brand new one at no charge. They did not give me any type of explanation to the problem though.

Totallyrad

Just for kicks I Goggled "Hopkins brake force" and in the $60 range the popular item was the model number 47225. It is a timed controller which, according to the description, is a timed unit. The description stated that the longer your brake pedal is depressed, the more power you will receive at the trailer brakes.

CTD2001

Totallyrad, you are right, how ever the problem is that there is no stopping difference of the trailers tire with the gain on high or the gain on low, i can step on the brake pedal in the truck and my buddy can keep spinning and spinning the tire untill i use the manual slide then the tire will lock right up. I dont know, i sent the box back to them today, i shall see if i get another one. Its like the box does not sense that the trucks brake pedal is being pushed, thanks for the help

Totallyrad

No problem CTD2001, hope it works out. With the offer they made you I'm betting you'll be OK.

PaulDaisy

Solid state inertia activated controllers are cheap too, and will not give full power to brakes unless there is deceleration detected. My old Tekonsha I think is one of these.
I can hardly imagine though that you would even feel a double snowmobile trailer even without any brakes on it, do you? It has got to be pretty light, 2-3k lbs?