How to Adjust RV Trailer Brakes
Trailer brakes should be adjusted at least once a year, more often depending on the miles traveled, the severity of downhill grades, and the amount of stopping and going traffic. This is a task that most people with average mechanical skills need to perform. be able to drive.
You’ll need a brake adjustment tool, available at most hardware supply stores, a jack capable of safely raising the trailer, and a jack stand to hold the trailer in the raised position. What this involves is the adjustment of the star wheel which, in turn, adjusts the brake shoe to the brake drum clearance. This adjustment is important: as the brake shoes wear, the clearance increases. The drive mechanism must travel further to apply the brakes effectively and a point may be reached where the mechanism can no longer do so.
RV Trailer Brake Adjustment
Park the trailer on firm, level ground.
Block the trailer wheels on the opposite side securely so that no forward or backward movement is possible.
Jack up the trailer following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Secure the trailer on jack stands of adequate capacity at the front and rear.
At the rear of the wheel, on the brake back plate, there is a small rubber plug near the bottom of the back plate. Remove this plug to give access to the star wheel adjuster.
Some trailers have a drop axle suspension system and the axle covers most of this adjustment hole, making it difficult to use the brake tool. Patience will win in the end if you keep it up.
Insert the brake adjusting tool and maneuver the tool to engage the teeth on the star wheel. The star wheel looks like a gear with exposed teeth on the perimeter. On most trailers, you would pull down on the handle of the prying tool at the bottom of the hole and turn the starwheel up (as you look at it from the back of the wheel. Just to make it harder, the star wheel is located well inside and some maneuvering is required – a flashlight will help locate the star wheel.
Turn the adjuster until the brake locks, ie you can no longer turn the wheel by hand. This centers the brake shoes on the brake drum so they are in the correct position.
Now back off the starwheel 8-10 clicks or as specified by the manufacturer. The wheel must spin freely with no apparent resistance to reduce speed. A slight scraping noise is normal when turning the wheel.
Repeat this procedure for all wheels.
Congratulations, you’ve successfully adjusted your own trailer’s brakes…that wasn’t too bad, was it?
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