Brakes lock on in reverse

[hadd]

Hi all, iv'e Just put new brake cable,s on my trailer & cleaned all the brakes free from rust ,been out on a test run & all works well , but when i reverse the trailer i can feel the brakes locking on , would this be the damper, on its way out ?

[PeterM]

An obvious question , but it is an auto reverse without a reversing latch?

[hadd]

Originally Posted by PeterM

An obvious question , but it is an auto reverse without a reversing latch?

Hi peter, its a bradley hitch , i think its auto reverse , the damper seam,s to push in to easy ,not by hand but when i reverse thats why i,m thinking the damper could be on its way out.

[Richard Selman]

I would have thought it more likely that the auto reversing mechanism inside the drum is sticking and not allowing the shoes to back-off.

4wd lo ratio is a useful work around.....

Richard

[Pikey Dave]

Andy,you might have adjusted the cable up too tight, the auto reverse mechanism needs room inside the hub to work. Try slacking off the adjuster on the cable a tad.

[Trailer Guy]

1. everything back in the right way round? i.e. if knott, is leading shoe, with drum rotation indicator, facing the right way.
2. adjusted the brakes correctly?
3. are you reversing up a slight incline with a heavy load?

[hadd]

Originally Posted by Trailer Guy

1. everything back in the right way round? i.e. if knott, is leading shoe, with drum rotation indicator, facing the right way.
2. adjusted the brakes correctly?
3. are you reversing up a slight incline with a heavy load?

On the flat with the rib on the trailer , when i reverse the damper is going right in as if its a pushing the brakes on again , the brakes don't lock on all the way, i can still reverse with the trailer but the brakes are coming on.

[Trailer Guy]

The damper will go all the way in, that's normal, but the trailer should allow you reverse without any issue, once the shoe cams have activated.

It sounds like it may be down to adjustment. Did you adjust the shoes at the drum? A lot of people make the mistake of adjusting at the cable (as Pikey suggested).

[C-NUMB]

Originally Posted by Trailer Guy

A lot of people make the mistake of adjusting at the cable .

So what goes for any brake adjustments on trailers, a no go to touch the nuts on the cables, only drum work?

[Erin]

I think you're meant to tighten the nut on the back plate until the shoes just start to bind and then back it off a bit. The nut pulls a wedge between the ends of the shoes and opens them out to operate them, a bit like the brake cable does. As Trailer Guy says, if you take up the slack using the brake cable instead then it affects the anti-reverse operation on that type of shoe.