How to Perform Pre-Departure Trailer Brake Check?

[howson]

Hey Howard! Gettin' a little excited yet?

Just a bit! Not sure I'm looking forward to the PDI in the middle of July, though. Bringing multiple changes of clothes, sweatbands, etc. I should just throw on my swimsuit on Monday and call it good. <lol>

[[email protected]]

So I watched a YouTube video on how one individual checks his brakes before departure. What he did was pull the emergency brake pin and then attempt to drive forward. Predictably, the wheels on his trailer locked up thus proving the emergency breakaway system worked. Then (with the pin reinserted in the breakaway switch) he manually applied his brake controller and again the wheels locked up when he attempted to drive forward.

Is that what you do? If not, what is your process to ensure the brakes are good prior to departure?

Thank you for your patience as I bombard this forum with questions...the countdown is T-3 days to pickup!

-Howard

The one thing I have not seen anybody mention that I do with my 5th wheel. I raise the front landing off the ground about 3" and then I check the brakes by rolling forward and manually controlling the brake controller. I watched a camper check the brakes and for some reason the pin was not connected correctly and the trailer fell down on the truck causing a lot of damage. So I just raised my landing gear up a couple of inches apply the brake controller and roll forward. If all is good, I raise the landing gear up the rest of the way and I'm on the road.

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[TheLexx]

The one thing I have not seen anybody mention that I do with my 5th wheel. I raise the front landing off the ground about 3" and then I check the brakes by rolling forward and manually controlling the brake controller. I watched a camper check the brakes and for some reason the pin was not connected correctly and the trailer fell down on the truck causing a lot of damage. So I just raised my landing gear up a couple of inches apply the brake controller and roll forward. If all is good, I raise the landing gear up the rest of the way and I'm on the road.

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That's a good technique. Cheaper to fix damaged landing gear than a damaged truck bed.

I always get directly behind the hitch to observe the jaws are closed around the king pin. Also on my Reese there is a metal tab the shows when it is properly hitched. Only then is it possible to push through the safety pin.

I always squeeze the trailer brake controller and allow the engine torque to try and move the trailer a bit. If the jaws don't hold, hopefully I've stopped in time before the whole thing falls off the hitch plate.

Your advice can potentially save someone a big headache!

[FT4NOW]

The one thing I have not seen anybody mention that I do with my 5th wheel. I raise the front landing off the ground about 3" and then I check the brakes by rolling forward and manually controlling the brake controller. I watched a camper check the brakes and for some reason the pin was not connected correctly and the trailer fell down on the truck causing a lot of damage. So I just raised my landing gear up a couple of inches apply the brake controller and roll forward. If all is good, I raise the landing gear up the rest of the way and I'm on the road.

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I do the pull test with front jacks down and wheel chocks in place. If hitch isn't latched correctly I don't even want my trailer falling 3". There is no reason to lift the landing gear for a pull test. Once that is confirmed, I'll check the brakes again when rolling.

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[[email protected]]

I do the pull test with front jacks down and wheel chocks in place. If hitch isn't latched correctly I don't even want my trailer falling 3". There is no reason to lift the landing gear for a pull test. Once that is confirmed, I'll check the brakes again when rolling.

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I just want to make sure the torque of the truck pulls on the hitch, insted of the landing gear. I used to do it with the landing gear down, and then I watched as my wife did it. And I noticed how much torque it was applying to the landing gear. I am not getting a running start and then applying the controller, I'm doing this from the stand still. The trailer still rocks back-and-forth several inches just from the flex of the springs and tires. I figure it's best to not apply that much torque to the landing gear. But your gear may appear to be sturdier than mine does.

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[Cate&Rob]

This discussion is now mixing two different things. One is checking the brakes and the other is checking the hitch connection. Obviously both are important, but they are different tasks. There is certainly no need to lift the landing gear 3" or remove the chocks to check the hitch connection. If your hitch connections comes apart, you would want your landing gear very close to the ground and the trailer chocks still in place. I do lift my landing gear clear of the ground by maybe 1/2" before doing this pull test to make sure that the full weight of the trailer is on the hitch.

I also manually engage the trailer brakes when doing the hitch pull test to make sure that I don't roll over a chock. One of the benefits of the electric-over-hydraulic trailer disc brakes is that you can hear the onboard trailer brake actuator spool up, which tells you that the trailer brakes are connected.

Rob

[johndeerefarmer]

So I watched a YouTube video on how one individual checks his brakes before departure. What he did was pull the emergency brake pin and then attempt to drive forward. Predictably, the wheels on his trailer locked up thus proving the emergency breakaway system worked. Then (with the pin reinserted in the breakaway switch) he manually applied his brake controller and again the wheels locked up when he attempted to drive forward.

Is that what you do? If not, what is your process to ensure the brakes are good prior to departure?

Thank you for your patience as I bombard this forum with questions...the countdown is T-3 days to pickup!

-Howard

I tend to check my brakes both with the TBC and I pull the pin- not both at the same time of course. I do this for several reasons. For one, I have several bumper pulls and they depend upon a separate battery for the break away switch. This tests the battery and switch. Even though RV's depend upon the coach batteries the switch can still be bad. I find they are cheaply made and if you leave your trailer outside you now have rain getting into it.
I have never had a trailer break free but if I do I want the brakes to engage.

[HOWITTRO]

I do the same technique but only raise landing gear about 1/4 inch so as to not damage it if the unit is not properly engaged

[BigGuy82]

So I watched a YouTube video on how one individual checks his brakes before departure. What he did was pull the emergency brake pin and then attempt to drive forward. Predictably, the wheels on his trailer locked up thus proving the emergency breakaway system worked. Then (with the pin reinserted in the breakaway switch) he manually applied his brake controller and again the wheels locked up when he attempted to drive forward.

Is that what you do? If not, what is your process to ensure the brakes are good prior to departure?

Thank you for your patience as I bombard this forum with questions...the countdown is T-3 days to pickup!

-Howard

The pull test should be done using the brake controller - on fivers, we do it not only to check brakes but to insure the hitch connection is solid. It should be done with the front legs down and your hitch in the fully locked position - also, be careful not to drag the legs. If you are high pinned (which is more common than you think), you won't drop the rig into your bed causing a lot of damage and more importantly, you won't have to worry about being in motion as your rig unhitches. You should do the pull test whenever you hook up and I also recommend doing it at rest stops (for just testing the brakes) to insure the they are are still working. As far as pulling the breakaway switch, I check it when the mood strikes me, but usually only before departing on a sustained journey - don't leave it unhooked for an extended period as that can fry the electrics.

Speaking of rest stops, I use a padlock on my hitch instead of the provided pin. I have heard (but fortunately not seen) of instances where supposedly some joker has pulled the pin on an unsuspecting camper (put the lock in so the keyhole is facing up - less hassle to unlock). True? Who knows, but a lock prevents that. If you choose not to use a padlock, at least check the pin every time before you depart any location.

Keep asking questions - that's what forums are for.

[BigGuy82]

I do the pull test with front jacks down and wheel chocks in place. If hitch isn't latched correctly I don't even want my trailer falling 3". There is no reason to lift the landing gear for a pull test. Once that is confirmed, I'll check the brakes again when rolling.

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This of course will start a bit of controversy, but hey - let's talk.

Cheat #1 - The correct way is to always do a pull test - no argument. But, if you guide the pin into the hitch correctly (ie - slide the pin plate up on the slant of the receiver plate) and you are able to insert your safety pin and you take a flashlight and look at the actual hitch connection and see the pin trapped by the jaw so there is no high pinning, what is wrong with that? I asked because ... well ... I have cheated before. Then again, I never had a high pin.

Cheat #2 - on a flat concrete or solid gravel pad, I never bother with chocks. I don't think a 20,000 lb rig with downward pressure on six LevelUp jacks and snap pads on the bottom is ever going to move one iota. Remember, this is only on a flat pad.