Electric brakes self adjusting?

[Rwake901]

I have a 2019 Keystone Avalanche fifth wheel with Dexter 7000 lb axles drum brakes. Does anyone know if they are self adjusting or if I need to manually adjust them? If they are self adjusting do they work like the old drum brakes on cars that adjusts when you back up and apply them? Thanks for the advice

[Rwake901]

time2roll wrote:

Rwake901 wrote:
Looked at a different wheel tonight and found the adjusting wheel. It’s mostly hidden behind a piece of metal that I’m assuming is the self adjuster. Which means that I shouldn’t have to adjust them because they will eventually adjust themselves. Right?

Not if the braking performance is poor. Hence the need for initial adjustment. Have you manually applied the trailer brakes at full power? Maybe the controller needs adjustment. Virtually new should be working but no guaranty.

I will adjust them this weekend. I have the brake controller turned up as high as it will go.

[time2roll]

Rwake901 wrote:
Looked at a different wheel tonight and found the adjusting wheel. It’s mostly hidden behind a piece of metal that I’m assuming is the self adjuster. Which means that I shouldn’t have to adjust them because they will eventually adjust themselves. Right?

Not if the braking performance is poor. Hence the need for initial adjustment. Have you manually applied the trailer brakes at full power? Maybe the controller needs adjustment. Virtually new should be working but no guaranty.

[texasjayco]

fj12ryder wrote:

You can get the axles specs off the tag on the axle, submit that info to Dexter, and they will tell you the specifics of your axle, which may include references to self-adjusting brakes.

I did just that, and Dexter was very good about returning my emails with very good info.

I just sent them the number from the sticker on the axle shaft.

Mark

[JRscooby]

Rwake901 wrote:
Looked at a different wheel tonight and found the adjusting wheel. It’s mostly hidden behind a piece of metal that I’m assuming is the self adjuster. Which means that I shouldn’t have to adjust them because they will eventually adjust themselves. Right?

You do understand that self adjusters can only work when the trailer moves and stops? And you consider using it for some unknown time with brakes out of adjustment?

[Lynnmor]

Rwake901 wrote:
Looked at a different wheel tonight and found the adjusting wheel. It’s mostly hidden behind a piece of metal that I’m assuming is the self adjuster. Which means that I shouldn’t have to adjust them because they will eventually adjust themselves. Right?

You should still adjust them at your annual brake inspection and repacking of bearings. Of course a good time to do that is the day you bring a trailer home so you know the condition and what you have.

[Rwake901]

Looked at a different wheel tonight and found the adjusting wheel. It’s mostly hidden behind a piece of metal that I’m assuming is the self adjuster. Which means that I shouldn’t have to adjust them because they will eventually adjust themselves. Right?

[Learjet]

2019...what does the documents show for your trailer? usually it's an option or listed as a standard feature.

[BarneyS]

I think you will be interested in the following two threads, both by our resident mechanical expert John Barca, and full of good close-up pictures to help with understanding.

The first one is all about maintaining your standard electric brakes and wheel bearings and is a sticky at the top of the Towing forum.
Annual brake inspection and Axle Re-Lube..

This one is all about Dexter Self Adjusting brakes and is similar to the 1st one but with different pictures and explanations of how the self adjusting brakes work. The adjusting wheel is under the magnet and behind the yellow spring at the bottom of the first picture.
Dexter Self Adjusting brakes.

Both threads have good pictures of the adjusting star wheels down near the end of the opening post.
Hope this help you out! 🙂
Barney

[opnspaces]

Agreed, there is a star wheel whether they are self adjusting or manual adjusting. The star wheel is how the adjustment is made.

[JRscooby]

Rwake901 wrote:
Took a good look with a flashlight in the two slots in backing plate. There is no adjusting wheel so I assume this means they are self adjusting?

No! It means you need to take it to somebody to take things apart. Something has come apart. Self adjusting use a star wheel, normally finer teeth than manual adjusting.

[Rwake901]

Took a good look with a flashlight in the two slots in backing plate. There is no adjusting wheel so I assume this means they are self adjusting?

[JRscooby]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Roger10378 wrote:
I have to disagree with the last part. I have never seen a brake that you have to hold the lever off the star wheel to tighten the brake adjustment. You only need to hold it to slacken the adjustment. The reason for the two holes is that they use the same backing plate stamping for both the right and left brake, so the star wheel will be behind the one hole on the right and the other hole on the left.

Semantics......

To adjust one tightens star wheel until tire can not be rotated by hand THEN backs off star wheel until tire rotates with slight drag.
Hard to do with auto adjust lever engaged.

Hard to disengage auto lever without 2 holes cause you can't get 2 tools thru one hole at same time.

Semantics.......

No, it is not semantics. The 2 holes are so the star wheel can be reached no matter which side the backing plate is mounted. I never had any issue sticking a rod thru the same hole as the brake spoon.

[Old-Biscuit]

Roger10378 wrote:
I have to disagree with the last part. I have never seen a brake that you have to hold the lever off the star wheel to tighten the brake adjustment. You only need to hold it to slacken the adjustment. The reason for the two holes is that they use the same backing plate stamping for both the right and left brake, so the star wheel will be behind the one hole on the right and the other hole on the left.

Semantics......

To adjust one tightens star wheel until tire can not be rotated by hand THEN backs off star wheel until tire rotates with slight drag.
Hard to do with auto adjust lever engaged.

Hard to disengage auto lever without 2 holes cause you can't get 2 tools thru one hole at same time.

Semantics.......

[Roger10378]

I have to disagree with the last part. I have never seen a brake that you have to hold the lever off the star wheel to tighten the brake adjustment. You only need to hold it to slacken the adjustment. The reason for the two holes is that they use the same backing plate stamping for both the right and left brake, so the star wheel will be behind the one hole on the right and the other hole on the left.