I need HELP!!!: Brakes

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Brakes

Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
Forum Discription: Perplexed/need help with a problem - ask here
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14877
Printed Date: 18 May 2024 at 1:30am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Brakes

Posted By: Mom Dunn
Subject: Brakes
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2021 at 10:18am

So , we have a 2020 Rpod 196. The brakes have never worked since we brought home. We left with them saying it will work out the kinks. We bought a Tekonsha brake controller which they didn't like. We have taken to the dealer 2 times , they claim it works but does not.I guess we will take tire off and look ourselves .( Tekonsha has changed out controller to make sure that waasn't it).Also, What is the torque for the lug nuts on the tires?

Replies:

Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2021 at 12:04pm

You have indicated that the brakes have never worked since you have taken the trailer home. Just what do you mean by has "never worked", how have you made that decision? Also the dealer has indicated that your brakes work, how have they determined that? There are many things that can cause the brakes not to work or work incorrectly. Some of those things are the brake controller has not been setup or setup incorrectly, the TV wired incorrectly, the seven way plug is not working correctly, there is a break in either (+or-) wiring going to the brakes themselves, the brake shoes are adjusted incorrectly or the brakes or magnets just are not working. With all that being said I would suggest that you ensure the brake controller is adjusted correctly. You can go to "etrailer.com" and download an owners manual for your model of Tekonsha. Then work through setting up the controller correctly through the power setting and gain setting. I believe that you will find that the brake controller has not been set up correctly. Hope this helps.

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Jay

179/2019

Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2021 at 3:10pm

Torque for lug nuts is 100 ft. lbs.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Posted By: Mom Dunn
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2021 at 5:40pm

Thanks for the advice, will go though brake controller again. We tow 2 other trailers( 8 ft. and auto hauler) with controller and we feel the brakes. But not with the Pod. We have had at dealers 3 times for warranty issues since we bought it July 2020. It just gets a little frustrating. Thanks again for quick response.

Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2021 at 6:15pm

You may want to check the manual slide switch (engaging it) while going down the road slowly and see if you can "feel" the trailer brakes engaging. If you can engaging the brakes with the manual switch then you will know you will have to setup the controller for the R-Pod. Hope this makes sense.

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Jay

179/2019

Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2021 at 6:55pm

+1 Interesting that with your two other trailers you feel the brakes engaging. It is possible (this was the case with ours) that the brake shoes need to be manually adjusted 'in' so that they will indeed 'brake.' Ours were so far out of adjustment that the star washer had to be turned quite a few times to bring the shoes in close enough so that they would barely touch the drum when wheel was turning.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2021 at 12:56am

+2. Most folks find that their rpod brakes are not really very strong. They should be able to stop the rig (using the controller manual slide only) in a parking lot coasting at about 15 mph. If not, turn the gain all the way up on the Tekonsha. The gain sets the max braking force the trailer will provide. As long as they're not locking up in the parking lot test that's fine.

The other adjustment you have is the B(oost) setting. That sets how agressively the trailer brakes activate when you're trying to slow down but doesn't change the max braking force. The B setting is a personal choice, if you want to feel the trailer brakes more set that higher.

Once you get everything set up go out on a quiet stretch of highway and burnish the brakes by making several stops from 30-45 mph down to 10-15 using the manual control on the controller only. Wait a minute or two between stops. The brakes should get good and hot doing that. If either or both brakes don't then there is something wrong, time to go back to the dealer.

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2021 at 12:57pm

I've been having brake issues myself, so I picked up one of these. Once the weather cools down some, I plan to use it to diagnose. It will at least allow me to tell if it's an issue in the Pod or in the brake controller.

https://ipatools.com/product/9101-ranger-mutt-trailer-light-tester/ - https://ipatools.com/product/9101-ranger-mutt-trailer-light-tester/

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Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod"
2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4
Three cats

Posted By: JandMA
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2021 at 5:58pm

We were having endless problems with our Tekonsha remote brake controller, which would persistently show 'not connected' even though I'd gone through all the suggested troubleshooting fixes in the manual. But it always seemed eventually to connect when we got on the road. It took a while to discover why - the RV lot where we keep our trailer has a mobile phone tower next door, and this was interfering with the rf remote signal !! I checked this several times - within 150 yds of the tower the thing just stops working.

Isn't modern technology amazing?

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John and Mary Ann
2015 R pod 171 Hood River
2019 Kia Sorento AWD v6

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2021 at 8:16pm

Try putting the Tekonsha in electric over hydraulic mode. The controller is measuring the resistance in the trailer brake circuit to decide if the trailer is connected or not. High resistance means it's disconnected. Electric over hydraulic brakes have higher resistance than the drum magnets
in standard trailer brakes which the controller incorrectly interprets as disconnected. The electric over hydraulic mode raises the threshold resistance when the controller throws the disconnected alarm to get rid of the false alarms. Otherwise the two modes work the same.

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold