# Trailer brakes



## bucksone (Aug 7, 2007)

I was with someone last night who was pulling our kids' high school marching band equipment trailer. The trailer is a 28-foot Pace American enclosed trailer, like the kind you would haul a car in to the race track. The tow vehicle was a Yukon Denali. After going a few blocks, smoke started coming out from the right side trailer wheels. We pulled over and adjusted the brake controller setting. He had it set at 45 and we turned it down to 10. We continued on and all seemed fine. 
I have several questions. Others I have ridden with have had brake controllers that would have a setting like 2 or 2.5, etc. This controller last night had settings like 10 through 90. What is a good way to decide what is the proper setting? We have different people with different vehicles pulling this thing from one week to the next.
More importantly, did we do any damage to the trailer brakes last night? It was only for a few blocks and afterwards, it seemed fine.
Thanks in advance for any guidance.


----------



## MinConst (Nov 23, 2004)

The brakes othe trailer are probably fine if you only went a few blocks.
Adjust them per vehicle so you don't feel them. Jack them high enough so you can feel them pull your truck back, then let off on the adjuster until you don't feel them. The object is to not really feel the trailer brakes but to have them stop the trailer. Balance is easy. I pull a smaller one 6x12 weighs about 3000 lbs with tools. And I set mine at between 2.5 and 3. But you can't go by others numbers. It depends on the controller, brake wear, weight, tow vehicle. You get the idea.


----------

