Brakes

Try backing off the adjustment on the errant wheel, sounds too simple but have no idea what else could be causing the problem.

cheers graham

Voltage drop to the 3 wheels that are not working is a strong possibility.
Is the wheel that has some braking effort on the same axle as the one that is working?

The brake cabling should be such that if power is lost to one wheel, broken wire for example then the opposite wheel should not work to avoid unequal braking let to right.

Using a multimeter with very sharp pointed probe check voltage at magnet cable on each wheel while brake control held full on.
Voltage should be almost equal at all 4 brakes.

I had a similar problem and found that one brake wire was not soldered from the factory, just twisted together and taped up.
Corrosion eventually created a bad connection and voltage drop.

Bob

Thanks everyone for your advice.
I took the van back to the van repairer today and they worked on it again.
I was there when they bought it back from a test drive and the front passenger side brake was smoking hot the front drivers side was hot but not as hot as opposite side front, back 2 were warm.
The repair said that the front brakes should be hotter than the back as they work harder than the back just like a car!
I questioned this as the van does not have a load sensor valve like a car.
Happy to hear what your thoughts are on front to back axle braking if they should be equal in braking force there for temp.
On the question of wheels that are getting hot.
Front passenger side main wheel getting hot.
Front driver side lesser in temp
Back 2 hardly hot to cold.

I think I would have a more knowledgeable person fix the brakes.
On our trip to Melbourne I noticed that the van brakes were not operating as good as they should and I increased the power at the controller and the boost
While in Victoria I checked and adjusted the brakes and bearings and found that one wheel had a broken wire.
After the repair and adjustment I have driven over 500km and made some hard braking and each time I stopped checked the wheels for temperature in case I had over adjusted something but all wheels have been cold to touch, and braking has been good and I can feel the van holding the vehicle back.

I cannot see how when one wire comes from the car supplying the brake current and then that goes to 4 wheel brakes if 1 wire breaks at a wheel how that would affect the current going to the remaining 3 wheels would be affected or how the wheel opposite the broken wire wheel could be different to the other 2 wheels.

I know that when I tried a multi meter to check voltage at the brake I couldn't get a reading and now I have a light to check to see if there is power across the wires.

Brian

Just a thought I had while driving.

If they have fitted new brakes and backing plates then some may be fitted on the wrong side and if so would not be doing much braking while the one facing the correct way would be doing all the work.

Brian

I believe that circuit design may not be the problem. Can't be series circuit unless power goes through one side and into the other side before earthing out. I doubt this is so.

Problem is more likely to be inside the brake drum. Generally there is a leading and a trailing shoe and if these are assembled back to front or left side is on the right then problems can arise.

As noted by above posts, this can lead to varying brake applications.

Alan

My brakes seem to be effective without side to side temp variations

Hi All
This post is from a regular Poor Dumb Bastard Award receipent .... (three in total, so far), so take it easy on me.
I have been following the post/replies regarding Spanni and his BRAKES issue. I am interested in any answers to the following question.
If Spanni was to disconnect his trailer plug ie no power to the BT and then take the BT for a drive (slowly and carefully of course) then pull up using only the tow vehicles brakes. If the heating problem is still be evident. The question is ...What has it to do with a voltage problem within the braking system?
As a regular PDBA receipent and having few qualifications to make comments on such matters, I maintain that the HOB is on the money ie it is not voltage but a brake drum issue.
I am interested in any further comments
Murray

Thanks All for your replies
Just to answer some of your responses
I have not adjusted the brakes as I believe the caravan repairer should have carried out this when they had all the wheels off.
I have not taken the van for a drive without the power connected but as the back wheels are not working there must be something going on with the system.
I spoke to BT late last week and got some info from them on how they wire the brakes up.
And also found out that they have have a case like this before.
I also spoke to Simplitiy which backed up some of BTs tests to be carried out.
Both said to test the amps to each wheel with brakes applied using a clamp on amp meter.
They say it should be around 2amps at each wheel.
BT said in the case they had in the past they could not find anything wrong with the system so they replaced the brake backing plate on the one getting hot and it fixed the problem but they could not explain why.
I have ordered a clamp on amp meter that reads DC amps at low amps and a brake adjusting tool to carry out these tests and adjustments.
The other thing BT said is if the backing plate is an ALCO to throw it away and only use Dexter backing plates.
My question to all is does anyone have experience with these backing plates and what have you found works.
Simplitiy say they fit both backing plates and have not heard of any problems with either.
Also does anyone have knowledge of where to purchase Dexter backing plates in NSW?

Thanks All

Laurie