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Tommy Vee · 05-28-2022, 12:41 PM

Good morning,

Hope this is the correct area to discuss this, if not, please remove.

I have an older 30' 1998 Fleetwood Prowler 5th wheel. Last year on the way home from camping someone cut me off and I had to slam on the brakes. IMMEDIATELY afterward, every time I even touched the brake pedal the right side of the trailer would lock right up. It would take a few seconds to release.

I thought it was the brake assembly, so I replaced the entire brake assembly with a new one.

Unfortunately, upon hooking up and testing it on my property, it immediately did the exact same thing.

Anyone have any thoughts or ideas of what would make this happen?

Could it be the controller? But why isn't the other side locking up?

Appreciate any thoughts / help / advise.

Thanks in advance!

Old-Biscuit · 05-28-2022, 12:53 PM

Brake controller sends same DC to all wheels

Check wire to right side brakes.....sounds like shorting
Wires run inside axle tubes tend to fray

Jkwilson1989 · 05-29-2022, 07:36 AM

Just one axle?

Tommy Vee · 05-29-2022, 05:45 PM

Hello,

Thank you for your replies and thoughts. I messed with it all day yesterday and as it turned out, it was the controller. Not sure why/how it was sending a stronger signal to the one side, but it was pulling up a "disconnected" error. I went and bought a new, upgraded controller, wired it in, set it according to instructions, and viola, it worked!!!

Thanks again for the replies. Your thoughtfulness has shown me that it's okay to look to others for help.

Stay safe!

kdauto · 05-30-2022, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommy Vee

Hello,

Thank you for your replies and thoughts. I messed with it all day yesterday and as it turned out, it was the controller. Not sure why/how it was sending a stronger signal to the one side, but it was pulling up a "disconnected" error. I went and bought a new, upgraded controller, wired it in, set it according to instructions, and viola, it worked!!!

Thanks again for the replies. Your thoughtfulness has shown me that it's okay to look to others for help.

Stay safe!

I'm almost certain that it's a fluke and isn't fixed. The controller sends power to ONE wire that feeds all brakes on the trailer. It doesn't have a left/right brake wire and doesn't have any way to control that.

I'd say it's a 90% possibility the wire rinning through the axle(s) to the brakes on the other side is frayed. It grounds occasionally when braking and the controller ramps up the amperage, when it ungrounds, the brakes lock up. BTDT and had a helluva trip.

Jkwilson1989 · 05-30-2022, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdauto

I'm almost certain that it's a fluke and isn't fixed. The controller sends power to ONE wire that feeds all brakes on the trailer. It doesn't have a left/right brake wire and doesn't have any way to control that.

I'd say it's a 90% possibility the wire rinning through the axle(s) to the brakes on the other side is frayed. It grounds occasionally when braking and the controller ramps up the amperage, when it ungrounds, the brakes lock up. BTDT and had a helluva trip.

I agree completely. A bad controller is not going to affect only one brake.

Bill Nourse · 05-31-2022, 10:02 AM

A bad brake wire on the side that is not locking up will cause this problem, the box shouldn't. Make sure the wires are tightly connected to the side that is not locking up and that something didn't come loose in the brake housing. Wire could be loose where it attaches to the magnet.