Trailer brakes engaging too quickly at low speed?

[BarnBrat]

Hi folks,

I bought a 2000 Merhow about six months ago and it seems no matter how the brakes are adjusted on the break box the trailer brakes are engaging too abruptly. This issue is only noticeable when the brakes are applied at speeds below 20MPH, causing an unpleasant jerk as the trailer brakes. This occurs no matter how gently I try to depress the pedal. The one trailer service place I have called so far did not seem familiar with this issue and seemed to think there was nothing that could be done. I am posting in hopes that others have encountered this problem and can perhaps provide some information to go on before I reach out to other repair shops. Many thanks in advance for any info or suggestions!

[poltroon]

Just to be clear, you are aware that there are two settings on the brakes, yes? One for the strength and one for the timing?

Does your controller have the slider that lets you apply only the trailer brakes?

I’d have an experienced hauler friend sit with you to see if what you’re experiencing is normal behavior, if the controller can be adjusted to make it better, or if what you feel is actually not normal. For them to be a bit grabbier at slower speeds is normal, but on my trailer it is possible to adjust them to be quite a bit more or less grabby.

[candyappy]

You might need a new or better controller. Might be something in the wiring on your tow vehicle or in the plug in.

Ours usually grabs a bit at the beginning, but we rarely use the trailer so it sits for months on end and my husband messes around with it a bit and it does fine ( we do all that with it unloaded of course).

My controller is over 20 years old now and could stand to be replaced.

[hosspuller]

You said break box… So the controller is NOT integrated to the vehicle. Some brake controllers have an initial setting, that is adjustable to amount of power is sent out when the brakes are first applied. Check on this, or post the model of the controller.

[RubyTuesday]

I would also take that trailer in and have the brakes serviced. It’s not uncommon for trailer brakes to get sticky, out of adjustment or just plain needing something replaced. Your trailer is 20 years old and it needs maintenance regularly now, or you’ll have a 20 year old PITA, especially if it isn’t used on a very regular basis.

[findthedistance]

When my trailer brakes were aggressively grabby and I couldn’t fix it by adjusting the brake controller, it turned out I had a magnet on a trailer brake going bad. It was an intermittent issue that we chased for a while before I could get it to happen in front of my trailer mechanic, but the wheel with the bad magnet was actually locking up when I was feeling it “grab.”

[Aleuronx]

Ditto on this. Friend had similar issues with older trailer. Started at low speeds then anytime brakes were even feather touched. Get your trailer to a more knowledgeable service place. Hers was twofold, stuck magnet on one side of brakes and the wiring connections for the brake lines were corroded and shorting out whenever activated by the controller.

Not too difficult or expensive a fix if I remember her saying, something around $200. They fixed magnet and replaced all wiring connections for the brakes just to be safe. Works like a top now.