Electric Caravan Brakes - how far should they go?

Every time the magnets provide any force, they get an absolute "pasting" from the revolving drum. Turns out that the shoes do most of the braking, but the magnets are still trying to "grab" the drum.

Yep... very close to the coil, infact there is a mark indicating wear limit & 2 are just below (front wheels) & 2 are just on the mark. All the clips etc were still in place. The area on the drum where the magnets run was very rough but I put the drums in my lathe and took 5 thou off which made them smoother and true & square to the brake face. I thought they lasted as long as the shoes, obviously not.

"The area on the drum where the magnets run was very rough".....
I'd say perhaps there's your problem???
Every electric brake drum I've seen is very smooth (almost polished) where the magnet rubs.
I don't know why it would be rough ....was it perhaps from rust at some stage, or perhaps from other contamination, dust and dirt maybe.
"Off Road" electric brakes are available, though I'm not sure what the difference is- I'm sure someone here could tell you if you were interested.
Cheers

Off road magnets are to prevent what happened to me on the highway between Kununurra and Turkey Creek - the magnets, on an Aussie Swag Camper had bounced around on rough road so much that they had worn on the corners, and one just rolled and locked the whole thing up. It had done about 85,000 km when that happened. I subsequently replaced everything as it was well worn - had been in some feindish country.

The off road magnets have more rigid guidance to prevent the rolling. Should not be the problem in this case.

I think you have another problem. For example, you got the controller set so that the van is doing too much of the braking? I now have a caravan, and know the way the dealer set my controller, the van was hauling backwards every time I touched the brakes. I have got them set neutral now - no feel of the van pushing or pulling when I brake. Alternatively, is there a loose connection so you get intermittent braking - that might make the face rough if they come on and off.

Suggest that you go through the set up instructions on your controller and make sure you have set it carefully. Then, when you have fitted the kit that Derek suggests, check the hubs for run out, and make sure there is nothing funny in the way its set up.

Chances are you have got rid of the problem already by machining the face they run on.

I HATE drum brakes - why oh why does someone not make an electric disk brake??

Hope you sort it out.

Max

Max - notice you had a campertrailer before your van - I have just bought a Southern Cross OffRoad and elected not to get brakes. I'm using a Prado V6 to tow it and fully loaded (including) spare wheels, Jerry cans extra battery etc it weighs 960kg. I'm about to head up to my favourite area - Nthn Flinders ranges, up the Strzlecki to Innamincka. When I'm camping in less remote area's the weight will be more like 750kg. I was told it would safely take in excess of 1 tonne. However I am now having 2nd thoughts about brakes. I am not a maniac driving, and rarely exceed 90 - 100 on a good road and off road much gentler. I also hear lots of stories as above about electric brakes sticking etc.
Would welcome opinions from you or any other readers as to whether or not I should get brakes.

Craig.

Craig - My Aussie Swag was over 750 kg empty, so had to have the brakes, but would have had them anyway as they do make sure the car brakes don't over work. Having said that, the trailer would have been about 1 - 1.1 tonnes when the brakes failed on me.

I wired the bits back, and disconnected the brake lead, and drove back from Kununurra to Sydney without trailer brakes. Like you, I drive steadily, use the gears to slow down when I can, the engine is diesel; and I must say did not miss the brakes. Where its reassuring is in heavy traffic (and that starts 250 km out of Sydney) - just knowing I am going to be able to pull up fast if I have to.

In your case, I reckon I would have brakes just to be sure. However, if you have the van already, see how you go on your Flinders trip - check out how well you can pull up and look for brake fade etc on the Prado.

Good luck
Max

Craig,

Any trailer or van with a gross weight greater than 750kg must be fitted with brakes. Either machanically or electrically orerated.

The weight should be marked on the trailer's compliance plate.