Adjusting Caravan Brakes

[Gullible]

I've got Al-Ko electric brakes on the caravan and they are not braking evenly.

They have the 'star wheel' inside the drum to adjust the brakes. How can I tell which way to turn the star wheel in order to tighten the brakes without taking the hub off?

Do I have to change the direction I turn the wheel for the left hand and right hand wheel? :confused::confused::confused:

[DoubleChevron]

Oh fun .... Viscount Ultralight (aka: swaying bastard :twisted: ) :wasntme: :lol2:

The Alko website has the instructions.

AL-KO Website » AL-KO Technical Literature (http://www.alko.com.au/vehicle-technology/technical-literature/)

Bizarre aren't they, you just reverse up without a reversing lock engage and they don't engage, yet rolling down steep hills with the caravan on you gain no speed as the caravan brakes slow you.... I never investigated how they worked, but they were very effective.

If your using standard leveling bars ... they mess up the brakes coming on and off a bit. I used to have one of the ALKO friction levelers to try and stop the bastard of a thing swaying. The only answer was to load *everything* in the front, then it would "hop: along behind you without any problems. (feel for it, they sort of "hop" along on there rubber suspension, anything put in the back cupboards will always end up on the floor).

seeya,
Shane L.

[steveG]

I can never remember which way, but if you stick your eyeball in there you may be able to see the thread on the adjuster. You want to lengthen the rod to take up the wear in the shoes.
Assuming they are both RH thread (which I'm not 100% confident of) that would mean moving the inboard side of the star wheel up.

If its been a while since the brakes were inspected I'd be pulling the drums for a quick look - particularly to make sure the magnetic pucks that do the actuating aren't worn down to the coil inside. If so, then it will stop that brake from working properly.

Steve

[DoubleChevron]

Woops, ignore my post ... Magnetic pickups? I didn't spot you said electric brakes, I was thinking the old ALKO over-ride setup.

The electric brake handbook is on the above link as well.

seeya,
Shane L.

[Gullible]

I had a look at the handbook. It said to adjust the brakes move the star wheel in and upward or downward direction. Nothing about which did what…

[Blknight.aus]

youd think that with the number of starwheels Ive adjusted Id rememebr.

my routine is just to jack the tyre up kick it around and turn the star wheel till the wheel just starts to make the brake dragging noise. whichever way I turned that star wheel the one on the opposite wheel needs to turn the other way.

ALways do your brake adjustments with the hand brake off the electrical brakes disabled, on a good jocky wheel or nose chock, preferably hooked up to a tow vehicle with good brakes and wheel chocks if its a single axle job and with the wheels well chocked if its tandem.

inspect the condition of your electrics while your at it and the rub points on the handbrake cable (dont forget inside the eye where it goes through the cam.)


They are only supposed to fit into the shoes in one way but you can get them in both ways on some setups.

[dullbird]

Thread moved to trailers, vans and campers section....with a 2 day redirect