CARAVAN BRAKES HUMMING?

summer01

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Jan 25, 2013
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Hi, we have just had our expanda 16.49.1 in for its first service. Prior to this we have had no problems with the caravan brakes or brake controller. However driving home from the service along highway with caravan attached , when brakes applied the CAR felt like it was going to sway side to side or it was being pushed?? a very unnerving feeling. The smooth car and caravan braking we were used to was just not there. When we got home we could hear an audible humming/buzzing from ONE of the CARAVAN wheels when the brakes are applied and a strong burning smell.
Wondering
1. If we need to take it back to Jayco - have they possibly caused a problem during the service??
or
2. After a service does the the brake controller need to be readjusted to set the caravan brakes. We have a primus controller. Which has been fabulous to date.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated as we are planning to head off shortly but need to know our brakes are working correctly :(
 

Soaring

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Jan 30, 2013
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Straight back to Jayco. It does sound like you have a brake issue post service. Its likely only one one side is working from your description.
 

expanda

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As the others have said straight back to jayco but one addition then come back to the forum and let us know.

One question, when you got the van back maybe wind back the amount of power on the brake controller as you may need to reduce it if they adjusted anything.
 

summer01

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Jan 25, 2013
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Thank you for your prompt advice.... Jayco have come out and adjusted the brakes again however after a test drive one wheel is still much hotter than the other side. One side is just warm to touch but the other side is so hot it almost radiates a smoking heat . So Jayco will take it in to investigate further, we have turned controller down, but unfortunately no luck.
 

Capt. Gadget

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I was going to be a smart @r$e and say, "If you can you make out what the tune is that they are humming maybe you could help them with the words and the humming would stop" .....but I won't ;)
I had quite a bit of trouble with one brake on mine and what it turned out to be was that I had connected a reverse camera to the tail lights, so when I was driving with the headlights on the camera would get power and I could see behind me, but somehow because of that, there was power getting to the left hand van brake probably because of a bad earth and it was enough to make it drag on the drum which caused it to get that hot that it was smoking.
 
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Rockape

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Nov 20, 2012
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I was going to be a smart @r$e and say, "If you can you make out what the tune is that they are humming maybe you could help them with the words and the humming would stop" .....but I won't ;)
I had quite a bit of trouble with one brake on mine and what it turned out to be was that I had connected a reverse camera to the tail lights, so when I was driving with the headlights on the camera would get power and I could see behind me, but somehow because of that, there was power getting to the left hand van brake probably because of a bad earth and it was enough to make it drag on the drum which caused it to get that hot that it was smoking.
Hi Capt. Gadget,
Which wheel was getting hot? How did you resolve the issue. I have the same problem on my Expand 14.44-4 ob and I have also connected a camera to the tail lights.
Cheers
Nick
 

Capt. Gadget

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Hi Capt. Gadget,
Which wheel was getting hot? How did you resolve the issue. I have the same problem on my Expand 14.44-4 ob and I have also connected a camera to the tail lights.
Cheers
Nick
Hi Nick
It was the Passenger side wheel, I removed the Camera and the brakes worked OK after that although at the Last service , the guy said he repaired a loose wire on the brake on the same side so maybe it was a combination of the loose wire and the camera, not sure but on my trip to Exmouth last year I did notice that the brakes only got hot when I had the headlights on, so while I was away I disconnected the camera and had no troubles on the way home
Cheers Grant
 

Rockape

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Nov 20, 2012
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Thanks for the info mate. I think it may be getting feedback through the wiring. I'll check it on the weekend. I might fit an isolating diode and see what happens.
Cheers
Nick
 

Simon

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Dec 28, 2013
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Pardon my ignorance, but why would you power a reverse camera from the brake light power? Wouldn't this just make the camera work only when the brakes are pressed. The video feedback back to the car might be creating the loop somehow keeping part of the circuit live?

I thought a better option would be to connect to the reverse wire, so that power to the camera only occurs when the reverse gear is selected or if you want camera on all the time you would run a dedicated power feed from the car to the van and then via a fuse to the camera?

When I installed a reverse camera in my last car the instructions suggested using a power source like a light, or 12v plug with a fuse in line.
 

bigcol

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Nov 22, 2012
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I think (there fore I do not know)
that some camera systems rely on you taking a Positive and a Negative from as close as possible to the Camera Location

otherwise, it would be like mine - with 9600 meters of cable just for the Van, and 11700 meters for the car........
(Polaris, they make sure they give you enough cable to run it ANYWHERE........)
to go from the screen to the Camera Joint box = 5m
from the Camera Box to +ve & -ve for the battery = 7m
from the Camera box to Camera 1 plug= 7m
from Camera 1 plug to camera 1 = 3m
from the Camera box to Camera 2 plug= 5m
from camera 2 plug to Wazza Joint = 2m
Wazza coiled Cable = 1.5m
Wazza plug to Camera 2 plug (back of Van) =10m
Camera 2 Plug (back of Van) to Camera 2 = 2m

I am very very serious.................. no freaking joke when you have to find somewhere to coil up and hide the excess cable.......

but you get that
 
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bigcol

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Not sure but sounds like when they've pulled the brake drum off for inspection they have dropped a spring off of the magnet + being adjusted wrongly - maybe

sounds to me like the most logical thing
I know the first time I pulled apart an electric brakes hub, I had bit flying everywhere
lucky I found them all and re-assembled it correctly
 

Rockape

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Nov 20, 2012
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I have my camera hooked up to the tail lights, not the brake lights. I use it to see directly behind the caravan when towing. It works great and combined with the towing mirrors gives a great view of the souroundings.
Cheers
Nick
 

achjimmy

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Jan 24, 2011
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I have found in the past my brakes a little grabby after servicing , but only for a mile or two. The pulling sounds like one side not working and the hot hub sounds like either a brake dragging or they adjusted the bearings too tight.

I know I sound like a broken record on this but why do people get van dealerships to service there vans? If I want my brakes or bearing serviced (and I am lucky enough have mechanical experience) and can't do it myself I take it to my mechanic who is a qualified motor vehicle mechanic.
 
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Rockape

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Nov 20, 2012
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Hi,
I agree with you. My caravan is under warranty and I have had the dealer look at my brakes as one wheel is getting hot while the other is only warm. I believe I have a sticking brake. I have checked the adjustment several times. I have checked all the wiring including grounding. I have also applied power to the trailer socket to see if there are any feedback voltages. Jayco are replacing the backing plate. See if that fixes it. Once out of warranty I will be maintaining it.
Cheers
Nick
 

Capt. Gadget

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Pardon my ignorance, but why would you power a reverse camera from the brake light power? Wouldn't this just make the camera work only when the brakes are pressed. The video feedback back to the car might be creating the loop somehow keeping part of the circuit live?

I thought a better option would be to connect to the reverse wire, so that power to the camera only occurs when the reverse gear is selected or if you want camera on all the time you would run a dedicated power feed from the car to the van and then via a fuse to the camera?

When I installed a reverse camera in my last car the instructions suggested using a power source like a light, or 12v plug with a fuse in line.

Mine was connected to the tail lights of the van ( Not the Brake lights) so when I switched on the headlights of the car I could see behind me and use it as a rear view cam rather than a reverse camera
 

Capt. Gadget

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Hi,
I agree with you. My caravan is under warranty and I have had the dealer look at my brakes as one wheel is getting hot while the other is only warm. I believe I have a sticking brake. I have checked the adjustment several times. I have checked all the wiring including grounding. I have also applied power to the trailer socket to see if there are any feedback voltages. Jayco are replacing the backing plate. See if that fixes it. Once out of warranty I will be maintaining it.
Cheers
Nick

After looking into brake problems when I had my troubles and speaking to a few different people in the know there are lots of different reasons for them sticking a close friend who had worked in the brake industry most of his life until he sold his business a few years back said it could be that the backing plate is not on level . The guy who did my last service told me that electric brakes shoes need a lot more clearance from the drum than hydraulic or cable overrider brakes. Could be faulty magnet or bad earth
 

rodney

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Apr 23, 2014
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That's right they do need a little more clearance
I am a brake specialist and mechanic I have seen that many different reasons for brake holding it's silly on a van it's a lot easier but still catches some people out
I have had to go and look at issues that other brake specialists couldn't find