Trailer Brake Replacement and Maintenance

For larger trailers and heavier loads, trailer brakes are essential. Just like on your car, maintaining your trailer brakes is key for safety, handling and ultimately stopping power when towing heavy loads. Without correctly functioning trailer brakes, stopping power and handling is massively reduced. We recommend performing these checks every 10,000kms or 12 months.

How do you maintain your trailer brakes? There are a few simple steps for checking and servicing your trailer brakes to ensure the best performance when towing. First of all, is the brake pads. A simple visual inspection is a great starting point. Check the amount of friction material left, if the thickness is approaching 1.5mm or less, your pads are due for a replacement. If the pad thickness gets the all-clear, next inspect for any stains from oil, grease, and check for any uneven wear or strange marks. If you notice any of these issues, the brake pads should be replaced now.

The other component is the trailer magnets. Magnets are the next most important part of your trailer braking system, when the magnet gets an electrical signal from the trailer wiring it actuates the brakes. Using a straight edge, check to make sure the magnets are wearing evenly. If the straight edge doesn't line up, its time to fit some replacement trailer brake magnets. Next, using a multi-meter, you can do a simple electrical test on the magnets. With 12 volts applied, each magnet should draw roughly 3.2 amps. If yours don't, its time for a replacement unit.