trailer actuator? - The Hull Truth

palmetto1 · 10-12-2009, 07:30 AM

Surge brakes on my Wesco trailer are not releasing when I am backing up. With the truck in reverse when I disconnect and reconnect the light plug I can hear the actuator clicking.

How do you troubleshoot this?

Only thing I did different this weekend was I had to back up into someones sandy yard up hill to park so I imagine I was putting some heavy pressure on that valve(however that works) while pushing my boat up in there. Maybe just a coincidence?

kchace · 10-12-2009, 07:41 AM

Being that I have to back my boat uphill into my driveway, I've had your exact problem. What I think happened is when you came to a stop to shift into reverse, the trailer brakes were already ON. The lockout solenoid closes off the brake line, so any pressure in there is locked IN - keeping the brakes on. The best way around this (and because of this problem, what you'll find on many new setups) is a BYPASS solenoid. When a bypass solenoid is activated, it closes off the brake line from the actuator (just like the old style solenoid), AND bypasses any brakeline pressure back to the master cylinder of the actuator. So even if you stopped with the trailer brakes on, once the bypass solenoid activates, it bleeds off the pressure and the trailer brakes are OFF.

http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....categoryID=155

Ken

palmetto1 · 10-12-2009, 08:38 AM

KChase, good info but unfortunately I have had that problem before and this was not that. I was on flat ground just backing up to put the trailer in the water. They locked up every time after I pulled forward and released them fully with a screwdriver in the manual release hole in the top.

kchace · 10-12-2009, 11:18 AM

Yeah, sounds like the lock out isn't working, but it could be something else, too. Unfortunately, a new one isn't cheap and not knowing for sure what is causing it sucks.

Ken