Yikes! Chinese Brakes!

ChopperBill

Well-known member
I have never been happy with the brake performance on the trailer. Never would it do much with the manual lever when you used it. But, you could feel it working some what. Then they got to where they wouldn't even slow the truck down at all at low speed. I could slide the lever to full power and put the truck in drive and at an idle it would pull away. Not good! Took it to a specialized trailer dealer that deal in these things. They took it apart and no broken part but there was nut that didn't go any where that was just rattling around in the drum. They said it was a Dexter brake set up clone with all Chinese parts! The shoes had a different material and the drums where way out of round. Adjusting the brakes was a problem with the out of round drums. After they cleaned and adjusted every thing they were not fond of the performance. It still would not hold the truck from pulling ahead at an idle. They had me take it for a drive and said to "burn" the shoes in. I did until they got hotter than a two dollar pistol. They started to work fairly well, but not excellent, at that point. I left the Bighorn there so they could re-adjust the brakes when they cooled down. If it does not work after this they are going to put on all new shoes (they are not worn out) and turn the drums. My point is why do the put such inferior parts in such an important thing as brakes? I am sure it is not a Heartland thing but a Dexter deal but I am still not happy. :(
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
If you want to fix the problem for good then do like I did. I had Mor/ryde replace my electric drum brakes for electric/hydrolic disc brakes. I can stop on a dime now.
 

nscaler2

Well-known member
If you want to fix the problem for good then do like I did. I had Mor/ryde replace my electric drum brakes for electric/hydrolic disc brakes. I can stop on a dime now.

Same here. Now we don't have to worry about the Mickey Mouse half-A#$ electric brakes. We had the Mor/Ryde IS suspension system and the hydraulic disk brakes installed. This was all done at Mor/Ryde in Elkhart. Best money we ever spent on the 3055. Smoooooth ride and stops fast. We spend a good amount of time in the mountains, so this is a great deal of peace of mind.
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
Tom
Your signature shows you have a 2006 Ford F350. Do you have the command Controller? It is my understanding that the disk brakes will not work properly with the ford command system. Did you have to get a new controller? I was going to get the IS system but did not want to install a new controller.

What year is your 3055??
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
I have never been happy with the brake performance on the trailer. Never would it do much with the manual lever when you used it. But, you could feel it working some what. Then they got to where they wouldn't even slow the truck down at all at low speed. I could slide the lever to full power and put the truck in drive and at an idle it would pull away. Not good! Took it to a specialized trailer dealer that deal in these things. They took it apart and no broken part but there was nut that didn't go any where that was just rattling around in the drum. They said it was a Dexter brake set up clone with all Chinese parts! The shoes had a different material and the drums where way out of round. Adjusting the brakes was a problem with the out of round drums. After they cleaned and adjusted every thing they were not fond of the performance. It still would not hold the truck from pulling ahead at an idle. They had me take it for a drive and said to "burn" the shoes in. I did until they got hotter than a two dollar pistol. They started to work fairly well, but not excellent, at that point. I left the Bighorn there so they could re-adjust the brakes when they cooled down. If it does not work after this they are going to put on all new shoes (they are not worn out) and turn the drums. My point is why do the put such inferior parts in such an important thing as brakes? I am sure it is not a Heartland thing but a Dexter deal but I am still not happy. :(

Retired,

Your problem could very well be with the controller, brake magnets and/or wiring.
After 24k, I replaced the brake shoes and magnets due to Ak-Ko's defective inter seal leaking grease on brake linings and worn magnets. The other problem.......Heartland uses 14 ga brake wiring to activate the brakes. The wiring should be 6 to 8 ga to carry 12 volts and 12 amps to fully activate the brakes. Anything less than 9 amps total for all four brake magnets will reduce braking ability.

Forrest
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
Forest the controller checks out OK. Every thing else check out good. Shoes were hardly worn and only one had any grease on it due to a popped seal. They said they normally have to back off the brakes less then 10 clicks after you have them tight while adjusting them. These are so out of round that it took up to 25 clicks to back them off. You may have something on the wire gauge. I will mention that to them. Already have over $300 invested and am not to too pleased at spending more to have it re-wired but it could be a project I could do at home.
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
If you want to fix the problem for good then do like I did. I had Mor/ryde replace my electric drum brakes for electric/hydrolic disc brakes. I can stop on a dime now.

That's exactly what I plan on doing with mine. I want American parts protecting my American b&&&. We had a bunch of condensers and point sets from China that were all failures...and adding this to the problems with the Chinese tires...I'm gonna spend a lot of money at Mor/Ryde.

They now have an installation charge...and that cost used to be figured into the cost of the axles, etc. Should have gotten it done then.
 

nscaler2

Well-known member
Tom
Your signature shows you have a 2006 Ford F350. Do you have the command Controller? It is my understanding that the disk brakes will not work properly with the ford command system. Did you have to get a new controller? I was going to get the IS system but did not want to install a new controller.

What year is your 3055??
TXBobcat,
Yes, I have the Ford command Controller. The current system Mor/Ryde is using for they hydraulic brakes is compatible with the 2005 to 2007 for cmommand systems. Currently 2008 and beyond require a different controller. Mine works great. Our 3055 is an 2006 model. We got it in April of 2006.
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
Picked up the Horn today and they did a great job. They tweaked the adjustment and for the first time the truck would barely pull it when I pulled the O.S lever. "Burning" in the brakes probably was the real secret. Pretty happy for now....Finally!
 
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