RV Trailer Brake System

Adjusting your RV brakes is a very important step and should be done atleast one time a year.  If you are a more frequent traveller, you may want to do it more often, due to numerous downhill grades as well as stop and go traffic.  What you will need to do this, is a jack capable of lifting your RV, a jack stand capable of holding the RV in place, and a brake adjustment tool, which is available at most tool supply stores.  . 

It is highly RECOMMENDED that you take it to a shop for safety reasons, but if you would like to take a crack at it, here we go!!

You will need to park the RV on a firm flat ground, and put blocks on the opposite side of the RV so that you don’t get any forward or rearward movement while doing this.  Jack up the RV and place the jack stands securely with an adequate enough space between them in the front and back of the RV. 

Next, we will need to gain access to the star wheel adjuster.  To do this, you will find a rubber plug at the back of the wheel and need to pry this out.  Some RV’s have a drop axle suspension system, so the adjusting hole may be difficult to get to with the adjustment tool, but keep at it and you will be able to get it.   

Now, insert the adjuster tool and make sure it lines up with the teeth in the star wheel, which looks like a gear with teeth on the outside perimeter .  On most RV’s you will pull down on the handle of the tool in which levers on the bottom of the hole and turns the wheel up.  You will probably want a flashlight to help find the starwheel, since it is located deep inside and you will need to do some maneuvering.  You will turn the adjuster until the brake locks and you can’t rotate the wheel by hand.  By doing this, you are centering the brake shoe on the brake drum so that it is in the correct position.  Next, we will want to back off the star wheel 7 to 10 clicks or what is specified by the manufacturer.  If done correctly, the wheel should spin with no hang-up, however it is normal if you get a slight friction noise as the wheel turns.  Follow this procedure for the next 3 wheels and you will have completed the process all on your own!!