Boatmate trailer breaks

[Lewis 21]

Hi,hoping I can find out why my brakes decided to stop workin
I have a 2014 boat mate trailer,the brakes have been working reply well,but today they decided to stop for some reason, the only thing I can think of is that I had my foot on the brake in the car while being on the phone for about 3 minutes
I took the boat into an auto electrician and all the wiring from my car to boat trailer are fine,I have a brake controller in the car,but it's working as well
Was wondering if leaving my foot on the brake pedal for extended periods can cause this,
The brake are electric over hydronic
Anybody know why this could have happened only had the boat for 4 days and I'm itching to use it
Thanks for any info

[Surf406]

How much fluid is in the system? May have boiled it . I’d put new fluid in it and go from there

[freeheel4life]

Its not ideal but as long as you aren't towing your R20 with something smaller like a Hilux or other small SUV you can handle it without trailer brakes. Don't really know what the Australian market for tow vehicles is like. Lots of guys here that are driving full size trucks with in-operable trailer brakes. They don't even know that they are in-op, truck just handles the weight. Even tow vehicle is smaller you could probably handle it if you are super aware and don't follow too close and leave big gaps for braking events. Again, NOT IDEAL, but doable if you are really wanting to get boat out. I imagine you have the itch as your season is about over ya???

[KoolAid]

Foreign SUV's most likely. US based big trucks are rare and expensive. Holden Ute couldn't tow it so like you said Hilux, or something big from Japan or Germany.

I think its fluid as well. I would suggest unplugging the trailer plug and try to back up the trailer. If it doesn't lock up, its the fluid or the brake actuator (is that what you call it on a trailer??). Be sure the action is moving as well.

[Lewis 21]

Thanks for all the suggestions,I'll be checking the fluids I just didn't have a socket that big to get in there to do it
I have a friend of a friend that brought the same boat in December last year, he had troubles with the brakes towing it home,I'm going to give him a ring tonight, but his girl friend that I work with said the braking system needs a constent 12 volt supply or the brakes won't work?? Or something along those lines, the guy I brought it off never had dramas backing the boat up inclines and neither have I, I'm not sure if this trailer has surge brakes
Anyway I better get to work, I'll be towing the boat to the lake when I Finnish this 5 days at work coming up that's for sure
Thanks again for the help, this is s great forum and I appreciate all the help

[Jetdriver]

First things first, check the fluid. If it’s dry fill it and bleed the brakes.
If you’re not familiar with the process it’s easy but it easiest and quickest with two people. Get a piece of clear acrylic tubing that will fit snuggly over the top of the caliper bleed nipple and long enough to reach your container of choice. Be aware that brake fluid is an equal opportunity paint remover so don’t get it on the paint.
Start with one person compressing the trailer coupler by hand (or you can use your truck by backing up and leaving it compressed) then open the bleeder nipple with a wrench on the brake caliper that’s on the longest portion of the line. (Furthest from the reservoir)
Close the nipple, extend the coupler, top off fluid as needed so you don’t suck air into the system and compress agin, open nipple again, repeat until there are no air bubbles coming out of the line.
Let us know what you find out

[Lewis 21]

Just s quick reply jet driver, so if the fluid is low and I fill to the correct level the power will be there for the aculaltor to work
When I pull the break away pin out,there is s very low hum noise, so guessing the wiring should be ok, dose this sound right and maybe the fluid is deffently low
Cheers better get into work

[freeheel4life]

If its EOH you should just need a guy to push the brake pedal while hooked up to tow vehicle then start bleeding at nipples ya?? Assuming brake controller is getting signal thru to trailer. I guess I'm confused as originally was mentioned this is an electric over hydraulic. I

[Jetdriver]

I missed they were electric. Freeheel is correct. You’d just have someone depress and hold the brake pedal while you open the nipple, close it then let the pedal up and repeat. Sounds like you’re getting power to the actuator.

[Lewis 21]

Hi just a quick update, the brake fluid was full, my tow car tested ok, the break away system has a slight hum, but the brakes don't come on when I towed the boat without pin is pulled out for a few feet
Was wondering if anybody would no in this photo which wire would be causing the problems, or could these connections burn out with constent foot pressure applied in tow vehicle
Thanks for any info

[freeheel4life]

Hi just a quick update, the brake fluid was full, my tow car tested ok, the break away system has a slight hum, but the brakes don't come on when I towed the boat without pin is pulled out for a few feet
Was wondering if anybody would no in this photo which wire would be causing the problems, or could these connections burn out with constent foot pressure applied in tow vehicle
Thanks for any info

None of thos connections look like they are in poor shape from your picture. Did you try bleeding to see if you have air trapped in the system??
Not super familiar with EOH and it looks like that bar with your connections is inside your swong tongue, but I would grab a multi metere and verify good power and ground. Then I would have someone press brake pedal and check signal wire. Its hard to tell, but are all the wires at the bottom of that bar incoming from the 7pin plug and the top ones going out to trailer lights and pump??

[Lewis 21]

Thanks for the reply, yes o think the wires on top are from the plug, not sure why that photo is posted side ways,I'll
Post another photo, I think there's a wire burnt out, the 4th wire down, I can't really tell I can't find my reading glasses and it's still pretty dark here ATM, but I'm hoping it's the cause

[UNSTUCK]

That wire's not burnt. It just got a bit of the flame when they were shrinking the wrap. Your brake signal should be the blue wire. But you should hear the brake motor turn on and start pumping when you hit the brakes. I've never played with EOH, but it seems to me there would be a power wire to the motor/pump, and a signal wire to tell it to turn on. Have you verified the pump turns on? If it does, you wires should be fine. Based on that picture, the wiring was done right, for once. If the pump turns on I'd crack a brake line and see if you get some pressure with the motor running. If you don't, and the reservoir is full, you pump is likely bad. If you get good spray out of the cracked line, you likely have seized brake pistons.

[Lewis 21]

Thanks unstuck,that's good to know we have no power to the pump,only a very slight humming noise when the break away pin is pulled out,iv got it booked into the auto electricians tomorrow,I was hopping to find the cause before then,mite save me a few $$

[JCP]

Have you verified that you have a signal from the trailer brake controller to the trailer plug on the tow vehicle?