Trailer clunk

[jhiestand]

Apparently there are a few that lurk here that know something about trailers, so feel free to jump in!

My '01 Ram-Lin has never been a terribly smooth trailer but over its last couple seasons it has developed a tendency to "clunk" against my truck when I pull away from a complete stop. Irritating.

I've tried bleeding the brakes, readjusting the brakes and the shock absorber was replaced in the Titan 60 actuator after my first year of use. I took the trailer into a trailer shop early last season and they replaced both hubs & brakes. It was a little better then, but still not up to par with other trailers I've towed.

Anyone have any ideas on this one?

[cboland]

RE: Trailer clunk

I noticed my brand new one doing it yesterday as I towed it home from the factory. It has the Titan actuator as well. I obviously haven't had it long enough to be able to comment much, but just figured I'd chime in.

[jhiestand]

RE: Trailer clunk

Hmm.. that's not so reassuring!! I hope it's not just the nature of the Titan actuators to work that way. I think my previous trailer (DHL) had a Atwood actuator.

[Flux]

RE: Trailer clunk

If it makes you feel any better, I have not been in a trailer that did not clunk some. I think alot of it has to do with the brakes themselves and reaction time. You are probably getting the clunk when you are coming up to stops at low speed and taking off. Obviously the Actuator can be responsible too.

I am in the process of repacing rotor hubs, pads, and seals on my brake axle. We fried em good, that won't happen again though.

[JoeCos]

Could this "clunk" be coming from the ball mount hitch ?

Remember that the ball mount hitch does have "some" play while its in the receiver. As you move forward or stop, there is a about an inch
that these ball mount moves.

Or it could very well be a combination of the ball mount hitch moving and the trailers brake actuator engaging.

I get that clunking too, but Im not too concerned about it. Although, Im tempted to get one of those mount hitches that has shock absorbers / cushions.

[ffmedic74]

My trailer does the same thing. It is your brake actuator and nothing to be alarmed by. When you come to a stop the actuator compresses thus creating brake pressure on the trailer to help you stop. When you pull away from the stop you are hearing a slap of the actuator unit decrompressing. The slap hits at the point the actuator fully releases. The best way to describe it is a slide mechanism. The inner and out or front portion hits "metal to metal". There is a shock inside the actuator that works during the compression phase but it does not work on the release phase. I just replaced my 01 ramlin trailer actuator and brake system with a kodiak disk system, new actuator, and reverse brake line lock and still get the same noise.

[NautiqueJeff]

Yeah, mine does it too. I have found it best to just let my foot off the brake, roll forward slowly just long enough for the trailer brake actuator to release, then accelerate from the stop. Seems like that is much easier on the trailer.

[WakeUp]

You can minimize the clunk by shimming the receiver hitch with plastic spacers. This will eliminate the excess clearance on the vehicle side. The trailer side clunking can be minimized by making sure the shock absorber in the actuator is in good shape by replacing with a new one periodically. This is about all you can do. I also purchased a poly shock hitch mount from Shuck hitches which softens some of the shock as well. You're not going to get rid of all of it. This is inherent in the design of surge brakes transitioning from compression to extension.

[ag4ever]

I plan to go to an electric over hydraulic setup to get rid of this problem. The clunk drove me so nuts that I pulled all my brakes after a minor drum problem, and just rely on the truck to do the stopping. If I had a smaller truck, I probably would have done the electric brakes already.

I know the elecdraulic brakes are the best trailer brakes for boat trailers and travel trailers.

[Labatt911]

I had the same problem and emailed Prestige about it. He told me that there should definately be some play in the actuator, but to check for possible leaks in the brake system. He said the leak could be in the master cylinder allowing air in the line causing the break down of line pressure and allowing the actuator to move more freely.

[jhiestand]

Yeah, mine does it too. I have found it best to just let my foot off the brake, roll forward slowly just long enough for the trailer brake actuator to release, then accelerate from the stop.

I do that too! I know how the actuator mechanism works and that after stopping it needs to return to the extended position, but my previous trailer wasn't nearly as abrupt and neither are the other trailers I've pulled as of late. Makes me feel like I'm missing something from a maintenance perspective.

[DavidF]

plan to go to an electric over hydraulic setup to get rid of this problem.

Electric brakes are not used on boat trailers as the frequent submerging of the brakes destroys the electromagnetic actuators in short order.

[ag4ever]

Electric over hydraulic uses the hydraulic wheel cylinders with an electric pressure unit, so it is controlled via a standard in cab controler. All parts under the water are hydraulic.

Master brake, titan, and carisle all make units. With the quality of the units in that order.