Operating instructions

25
Braking system adjustment
(At 500 miles, then every 3,000 miles or 1 year)
i. Ensure the towing shaft with coupling heads is pulled
fully forward (g. 8).
ii. Release the handbrake to the fully off position. If the
handbrake will not go down the whole way because of
the fairing or any other obstruction; then the fairing
must be cut away and/or the obstruction removed to
achieve this desired position. It will not be possible to
set up the braking system properly when the handbrake
is not in the fully off position (g .8).
iii. Jack up one side of the caravan (see Jack Operation
Instructions).
iv. Remove the inner plastic bung from the backplate to
expose the ‘star-wheel’ adjuster access (gs. 8 & 9).
v. Always rotating the road wheel in the forward direction
– never backwards; adjust the star-wheel with a suitable
screwdriver, in the direction of the arrow embossed
on the backplate until there is resistance in the wheel
rotation (g. 9).
vi. Slacken off the star-wheel adjuster until the road
wheel turns freely in the forward direction (g. 9).
vii. Check the adjustment at the end of the brake cable
where it is secured to the abutment (bracket) welded to
the centre of the axle. When the inner cable is pulled
out it should extend between 5 and 8 mm (g. 8). (On
tandem axles a double abutment is tted to the front
axle only).
viii. Repeat for other wheel or wheels.
ix. Ensure the balance bar (compensation) is being pulled
evenly. This bar (double on tandem axles) should always
be paralleled with the axle tube when pulled (gs. 8 &
10). Adjust M8 lock and ball nuts, if necessary, to achieve
correct parallel position (g. 10).
x. Check the brake rod support bracket, (xed to the
oor) is supporting the brake rod evenly. The brake rod
must always run straight, never bent or curved under
any ttings. On tandem axles, using the double balance
bar, a brake rod support tube (Part No. 228827) must
always be tted on the end of the brake rod, passing
through the centre aperture on the abutment.
xi. Remove the slack in the brake rod by adjusting the
long ball nut, rear of the balance bar; ensuring the
overrun lever makes contact with the end of the towing
shaft. Over adjustment to the long ball nut (Fig 10), could
induce movement of the inner brake cable, reducing the
effective clearance of the brake shoes. If the overrun
lever will not make contact, it is possible the two lock
nuts, forward of the spring cylinder, are incorrectly
adjusted. Loosen the nuts and adjust the brake rod as
above (Figs 8 & 10).
xii. Adjust the two locking nuts, forward of the spring
cylinder (g. 10), (on some chassis a single Nyloc nut is
used) to give 1mm of clearance on the spring cylinder.
This cylinder (the energy store for the handbrake
operation) must be able to rotate only, not slide on the
brake rod. (See Fig. 10). If the overrun assembly is tted
with a gas strut handbrake then no spring cylinder is
tted - therefore ignore this paragraph).
xiii. Correct adjustment of the linkage is checked by
operating the handbrake lever so that when the second
or third tooth is engaged, a slight braking force is felt on
the road wheels.
xiv. Over adjustment of either the wheel brakes or
linkage, will result in difcult reversing causing the
wheels to ‘lock-up’.
xv. When parking, the handbrake lever must always be
engaged into the fully upright position (90°). This is
to compress the spring within the spring cylinder and
thereby create an energy store, which will automatically
engage the brakes further should the caravan move.
Fig 8.