Quick answer. A 15 foot cargo trailer broke down in Riverside. The first quote planned for wheel hub work on both sides. When our tech got there, the real problem was electrical. A faulty breakaway plug was setting the trailer brakes on its own.
Key Points
- The call came in as a voicemail on our Riverside mobile line. A 15 foot trailer was broken down.
- The quote listed a diagnosis, a hub on each side and a travel fee.
- The tech found a faulty breakaway plug was turning the brakes on.
- A breakaway system is meant to stop a trailer that comes loose. When it fails, it can lock the brakes on a trailer that is still hooked up.
- The job record does not show the hubs being replaced, so we do not claim it.
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The Call
It came in as a voicemail. A 2023 cargo trailer, 15 feet long, broken down in Riverside. The owner was from out of state and needed someone to come to it.
A trailer that will not roll usually points at the wheels. Hubs, bearings or brakes. So our desk built the quote around that.
Came in with
A 15 foot cargo trailer broken down in Riverside.
What was quoted
Mobile diagnosis of the hub assembly, 1 hour at $150. A hub on each side, 1.5 hours each at $125 an hour. Travel fee $150.
What the tech found
A faulty breakaway plug was setting the brakes.
What a Breakaway System Does
Trailers with electric brakes have a small battery box and a switch on the tongue. A cable runs from the switch to the tow vehicle.
If the trailer ever breaks loose, the cable pulls a pin out of the switch. The battery then slams the brakes on so the trailer stops by itself.
That is a good thing on the highway. It is a bad thing when the switch or plug fails while the trailer is still hooked up. The brakes come on and stay on. To the driver it feels like the trailer is broken.
Why the Quote Did Not Match the Fix
Our quote guessed hubs. The test said breakaway plug.
That is why the first line on the quote was a diagnosis hour. A trailer that drags can be a seized hub. It can also be brakes being told to stay on. From the parking lot, they look the same.
The record does not show the hubs being replaced, and we will not say they were. What it does show is the tech wrote down what they found before anything else got done. Every job on Shop Desk works that way, ours and any other shop that uses it.
If Your Trailer Brakes Lock Up
Check the breakaway cable first. Make sure the pin is all the way in the switch and the cable is not caught on anything.
If the pin is in and the brakes still drag, do not keep towing. Hot brakes can start a fire and ruin the hubs too. Call a mechanic who will test the brake circuit before quoting hubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would trailer brakes stay on by themselves?
One common reason is the breakaway system. If the switch or plug fails, it can send power to the brakes while the trailer is still hooked up. That is what our tech found on this trailer.
What is a trailer breakaway switch?
It is a switch on the tongue with a pin and a cable tied to the tow vehicle. If the trailer comes loose, the pin pulls out and a battery sets the brakes.
Can a mobile mechanic fix a trailer on the side of the road?
Yes. This one was looked at where it broke down in Riverside. The quote included a travel fee of $150.
How much is a mobile trailer diagnosis?
On this job the diagnosis was one hour at $150, plus a $150 travel fee.
Supercanic tip: Trailer feels like it is dragging? Look at the breakaway pin before you look at the wheels. Call us at (951) 904-2477.
Trailer Stuck Where It Stopped?
We come to it, test it and tell you what we found before any part goes on.
