Best way to assess condition of electric brakes in the field?

[e9999]

I'm thinking about buying a used trailer.
It is 6 years old. Seller says he has never used the electric brakes.
I have a very steep very long hill to get down on, coming back from Seller location, so I need to be sure these brakes are working fine before I plunk $$ down but -if like most- I doubt that the Seller will let me test tow it or take things apart, and I need to tread a bit carefully here for strategic reasons.

This is in Central California so not rust belt but the Seller is a hunter so he may have taken it in wet places, not sure, but he claims it has seen little use. I'm thinking rust may not be a big issue but how likely is it that brakes could be frozen by now, you think, from no use in 6 years?

What is the best and least objectionable way to try and assess the condition of the brakes in the Seller's driveway? On mine, I can hear a strong buzz when I hit the brake pedal but that does not mean necessarily that braking action is applied of course. And not all brakes may even do that for all I know. Trailer is heavy enough (3200lbs) that I doubt I can move it by hand easily. And I imagine there is no moving part to be seen easily on the brakes.

One thought is that I could lift it up with a bottle jack and see if the wheels are locked after pulling the deadman's switch. That's easy enough that he might let me do it.

Any other thought?

 

[SoCal_80]

Pull the emergency/breakaway brake pin and if the battery in the trailer is charged the brakes should engage (almost lock if not lock all together). If they lock u should be good to go. Good luck

 

[ntsqd]

My thought would be to have each tire with brakes jacked up one at a time and spinning as fast as is reasonable when you pull the deadman. Or hook up your tow rig, manually apply the trailer brakes with the controller and then try to pull the trailer with the brakes on.

My understanding of the way that electric trailer brakes work is that there has to be some tire rotation before anything really happens. The electro-magnet is dragged along on a surface of the drum that looks very much like one surface of a disc brake rotor. The electro-magnet is mounted on an arm, as the magnet is dragged it pulls on the arm and that is the force the pushes the shoes out into contact with the brake drum.

 

[e9999]

My thought would be to have each tire with brakes jacked up one at a time and spinning as fast as is reasonable when you pull the deadman. Or hook up your tow rig, manually apply the trailer brakes with the controller and then try to pull the trailer with the brakes on.

My understanding of the way that electric trailer brakes work is that there has to be some tire rotation before anything really happens. The electro-magnet is dragged along on a surface of the drum that looks very much like one surface of a disc brake rotor. The electro-magnet is mounted on an arm, as the magnet is dragged it pulls on the arm and that is the force the pushes the shoes out into contact with the brake drum.

interesting, I didn't know that. I vaguely thought it would be some sort of electromagnetic actuator that would clamp on the drums when energized, but come to think of it that does indeed sound like too weak a force to do much so they might take advantage of some leverage or camming effect. Makes sense. But then yes, I'd have to have the wheel spinning to see the effect. Hmmm.... I might try that on my trailer first.

anybody has had brakes frozen after some years of non-use?

of course, if the guy lets me hook it up and go around the block I could find out for sure, but that may not happen.