sir-vivor
Well-Known Member
Thanks got a quote from Ship happens , I'm set but thanks for reply , tried to delete it after I got feed back from ship happens but guess you were just to quick lol .
Trailer brake repair
- Thread starter wagonmaster
- Start date
Sea Chaser
Crew Member
Good idea. Gonna give that a go
Nakoda boater
Member
Tandem axle?
Damn Ugly
Well-Known Member
Single.
Nakoda boater
Member
Is a surge system good for a 2500# boat?
gungadin
Well-Known Member
Trailer Brake Requirements
Surge brakes are not legal if the gross trailer weight is more than 2800kg. |
Disc brakes are better all round over drums but you can still have issues if you don't maintain and more important work them regularly. Calipers are the weak link with a disc system dunked in saltwater. The so called stainless pistons in the calipers will pit and the longer they sit without being worked they are prone to seizing in the bore. Taking the boat for a once a month spin on the trailer for a 15 minute drive and applying the brakes to work those caliper pistons and rubbing off the rotor surface rust helps prevent problems. I stop at the Sooke car wash to rinse off the trailer and boat after each trip and after getting back on the road I use the manual trailer brake actuator and drag the trailer brakes to heat them up and dry them off. Once the boat goes in the water for the summer I pull each brake apart, clean and repack the bearings, replace the rear seal, clean and lube the caliper slides. (that keeps the caliper centered on the rotor so you don't get uneven pad & rotor wear on the inner or outer side of the assembly) These immersed brakes would also last much longer by replacing the pads every season regardless of the fact they aren't worn out. New pads keep almost all of the caliper pistons inside the bore and lubricated. As pads wear out more of the piston remains outside the bore and is exposed to the elements. Pads are cheap, changing out seized brakes not so much.
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Nakoda, if you ever own a electric/hydraulic system you will never go back to surge. The braking is so much more responsive, its instant and you can adjust the sensitivity and amount of braking on the fly from the cab. The one thing I like is that bleeding the brakes is so much easier...just pull the emergency runaway switch which turns on the hydraulic pump, then crack your caliper until no more air is present and that brake is done. Surge brakes are APITA to bleed, even more so if the trailer has no boat on it.
dreddnot
Member
Yes but not all vehicles have a brake controller. so surge brakes are good for ~5000lbs and any vehicle can tow it. But if I were to do it again I would get disc brakes from the states.
BC Coast Pilot
Well-Known Member
Boat Trailer Parts at Champion Trailer Parts - Page 2
Great selection of boat trailer parts! Champion Trailers offers a variety of boat trailer parts such as axles, springs, hubs, jacks, fenders, and more. Shop Trailer Parts Today!
www.championtrailers.com
Trailer Parts Catalog at Champion Trailers
Boat and utility trailer parts catalog at Champion Trailer Parts and Repair
www.championtrailers.com
Bought lots from these guys and ship through seawings.
Best advice I can offer is to pull forward a few feet after backing up and letting the old rusty brakes sit. With servo drum brakes they energize or actuate on a pivot point and a change of rotation is required to reset them. Champion Even has stainless shoe retaining springs and pins!
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gungadin
Well-Known Member
This is a caliper that I replaced a while back that had seized in its bore and had caused the trailer brakes to overheat. The operator was wise enough to open the bleeder screw and then force the piston back into its bore. If you look at the 10-11 o'clock position you can see how salt water has seeped under the seal, dried out, and over time (about two years) forced the seal out of its bore. In any event it clearly shows that the buildup of salt is a contributing cause to brake failure. The owner now has Kodiak brakes and uses a garden sprayer mixed with salt away and uses it after each immersion in salt water as suggested by Reel Time. 
gunnerlove
Well-Known Member
I though it was "Discs cost double, but last twice as long" to accurately quote a Striper owning engineer. He also said rebuild your calipers and throw away the pads every winter if you want to avoid problems.If you have the time backing the shoes off during storage helps as well, but I have definitely fixed brakes with a smart rap with a lead hammer.
A wise man once told me disc brakes on trailers cost three times as much as drums and last twice as long
gungadin
Well-Known Member
Without seeing it I would replace the Caliper, then dismantle the old caliper and determine if it is still rebuildable, if it is I would order a kit and rebuild it as a spare.
Newf
Crew Member
Thanks for the feedback.
I have just replaces my old drums with discs, then discovered one leaf spring broken so I have now replaced the springs, on doing that I have 2 inner seals that appear to have overheated and shredded, took the trailer to French Creek unloaded and then back home with the boat on the trailer ant ideas why this would happen. Thinking I may have over tightened the nut and put to much pressure on the seal.
Newf
Crew Member
If you are talking about the inner seal on your axle hub then overtightening the nut would not put additional pressure or force on your seals if they are installed properly. Over tightening the nut can cause extra pressure on the bearings and races and cause them to overheat and thereby damaging your seals. No expert here so just an opinion.
Newf
Crew Member
Normally, seals are damaged if they are installed over a damaged spindle. The damaged area will ruin the seal pretty quickly. Also it can become damaged if the hub is overgreased to a point where the seal is pushed out against the step on the spindle but you should easily see if they are pushed out. I’m sure there can be other issues but those are two that I’m aware of.
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