trailer brakes

rasbury

Howdy- did not see a section for trailing and figure most of the trailer issues would be with the bigger boats so here I am.....I had a mess of a trailer when I bought my boat and have been working with the brakes ever since the purchase.  I thought I had one problem or the other that was causing my brakes not to work, now they seem to be working to well- II have 4 wheel disc surge brakes. I found a brake line that was leaking at a fitting and resolved that- I had my boat at my home and did that just before I moved it across town to the storage lot. I noticed when I was pulling it I seem to have a little more resistance pulling than normal and when I when to back the trailer in I was feeling a lock up of the brakes. I have replaced the back up lock out solenoid and pretty sure it is working ok. I did not have time to bleed the brakes- would my brakes engage and not release properly with air in the lines or do you think I just have calipers that are stuck? When I bought the boat I pulled all the cylinders apart, replaced one that was locked, new seals, pads and lubricated the slides with bake stuff....and the pins.....

TikiHut2

Air in the line won't do that. Crusty parts will stick if you launch in saltwater and don't keep her clean. Always carry an IR heat gun to check for issues, especially a stuck brake. No better way to end up on the roadside with a huge towing bill.

It's low tech old school but I've been trailering big boats for a while and I use a manual lockout pin in the hydraulic actuator for reverse. Your issue sure sounds like a reverse solinoid or a dragging caliper. Don't force it backwards. You can break a disc mount pretty easily.

Mike

rowboat212

If your calipers are floating calipers, the pins like to bind... Pull the caliper off, remove pins from caliper bracket, clean them and use as much brake grease as you can putting them back in... Wipe excess off and don't get it on the rotors! 

Once reinstalled, you should be able to grab caliper housing and freely wiggle it.. 

I just did this last night on my truck... Three of four were bound up... They are absolutely great when they work, and ensure full seating of the pad on the rotor surface.. when they bind?  There's a good chance you're dragging a brake. Not good at all. 

Cableguy Greg

I am not sure what brand of trailer you have, but you need to bleed the brakes. On a Trailmaster trailer, there is a specific order to which you need to bleed them as well to have the system work properly. A fellow Rinker owner replaced his actuator and didn't bleed them in the correct order and he had backing problems with his trailer. After he called Trailmaster, his system works great.

I have a suggestion for you... Sell your 270 and buy TikiHut's 270. Then you know that the boat has been well taken care of. It seems like the PO of your 270 didn't so squat to the boat as far as maintenance goes.

rowboat212

You can grab a mighty vac bleeder system, and bleed them perfectly all by your lonesome in less than twenty minutes.. $35 or so at any parts store.  You connect the tube to the bleed valve, open valve and start squeezing the pump... Let the container fill with about two inches of fluid, close the valve and go fro the next brake.. start closest to master cylinder and work your way to furthest.. you don't need help to bleed with that kit, and it will get rid of all the air, not just most of it... 

That said... I have strong dislike for surge brakes... They'll fail you when you least need them to.  They have manners you have to accommodate instead of just quietly doing their job.  if you're towing a lot, I'd install electric over surge, and most preferred would be electric actuated hydraulic. 

rasbury

yes to all! I think it's dragging, brakes have been an issue from day one...I don't tow far....have used the bleeder described and don't think for a minute I have not thought had I started my boat search a year later, the Tiki Hut would be sitting out front of my house! That being said, once I have this boat figured out, I will then take my merc mechanic test and start working on all of yours!

bigal6030

Can you guys offer me some advice? I recently picked up a used trailer for my 270. It is a big heavy duty trailer rated for 11,000 lbs. I plan on changing the braking system. I can go back to regular surge brakes or move up the electric over hydraulic. I really do not plan on a lot of towing. Any suggestions. Stay with drums or switch to disc? Currently brakes only on one axle. Is that ok? 

rasbury

I would offer that since you mention your not towing a lot, funds may be the question. Also, fresh or salt water? If I had the boat bucks I would ditch my surge brakes. If I had to choose between disc or drum and could not afford the total upgrade, disc brakes on all four wheels would be the first thing I would do, particularly if used in salt water. You can always add the electric down the road. Also since it is used I would pull the hubs and check all the seals and re pack the bearings before I pulled it anywhere.

Hope that helps, good luck!

nhsd

Al, I wouldn't worry with the electric unless I trailered a lot and in mountains. I would go for disk if you are starting from scratch. Indiana does not require brakes on all axles like Pennsylvania. I would consider doing just one and se how it works. It isn't a major task to add them on the second axle later if you feel they are needed.

rowboat212

I agree with nshd, but with a caveat:  If your tow vehicle is stout enough to manage braking with the trailer by itself, the trailer brakes become added leverage... The brakes on the trailer are supposed to manage the trailer and its contents all by themselves, but if you're pulling with a truck designed for towing (3/4 ton or better) chances are one axle is enough to outfit with brakes and never noticed the difference unless descending a grade... If not... I'd have all axles outfitted with at least electric disc, but preffered electric actuated hydraulic...  

best to be safe, and there is no such thing as overbuilt braking systems when you need them...  I once had to outrun a 12k# travel trailer coming out of a gap pass between NC and TN... Never again will I do that... It's a professional spectator sport, not a game of pick-up at the local gym I've since decided... 

rasbury

10-4 to that 212......when you hit the brakes and nothing is happening, not a good sensation!

howardrams

rasbury,  to your original comment about the brakes dragging more in reverse or even feeling locked while trying to reverse, even with a normal working reverse solenoid, pulling forward about 2 feet without cramming on the brakes helps relieve the pressure so backing up rolls freely. Now that boat sits at the dock in summer, I am free to checkout brakes by putting the whole trailer on jacks in the driveway.  It was always a pain trying to work on the trailers with a boat still sitting on them.  I am still a fan of surge brakes, which are so simple, and have proven themselves reliable and effective.  My current trailer is a tri-axle with discs on all three.  No issues in four years, knock on wood.  Of course I never trailered farther than 100 miles one way or dipped my wheels in salt.

rasbury

yes Howard, putting is salt is an issue but just to many places here in Fl to go so in the salt we go....the idea of pulling forward is good and don't recall that I did. The brakes have not worked more than worked so I have some "fine tuning" I'm sure to do. And boy do I wish I could work on it without the boat on it but not going to happen so I have to deal with it. I'll get it and once I do, I will be the brake expert!

Thanks for the comments.

rasbury

pulled the boat home this weekend and it seemed to be now working ok......reverse was not an issue. I did find when I first got my boat that you can put the plug in backwards- I was at a gas station and could not back up. I should have realized when my turn signals were operating backwards this issue but I was stumped and pulled the break line off so it would work...and then figured out the problem!