my trailer brake operation

rasbury

When I bought our drinker that came with a trailer of sorts' way miss represented by the seller but that has already been covered. So' I kind of wanted to look things over as I am not pleased with the trailer braking. This is the only trailer with brakes I have ever driven. When I got it home, I pulled all the calipers and did rebuild gets' new master cylinder and the reverse lock out valve. I also had repacked bearings and put the bearing buddies in lie of the caps.

I did pull all my wheels to look each brake over' went ahead and re bled each brake. I did pull on the brake before I bled to see if the brakes are working. The rotors are not rusty but they are not real shinny either' I did notice at least one if the bleeders was on the lower part of the brake and not the top. I wonder that they should be in the top so your pushing air out the top vs. The bottom, does that make sense? 

The next question as mentioned the bearing buddies and if I should have used them. I bought them and brought them home as I saw just the caps. But when I pulled the caps' press into the spinal is a grease fitting. It does not score out. Should I just go with that and go back to the caps'.?

Handymans342

You should have filled up the bearing buddies, then installed and pumped about 6 shots. Are you using waterproof grease? Depending on how much you dump it in the water you should get a year of use before tearing down and repacking the bearings. Bleeder should always be on top. 

Michael T

As Steve said push, gently, the grease into the BB. wipe off any excess grease to keep it off the brakes. Definitely use marine grade grease.

Robs_232

Ras,

Sounds like you have a grease zert on the axle itself. If that's the case, you don't need bearing buddies. With the zert on the axle shaft, when you pump grease in, the grease will come out in between the bearings. Did the original bearing caps have a rubber plug in the center? If so this plug was to access the grease zert. This is what my Loadmaster trailer has and works really well at keeping the bearings greased and the water out. I go two years without cleaning and repacking bearings, but I don't load/unload in salt water.

 I like this set up better than what is on my utility trailer, as it doesn't have the zert on the axle, so I put Bearing Buddies on the axle hubs. The Bearing Buddies are much better than repacking regularly as they pressurize the grease, and helps keep dirt and moisture out, at least to the outer bearing. I have gone 5 years on this trailer without cleaning and repacking the bearings. But I check the looks of the grease every year before using the trailer.

Rob

rasbury

How come when I come here with questions, I always go away with work? Just kidding. First sorry for all the garbled words, my granddaughters pad was auto filling and did mot catch it. When I saw the zert on the spindle, I pumped them first and then the bearing buddy. I will see if I can find some caps and put them back on. I guess these really don't hurt anything, I could remove to fill the inside zert and then pump the bearing buddy, sure would have plenty of grease. More important, I will go back out and any bleeders that are low, I will switch so they at on the top. I did not think they would bleed correctly like that and assume if I still have air in there (likely) then is not getting pushed out when I bleed and perhaps why I don't feel like I am getting full breaking back there. Also, on another note, when I back up, my brakes are locking. As mentioned above, I did put in a new valve with the new master cylinder, it is getting power in reverse and I can hear it click- what might cause this not to operate correctly? I have to put a board in there to keep those parts from compressing so I can back up the trailer. Not a big deal but sure would be nice not to have to screw with that. If I can't figure out why, I need to come up with something a litter more permanent a solution than a 2x4!

when I'm done getting all this figured out I'm going to fill out a job application with Al....

thanks all for the input, happy new year! 

rasbury

It's bolted on..titan model 10 with Kodiak brakes. I shoved the coupler with the cap off the ms and it did sqirt out fluid but did not feel real smooth..how much travel is there typically with the coupler?

Glassguy54

What is your tow vehicle? I've heard the reverse lock out doesn't necessarily function with all vehicles (some Fords, or so I've heard). And you are leaving the electrical connection hooked up when backing up, right? I know some people advocate disconnecting it when backing into water, but this would negate the cut out function and could result in brakes locking up if there is any resistance causing the coupler to compress when backing up, applying braking force.

rasbury

Tow vehicle is a ford, have confirmed power as well as a "click" to confirm the valve is doing something....

rasbury

I greased the zert on the top roller, pulled the emegereny brake off to grease the lower roller. The whole asy moves 3/16- 1/4 inch maybe? Does not look like the carriage/ springs move much as it has a little rust on tje studs it travels on...

rasbury

Well, put the boat in storage. I guess if you don't feel the truck being pushed when you stop, the brakes are doing their job. Electric, with a brake controller I would be able to control them better. Sure wish I could figure out the back up part though, seems like it should be working...