trailer brakes
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4516
Printed Date: June-20-2024 at 7:49am
Topic: trailer brakes
Posted By: Chill99
Subject: trailer brakes
Date Posted: August-15-2006 at 6:20pm
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The trailer that came with my boat is outfitted with surge brakes. However, it came with a box of drum brake parts and as far as I know, the brakes haven't been operational in years.
The brake fluid reservoir is empty. I'm guessing everything needs to be replaced to get it working properly. I tried to remove the brake hub to see what's inside, but have no idea how to get that off. Apparently, it's different than a car - it's got bearing buddy's on it. Can someone tell me how to get those drums off? I'll also take any advice on this potential project. FYI - the trailer is a 1992 Shoreline, single axle. Thanks! |
Replies:
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-15-2006 at 7:31pm
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the bearing buddys are just pressed on like the dust caps would be just a little harder to get off. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: David F
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 8:52am
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uhmmm...use a hammer (sorry 79Nautique) and gently tap around the circumference of the bearing buddy. Keep tapping, and the bearing buddy will sort of walk off the hub. ------------- |
Posted By: Chill99
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 9:05am
| After I get the buddy bearing off, will the hub just slide off or is there a retaining nut of some sort? |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 9:26am
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I would use a rubber mallet, but just don't get happy with the hammer.
Once that is off then it's going to be like the old front end of a car where the races are pressed into the rotor's. Remove the cotter pin, castle nut and washer then slide off the hub, pop out the front bearing first or be ready to catch it as your removing the hub. If the grease looks fairly thick and isn't dark and runny then check the bearings by rotating them in the races and feel for roughness if everything rotates smoothly then but it back together pump some new grease into it through the bearing buddy and get to the lake. I'm assuming you know how to adjust the castle nut. If not rotate the hub as your tightening the castle nut don't torque the nut down. No preload is required, if you do you'll be sitting on the side of the road in a coulpe of hours. Just snug the nut up against the bearing as your rotating the hub, then try and slide a new cotter pin through one of the slots, back the nut off a little if needed to align the slot in the nut with the hole in the spindle. Before you put things back together look at the oreintation of the hole in the spindle and make sure the cotter pin isn't undersized either it should slide through freely with out a lot of play. Once you have it back together try and move the hub side to side up and down there shouldn't be any play if there is then the nut is too loose. Do this before you install the bearing buddy. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: David F
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 9:36am
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Here are the steps you should take:
1. Remove bearing buddy (see above). 2. Remove cotter pin from spindle/castle nut. 3. Remove castle nut and washer. 4. Pull off drum/hub assembly. 5. Clean roller bearings, washer, nut, spindle, hub. Inspect roller bearings for pitting, discoloration and scaling. Replace if any signs of either are present. 6. If bearings are bad, pull seal and drive out bearing races with drift punch. Work around perimeter of race and go slow. 7. Purchase trailer seal (NOT AUTOMOTIVE SEAL). Trailer seals have double lip to prevent water from entering bearings. Purchase same size bearings and races (auto bearings ok). 8. Install races. Ensure fully seated in hub. 9. Pack inner roller bearing with grease and install in race. 10. Fill back side of seal cavity with grease to prevent spring from falling out. Install seal. Use a block of wood to protect seal while carefully hammering in the seal. 11. Install hub on spindle. Mostly fill cavity with grease. Pack outer bearing with grease and install bearing on spindle. 12. Install washer on spindle. 13. Install castle nut on spindle and hand tighten. Spin hub/drum assembly several times. Hand tighten castle nut. Tighten castle nut just a bit with wrench to ensure bearings are seated fully (while spinning hub/drum). Back off castle nut. Hand tighten castle nut. Use wrench to find next slot for cotter pin. Install cotter pin. 14. Install bearing buddy by tapping around outer edge with hammer. 15. Using grease gun, fill bearing cavity until the bearing buddy piston just begins to float off its seat. DO NOT OVERFILL WITH GREASE, or you risk blowing out seal. Pull the trailer a few miles and ensure bearing buddy piston is still floating just off seat. If not, add a bit more grease. Done. <edit> Almost forgot, I use a large socket to hammer in races. Avoid using the drift punch or you risk damaging the race. If you do not have a large socket, use the largest one you have and go around the perimeter. ------------- |
Posted By: David F
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 9:40am
I type too slow. ------------- |
Posted By: Carl
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 9:58am
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Installing races, you can also turn the old race around and put the outer edge of the old race on the outer edge of the new race. Then just tap around the perimeter of the old race with a hammer/mallet untill the new race bottoms out in hub. Grab the old race with channel locks or similar and pull the old race out.
Fini! Works great and I've never had any trouble removing the old race with this approach. |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 10:18am
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Chilli was limited on time that's the only reason for not cleaning and repacking provided that the grease is still fairly new and the bearings where in good working order. You don't need to clean them to figure out if there bad or not it is all done by feel if their pitted or scaled they will not rotate smoothly and the grease isn't going to mask any of that. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: David F
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 10:25am
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Agree. Just giving the full proceedure in case he found something wrong. ------------- |
Posted By: David F
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 10:34am
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Almost forgot. Back to the original reason for the post: IMHO, the easiest way to get the brakes working is to purchase an entire brake assembly, with back plate, ready to just bolt onto the spindle plate. I also suggest the "free backing" type.
Since you mentioned the master cylinder was dry of brake fluid, I almost quarantee the master cylinder is a block of internal rust and will need to be replaced as well. The brake lines should be flushed with alcohol. ------------- |
Posted By: Chill99
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 10:53am
This sounds like it's gonna be fun. 
Thanks for all the input. |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 11:02am
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just don't worry about the brake issue right now tend to that in the off season. There's really not a lot of weight to these boats and the trailer brakes are nice but not truely needed. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: Chill99
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 11:25am
I drive a Dodge RAM 1500 extended cab with a 4" lift and large wheels/tires. It doesn't stop very quickly by itself. When I add the boat, it takes a very long distance to stop, especially at highway speeds. If someone or something were to pull out in front of me, there's no way I could get stopped. I've had the brakes rebuilt on the truck and switched to higher performance pads, but it's no better. |
79nautique wrote:Posted By: tommer12
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 5:03pm
| I learned the hardway with trailer brakes and too much grease. I managed to blow the seal out the back and it spewed grease all over my brake drum... well, new brake drums and seals after that.... sucked. nothing like dumping $500 in your trailer.. but good as new now! |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 5:22pm
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your main issue is the over sized wheels on the truck and not replacing the calibers and rotors with larger ones to compensate for the wheel mass. Same issue the guys that install the 22" and 24" rims and do nothing to the brakes to stop the rolling mass from the larger diameter wheels. I don't have and issue with my colorado pulling or stoping the boat. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: Chill99
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 7:32pm
Yeah, I learned that lesson too with my last boat trailer. Spent several hundred getting that fixed as well. The mechanic even took pictures and hung them up in the store to show others what NOT to do. |
Posted By: Chill99
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 7:36pm
I agree with on that one. The other problem I have is that my wheels are 15", so I can't go to a larger size rotor. I just got back into to the boat business, but my last setup from about 10 yrs ago was a 2001 model SN and I pulled with a Toyota 4x4 extended cab. I had no problems stopping that even after screwing up the surge brakes as noted in the previous post. Maybe this is a good excuse to buy new wheels and tires!!
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Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-16-2006 at 10:07pm
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you don't need larger rotors or brake calipers for your set up chill I was referening to the guys that have replaced there tires with extremely large tires and/or rims increasing the wheel mass significantly.
Don't understand why they replaced the drums all you have to do is clean them up in the parts cleaner and there fine worse comes to worse turn them down another .010" now the pads have to be replaced there no salvaging them but there is no reason to replace the drums/hub assembly. So how is your progress on the bearings coming alone? ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: gary93
Date Posted: August-17-2006 at 11:45am
| One more thing. On my 93 the brake lines rusted and leaked. CC put steel lines inside the tube trailer with no paint on them if your in salt water they won't last. You can get stainless but the flaring is hard it will last.... |
Posted By: Chill99
Date Posted: August-17-2006 at 5:30pm
I haven't started anything yet. I'm just trying to gather info on how big/hard this will be. Now I'm starting to look for where I should get parts. I want to make sure I have all the right stuff and information so when I start, I can get it done in a smooth fashion. |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: August-17-2006 at 6:18pm
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Most likely you are going to have to pull one side get the numbers off one then head to NAPA to get the parts. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |