Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

[Mkos1980]

I did as the book said and tightened the star until I could not spin the wheel by hand and backed off 10 clicks. But on todays run I noticed that on a good stop the trailer is pulling the whole rig to the right. Am I to assume that the drum to pad clearance is less on that side then the other side? Also when they say slight drag. Does that mean just as a pad touches the drum. I can spin it 75% then I can hear a spot where it catches. Or do you tighten until you hear pad to drum on a whole revolution?

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

I did as the book said and tightened the star until I could not spin the wheel by hand and backed off 10 clicks. But on todays run I noticed that on a good stop the trailer is pulling the whole rig to the right. Am I to assume that the drum to pad clearance is less on that side then the other side? Also when they say slight drag. Does that mean just as a pad touches the drum. I can spin it 75% then I can hear a spot where it catches. Or do you tighten until you hear pad to drum on a whole revolution?

I would not go by the 10 click heory all brakes are different. Back off till you get a little drag or as you say drags across a spot on the drum that should be good. Did your trailer pull before you adjusted your brakes?

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

No. It didnt pull. It didnt even feel like the brakes worked. When I started to adjust them I couldnt hear any pad to drum movement to start. But they stopped the tire if it was jacked and I applied force When I tried to adjust the star, it wouldnt budge. It was so tightly closed I had to remove the hub and put a pair of vise grips on it to break it free. (No rust or anything just so tight in the closed position)

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

I would re-adjust them again till you hear a slight drag. make sure the actuator is activating the brakes And take it for a run again. the pulling could be many factors. Your tow vehicle could be causing it. High speed quick stops will defintly pull you sometimes, your brakes may not be engaging fully (air in brake lines) low tire pressure etc. Is this pull you are having is it a sleight pull or a violent trailer on the side of the road pull? I haul a 20 stingray on a load right tandem trailer with brakes on one axel it stops well pulls streight but going over 45 if you gotta get on the brakes it may pull a foot or 2 for a second or 2 then get back in line. I concider that normal. my landscaping trailers act the same way.

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

Tire pressures are all at Max 50, just blead the actuator for good measure. It was pretty violent at 65mph to 40mph, when a car cut in front and slammed on their brakes. It straighten out when I let off the brake.

 

[donnymac]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

Seeing as how the only thing you adjusted was the brakes... and the side that it pulls to is the side that is working the most(on anything I think) Back off the right, or tighten the left, if indeed the left one is working. Sometimes you'll find that the wheel cylnder is frozen.

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

Seeing as how the only thing you adjusted was the brakes... and the side that it pulls to is the side that is working the most(on anything I think) Back off the right, or tighten the left, if indeed the left one is working. Sometimes you'll find that the wheel cylnder is frozen.

Thanks for the pointer. If the wheel cylinder was bad would it still stop if I jacked up the wheel and applied force to the tongue? It does stop right away if I spin it and push on the front.

 

[tommays]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

How old are the brakes As i have found if i do NOT prep the wheel cylinder with 2-4-C grease they freeze pretty fast (in saltwater)


Which is about the only thing that would cause your condition

 

[Rusty Boater]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

Take the drums and have them turned; one brake is grabbing to hard. I pay about $8 a piece to have them turned.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

Like a previous poster said, you need to actuate the surge unit to see if both brakes actually work. This does sound more like a wheel cylinder problem than anything.

When the fluid pressure hits the wheel cylinders. Both brakes will start travleing. Once one hits the drum, the other wheel cylinder will continue to move until it hits the drum. While the second wheel cylinder is moving, little or no pressure is being applied to the brakes of the wheel that first made contact. Once both make contact is when braking actually occurs. You would have to be way out of adjustment on one from the other to cause one wheel to get a lot more braking than the other.

When I had drum brakes, I would tighten until I heard a scrape and then back off just a bit until there was no scrape.

You should pull the drum to see if there is any grease on the linings. If the linings get contaminated with grease, they can get very sticky and can also cause a problem like this.

 

[donnymac]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

Thanks for the pointer. If the wheel cylinder was bad would it still stop if I jacked up the wheel and applied force to the tongue? It does stop right away if I spin it and push on the front.

Well it does sound like the wheel cylinder(left) is working, but maybe out of adjustment. You mentioned "the book" telling you to back off 10 clicks once the shoes contact the drum. 10 clicks? I would lose count, but if it's the trailer manual telling you 10 clicks, well then I guess you have to go with the manual. You know what? I checked my trailer manual and it says the same thing. excuse me while I go and re-adjust my brakes:redface:

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: Adjusted Surge Drum brakes, now little problem.

I just completely degreesed the entire units. Both are bone dry of anything. both wheels do stop when I apply force at the actuator but as my GF noted when she was spinning. One stopped faster when I pressed on the other. The one which seemed like it took more pressure accually did. I had to almost push thoe whole acutator in vs little effort on the other side. I'm going to redo them today when I ge thome from work. I'll let you know what happens.

As for the clicks. I can hear all pad to drum contact and thought it was a little tight but after a 35 mile trip the hubs are "luke warm" at best.