Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

[Black Snow Slide]

We boat 3-4 days a week from May thru October. That's 6-8 dunks a week into the salt water. When I get home from a day of boating the trailer gets a good flush/ wash but what about at the ramp? My trailer fresh out of the salt water sitting in the hot sunny parking lot all day. Drying, rusting, corroding, in short killing my brakes. I have to replace calipers and rotors every three years. What is a man to do? Its gota be fast because execution is top order for anyone holding up a dock at the ramp. I got it..

I bought a blue (kerosene) 5 gallon gas can. I don't have anything that runs on kerosene so no chance of screwing that one up. Fill it with water and keep it in the back of the truck. Back the trailer into my parking spot, Grab the can and poor it on the breaks with some salt away. After a rinse toss the can in the back of the truck, lock the tail gate and I am off. How well it works? I will let you know in 3 years.. lol

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

You know they have actual flushing kits for trailers, right? Tubing and a garden hose end is about all they are. Would be easy to add, probably. (I say probably, cause my trailer came with a flush out kit from the factory)

 

[dingbat]

Re: Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

Your best offense is a good defense. Install a set of Kodaik Stainless discs and forgt about rinsing till you get home, if at all.

 

[Black Snow Slide]

Re: Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

Kodiak stainless a good friend has them on his trailer. 1st set of SS lasted 7 years till moisture got in back of the piston. His 2nd set being replaced this year because of warping of the disks. 780 dollars a side doesn't feel like a good deal. I must say i don't know the details of his maintenance of the system.

The hose set up for flushing I have on my trailer but all the boat ramps I have been to in New England there is no hose to hook up to. That would take too long around here. The dock only has room for about 8-10 boats to tie up to.

 

[shepster]

Re: Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

Good idea, never thought of that. I do use the kodiaks on all four corners. I does get pretty expensive. I made it 8 years on a set though with minimal rinsing afer launching in salt and brackish.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

add a funnel to the hose system and pour your water in.

Consider launching and retrieving (especially launching to address your problem) without sinking the axle. Rollers and a power winch. Used to be the standard forsalt water trailering until the "standard" became the so-called float on trailer. becasue truthfully, even a thorough hose rinsing isn't going to get it all, and all water causes rust.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

The problem with the stainless Kodiaks is the poor heat distribution of stainless which probably caused the previous poster's disks to warp. I just have e-coat on mine and religiously hose them down when I get home.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

The "Warped" Brake Disc and Other Myths of the Braking System

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml

http://www.examiner.com/auto-in-orlando/there-s-no-such-thing-as-warped-brake-rotors

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

The "Warped" Brake Disc and Other Myths of the Braking System

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml

http://www.examiner.com/auto-in-orlando/there-s-no-such-thing-as-warped-brake-rotors

The bigger problem is actually the linings overheating because the stainless can't sink the heat away from the linings more than the disk itself overheating.

They are ok for certain applications like airplanes where you pretty have just one stop but with automotive and motorcycle they typically aren't used, except for looks, because of the heat issues.

My previous brakes to the Kodiaks were TieDown stainless. They were warped so bad that you could actually see the caliper rocking back and forth.

 

[Splat]

Re: Flushing brakes on trailer at any ramp.

Personally I think its a bit overkill. However it may help you that much more.

Just an idea tho, would a garden sprayer be easier than that k1 can? You coukd fill it up at home and mix in a little salt away, at the ramp just give it a few pumps and you'll have a nice low pressure blast to get all that salt outta there. Not to mention you won't be bending over as much with a 40# container of water trying to pour it.

Bill