Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

MTribe08

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
680
Re: Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

This is what I would do if it was mine, based on 40+ years of trailering boats between 14 and 28'.
The master cylinder, by virtue of having rust on the inside, as you said, needs replacing. They can be rebuilt depending on how rusted and the availibility of the parts (kit).
Steel lines are always a P.I.T.A. I would replce all with the newer style nylon lines. They should last 15-20 years. And, not being steel, they CAN'T rust. Use care when tightening them, They are not as strong as the steel fitings; they are brass. Using a gorilla grip can split the fitting and it will leak.
Wheel cylinders. Most likely OK. Since the trailer was not used, there was no water being pumped into them.
The brakes themselves. I would pull the wheels/hub/drum assemblies, inspect and repack the bearings.
Fluids. non-synthetic brake fluid is hydrogopic. That means it absorbs water (or water vaopr). Moreover, the water mixes wit it. This is what rusts the innards of a brake system. The are also rated for higher temperature operation, meaning it don't boil at temperatures which the old one would. And, it isn't a lot more money for it.

Once you bleed the system, close all the bleeder screws, and pull the breakaway cable to put pressure on the system. Leave it that way for 5 minutes. If the piston in the master retracts, you have a leak. The you can look for it by eye.

Thank you very much...Very sound advice and exactly what I was looking for.
 

jaxnjil

Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 3, 2007
Messages
1,368
Re: Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

I called Eagle Trailers, and they said they came that way.

thanks for clearing that up MT;

didnt see any cracked paint and looked the same on both sides. so makes sense.
all axles are cambered and maybe it the angle of pic makes the bends look more than they are. cant say i have ever seen one bent at both ends and so close the ends as that one.
again thanks for taking the time to find out and passing along and teaching me. best of luck on your brakes.
jack
 

MTribe08

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
680
Re: Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

thanks for clearing that up MT;

didnt see any cracked paint and looked the same on both sides. so makes sense.
all axles are cambered and maybe it the angle of pic makes the bends look more than they are. cant say i have ever seen one bent at both ends and so close the ends as that one.
again thanks for taking the time to find out and passing along and teaching me. best of luck on your brakes.
jack

No prob...We'll figure em out one way or another.
 

tractoman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
370
Re: Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

I just diid what you are asking about yesterday on the same actuator. I replaced a rusty master cylinder and replaced all the fluid. Before I put the new master onto the system, I connected a tube from the brake line fitting at the actuator to a new bottle of fluid. Then I vacuum bled the lines from the cylinders until I had clean fluid all the way back. I then installed the new master and bled it back to the cylinders again. I had to adjust the brakes, and plan to replace the shoes and cylinders because I'll know the condition of everything. I didn't like how the shoes looked on the side I pulled. I think you have Dico/Titan Model 60 actuator and you can find the master cylinders for about $60 on line. You can also get a manual for it at the Titan website. You'll probably need a new push rod assembly also. It is the piece that the coupler pushes into the master cylinder.
Good luck.
 

MTribe08

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
680
Re: Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

Right on! Thanks for the advice.
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
13,033
Re: Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

Once you get done with your checking you will know what you have to do to make it work, if the master cylinder is rusted, as was noted you can rebuild those with a new master, the drum brakes, usually the problem areas are the wheel cylinder (the piston gets seized up in the cylinder bore because the rubber boot it not water proof) and the adjuster rusts up. The complete backing plates are cheap enough that its usually better and can be cheaper to replace them as a unit. What I do to mine is when they are new, I take off the cylinder and pack the area under the boot with OMC triple guard grease and put some on the top edge of the piston, then I seal the boot to the cylinder with Hi Temp RTV. This keeps salt water out and they work much longer without seizing. I also lube up the threads of the adjuster and all the pivot points with the same grease. If you do this you will have much less trouble with drum brakes. Bleeding out the system every 3 years is a great idea, that will prolong the life of all the brake components by getting rid of moisture and minimizing corrosion.
 

Mischief Managed

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Dec 6, 2005
Messages
1,928
Re: Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

Looks like a prime candidate for an electric brake upgrade. Price out the Dexter auto-adjusting electric brake backing plate assemblies, they are really cheap. I find the electric brakes much more effective and easier to deal with than surge brakes.
 

Mischief Managed

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Dec 6, 2005
Messages
1,928
Re: Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

Those are the same axles I have, they have three bends in them like this: -v-
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,582
Re: Reconditioning drum brakes on trailer

3 year old thread guys!
 
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