Trailer Brake Fluid Leak

[four winns 214]

While towing my boat home tonight on its tandem-axle trailer with one-axle drum surge brakes, I noticed the brakes weren't working. I just finished a 1,000 mile tow from Louisville to western Maryland to Pittsburgh and back. I did not detect any brake problems until I was almost home tonight. After I backed the trailer down the driveway, I checked the master cylinder and it was bone dry, as I expected it to be. I did a cursory look over of the trailer in the dark, but not see any obvious leak.

Where do I go from here? Right now, I plan to inspect the brake system in the daylight and if that doesn't find the leak, my plan is to fill and bleed the brakes to try to find the leak.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Trailer Brake Fluid Leak

While towing my boat home tonight on its tandem-axle trailer with one-axle drum surge brakes, I noticed the brakes weren't working. I just finished a 1,000 mile tow from Louisville to western Maryland to Pittsburgh and back. I did not detect any brake problems until I was almost home tonight. After I backed the trailer down the driveway, I checked the master cylinder and it was bone dry, as I expected it to be. I did a cursory look over of the trailer in the dark, but not see any obvious leak.

Where do I go from here? Right now, I plan to inspect the brake system in the daylight and if that doesn't find the leak, my plan is to fill and bleed the brakes to try to find the leak.

Your plan on filling / bleeding / inspecting is where I would start. Otherwise, just replacing parts seems to be a waste of money.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Trailer Brake Fluid Leak

Where do I go from here? Right now, I plan to inspect the brake system in the daylight and if that doesn't find the leak, my plan is to fill and bleed the brakes to try to find the leak.

That's the best way. ^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Trailer Brake Fluid Leak

Well, that was easy. A brake line broke at a fitting. It was caused by a broken standoff that held the rigid brake line along the axle. That allowed the fitting to vibrate and cause the line to fail.