Looking after the brakes

[Old Forum]

Julian swindell
   
Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 03:41 pm:      
I raised this in the earlier forum. I have just had my brakes stripped down and they are in awful condition.

Shoes and drums rusted and cables almost certainly will need replacing too. I have looked at a hub flushing system but I wondered,
a: does it work
b: could I not just knock up a similar system with a few bits of hose and connectors for a lot less than £70?

The local trailer centre says what I really need to do is strip the hubs at least once a month during the season. Is that what others do?
Has any company developed a disc brake system for trailers that would be so much easier to service?

[Old Forum]

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 09:12 pm:      
This system seems a good idea but how expensive and is it really necessary to buy a proprietry system. I know a experienced trailer sailer who recommends simply drilling a hole in the backplate and then applying the hosepipe. Make sure you check first where you are drilling the hole! Large volumes of fresh water are probably better than a jetting system.

[Old Forum]

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 11:45 am:      
You will probably be replacing these units? I replaced my suspension units with 1000/1300Kg Bamber units from Peak Trailers at Stratford 6 years ago.( product code BU13B203A455). I also bought from them 3x165SR13 8ply tyres. They were the cheapest at time and total cost was £319. You can probably double that now!

[Old Forum]

David Cawston
   
Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 02:13 pm:      
Although I have Avonride 1300kg units I have also looked at the Peak suspension units http://www.peaktrailers.com as they supply units that can have the drop arm with hub and brakes detatchable from the actual suspension unit, so if the brake backplate etc cannot be saved, you can just bolt on new components. I have just stripped my units down this morning and apart from a little surface rust on one brake shoe they are in fine order and they must be well over 10 years old. But I do not do much launching in to salt water and when I do, I do not immerse the hubs (trailer modified to breakback, photos to follow after Easter).

[Old Forum]

Julian Swindell
   
Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 08:05 pm:      
I would really be interested in your break back details. I need to get my hubs into the water to get the boat off my trailer. Or at least I think I do, maybe I should be braver and see if it would come off without backing right in.

[Old Forum]

Simon Hill
   
Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 01:35 pm:      
My Winkle Brig is currently on the original 'Rollercoaster' trailer in Queensland Australia. All my launching/retrieving is into salt water and to do this easily (especially single handed)I immerse the wheels. Drum breaks are anachronistic (all boat trailers here that carry more than 850 kg have disc breaks). I am about to have my trailer modified to remove the torsion bar suspended stub axles and replace this with a straight through axle on single leaf parabolic springs with mechanical disc breaks. All parts (except disc rotors) will be hot galvanised. With new 13 inch wheels and 18 ply tyres the quote is about A$1700 (about 650 pounds) The breaks are not the only issue. To replace the wheel bearings cost about A$100 just for the bearings for the 2 wheels and if they break down - which has happened - can be difficult to source. There is a local invention of an oil lubricated bearing system for boat trailers which I will also fit to the Australian standard running gear. When this job is done (soon I hope) and I can figure out how to post some pictures I will do that. Cheers for now. Simon Hill

[Old Forum]

Martin Cartwright
   
Posted on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 09:40 pm:      
It is the brake springs which I find degrade before anything else and it seems madness to replace the shoes just because the springs need replacing. I know you can buy some of the springs seperately, but does anyone know if you can get:-
1. The auto-reverse brake springs without having to buy the whole brake assembly.
2. Stainless steel springs.Surely these would be better?

[Old Forum]

Simon Hill
Username: Simon_hill

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 - 12:25 pm:      
As I am about to have the drum brakes removed this may seem like a redundant question (though I have had my brakes disconected for some time so I am not sure how they worked - when they did) but can anyone explain how one reverses the 'Roller Coaster' trailer without the brakes engageing? Is there some tricky thing one needs to do at the coupling/handbreak end of the towbar?
I have, in the past, ordered a set of return springs from the trailer manufacturer (Hallmark). They have been very helpful. I have not enquired about stainless springs)

[Old Forum]

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 - 02:23 pm:      
The reverse operation is dependent on a spring loaded cam,in the drum unit, which touches one end of the trailing brake shoe.As the brakes are applied (in reverse) the cam is forced to pivot and frees the shoe from the drum. When moved forward the spring returns the cam to its normal position. At the tow bar end you should find a coil spring in a tube. This stores energy and operates to reapply the handbrake if the trailer rolls back. This mechanism needs to be accurately set to work.

[Old Forum]

David Cawston
   
Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 09:40 am:      
I very much doubt if stainless springs are available, the nature of stainless being totally different to 'spring' steel. The stainless ones I think would a) not easily return to their designed shape after stretching and b) stainless would fracture very quickly as its modulus of elasticity (sounds very technical and I am hoping the old grey matter is remembering it correctly from about 40 years ago at school)is very low. It is much the same reason why you have to be so careful with stainless standing rigging. Stainless looks better, will not rust but has the nasty habit of fracturing without notice whereas galvanised rigging gives you notice something is wrong when it starts rusting. The standing rigging on a Winkle Brig 'works' a lot, ie it moves/bends. I have galvanised main stays and stainless forestay through the roller reefing. I always inspect the forestay regularly to try and spot any fractured strands.

[Old Forum]

David Cawston
Username: David_cawston

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Monday, April 18, 2011 - 11:19 pm:      
Just carried out a brake service and found that the shoes and drums on my Avonride 1300kg units are near the end of their life. Not bad with about 15 years use. Price of drums with bearings, about £70 each + carriage and then there is the cost of a new set of shoes. A new pair of complete Avonride suspension units with brakes and cables including carriage £270.59 from Trailer Tek in Winchester. Peak units even cheaper at £247.94
A new pair of units it will be but has anyone had experience of Peak suspension units?

[Old Forum]

Roger Parish
Username: Roger_parish

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 - 03:24 pm:      
No but my replacements were Bamber units from Peak Trailers at Stratford. £319 including new wheels/tyres, collected in 2007. Probably gone up now!! Make sure you get this work completed for Easter,Roger

[Old Forum]

Adrian Evans
Username: Adrian_evans

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - 09:36 pm:      
Apologies for being off topic, but Roger- could you be persuaded to make a post about your new boat? maybe after the Easter trip with some pictures? Thanks

Adrian