Trailer Brake Problem

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    Posted: 18 Apr 2014 at 12:03pm
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A previous issue with the master cylinder had left the discs quite badly rusted and pitted. I was hoping they would polish up a bit once I got the brakes working again. Wrong.
On a recent holiday up north a loud scrapping sound alerted me to the fact there was no meat left on the brake pads. I managed to get a set up there, and fitted them before coming home. Checking them after the 4.5 hour drive home I found the inside or piston side had completely worn away again .OK I was going to have to replace the brake hubs.
I went to AL-KO and bought new hubs, bearings, seals, and pads. They gave me the new gav. hubs.
When fitting the calipars back on I noticed the outside pad, the floating one was jammed up hard against the disc. To me it seemed the gav. has added extra thickness to the disc, and also gives it a rough texture. .Both wheels are the same.
Anyway I took it for a drive up the road. After about 2 km smoke is coming off both wheels, let it cool down and take it home, more smoke. Give it half an hour to cool down and repeated, hoping to wear off the gav. Now maybe less smoke on the inside wheel, about the same on the outside.
There is some heat on the hub and bearings but not as much as I would have expected given the amount of smoke.
The question is do I have to try and wear the discs in as I have been doing, or is there something else wrong.
The calipars seem OK, and new pads fitted OK with the old hubs.

Any ideas anybody ???
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MikeAqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2014 at 12:14pm
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Take it to a brake specialist.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote tugboat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2014 at 4:41pm
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Whats the difference in rotor thickness between the old hub and new hub, are the hubs exactly the same size, profile, etc when laid flat on the ground side by side.
Have you put the bearings in correctly??
Also has it worn right down just on one side or both sides??
What sort of trailer or make of calipers are on it??
Any photos of them?
Sounds like the pistons aren't releasing, have you been able to push the pistons all the way in when changing pads??..
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote scorpian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2014 at 5:18pm
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I think you may be spot on TB.
To start with, I do think I had to rub off the gav. from the discs. I took it for another couple of slow trips around the block and the wheels freed up OK.
Once onto the motorway and using the brakes the left hand hub started smoking real bad, plenty of heat this time. This was the caliper that took a fair bit of force to open so that it would fit back over the disc with the new pads. Pretty sure it must be staying on.
Is it worth taking the boot off and trying to free it up, or just buy a new set of calipers.?
Possibly up for new seals now too.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2014 at 5:49pm
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If the caliper with pads fitted over the disc rhen the issue will not be there.
A bearing issue...u would have to have bearings redulously loose with wheel wobble or in the case of old bearings , rumble so bad would make huge noise.
u have 1  or 2 or all 3 issues
1/ the sliders the caliper slide on are jambed up
2/ The actuation pin of the MC is slightly too long.. If u back off the MC mounting bolts while the brakes are jammed up and that releases the brakes.. chances are thats the issue... then if slip a washer in to road test and doesn't happen, confirms MC  actuation pin
3/ The square profile O ring around the caliper piston has been put on the wrong way...The profile of this seal Oring is not square when looked closely at. what happens is when u put your foot onb the brakes, the piston moves out a few thou of an " ...clamps the disc and distorts sort of rolls the O ring.. when u release the pressure it is the O ring that then pulls the piston back releasing the disc.

All simple things to check out.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote scorpian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2014 at 7:46pm
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Thanks Steps, I'm going to remove the caliper tomorrow and check it out
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2014 at 8:47am
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Brakes , unless ABS are a very simple hydrolic operation, nothing complex about them... but ppl tend to make things far more than really are
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote otdrmn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2014 at 8:49am
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I had a problem with my brakes years ago that sounds familiar with the pistons not releasing, in the end after replacing most parts it turned out to be a bleed nipple that wasn't sealing correctly and was letting air in the system.
In the end a cheap fix but took ages to isolate what the cause was.
The 4 R's ~ Rods, Reels, Rifles, Rooting
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Seadoc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2014 at 9:41am
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I had a similar problem, was caused by a seized caliper piston. The Trojan caliper rebuild kit is about $50 per caliper ( best to do both) and it is a simple job to do. I am no mechanic and just Googled " how to rebuild a caliper" and found plenty U-tube videos on how to do it. The square section piston seal on the Trojan caliper can be fitted either way, so you cannot fit it the wrong way around. You do need compressed air to pop out the piston. Took me about an hour and 30 min to do both and bleed the system. I used the bleeding system you can get from Supercheap to bleed the brakes on your own
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote edge01 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Apr 2014 at 3:04pm
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You don't need an air compressor to get the pistons out. Simply disassemble the brakes and then pump up the master cylinder. it will push the pistons out just like it supposed to.

Sounds like jamming pistons to me. Take them out and see if there is sand or scoring jamming them up. check the slide pins also. I don't grease mine at all. just leave them 2 run dry.

make sure that your master cylinder is releasing like its supposed to, if there is rust in the bore it will jam up and keep the pressure on the pistons therefore jamming them on too.
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