I have a Triton with electric on one axle. I decided to pull wheel and hub and have a look. I don't have a lot of experience with these. I see the magnet that is magnetized when you step on the brake pedal, it also has brake shoes. How exactly does this system work? Is there anyting I should service on it for longer life. It is a 2008 trailer but it looks like a 98 behind the hub!Thanks.
?Inspecting my electric brakes?
- Thread starter shawnj
- Start date
yes, that would be it. Make sure to lub under the clips that guide the shoes too, on each side. Anywhere you see metal contacting metal, where movement is needed. In the end you should be able to move the arm the magnet is on by hand and have the shoes open up. If you can't do that, it's not working right. They don't move that much. Also, make sure the adjustment screw on the bottom is in good shape and can be adjusted. You might find once you put them back together you'll need to open up the starting point of the shoes to make sure you have good stopping power. Once back together, that screw is adjusted with a flat screwdriver, spinning it up or down to open or close the brake pads up against the hub walls.
I just had to replace all 4 on my trailer. They were rusted solid. Good learning experience. From now on, I'm pulling the hubs off twice a year to lube and check parts.
I just had to replace all 4 on my trailer. They were rusted solid. Good learning experience. From now on, I'm pulling the hubs off twice a year to lube and check parts.
Oki Doki. On my way out to do this now. I couldn't believe how rusty it looked in there, afraid to even touch that little spring at the bottom as it looks like it could fall right apart. Like I mentioned it is only 2 years old and I usually keep it quite clean but I guess that does nothing for this problem . Thanks all.
I hope I'm not to late. I just took mine apart. The brake pads fell off onto the ground! My trailer supplier sold me the entire back plate for 53 bucks. I thought that by the time I buy pads and a adjuster & spring kit it would be even more money seperately. Only thing I will have to reuse are the drums. Make sure your magnet assembly floats very freely on its mount.
As far as how they work: When you energise the magnet it trys to "grab" the spinning drum. It is then pulled in the direction of rotation, opening up the shoes.
Hope that helps.
As far as how they work: When you energise the magnet it trys to "grab" the spinning drum. It is then pulled in the direction of rotation, opening up the shoes.
Hope that helps.
I'm done. The first side that I did I carefully took it all apart. The arm the manget is attached to was seized solid. I lubed it lots and was taping it lightly back and forth and it came right off, did not know that would happen but good none the less. Now, not really knowing this but the magnet does not move in and out on the little stub it sits on. IS THIS A PROBLEM?? The other side does move in and out. Also the litle square piece that pivots and spreads the top of the pads apart is loose on one side and just spins freely when pad are off, but, it seems to still work ok once I put the pads back on. Only one side was like this, the first side was solid which is proably how it is really supposed to be. I sprayed some rust check on the backer plates before reinstalling the brakes just to keep them looking a bit better. I'll do this once a year for sure maybe more. Can someone tell me about the magnet and does it really need to float in and out on the little stub is sits on???????
snowfish
Member
Basically all components should be as free as you can get them. The Shoe Rest is probably not as critical as the Pivot Arm. Even if the Shoe Rest is sold, the Brakes should work pretty good. I'd get all of them freed up, if it was me.
The Magnet should float on the Spring. It's designed that way so
1) it's not dragging all of the time when the brakes are not applied.
2) it can get drawn into the drum when the brakes are applied
Having the magnet float on one side and not the other will lead to awkward and potentially dangerous braking.
The Brake adjuster needs to spin as free as free can be. The little spring will hold it in place. Makes brake adjusting a lot easier since your laying on you back, half upside down anyway in the process. Or maybe just working by brail, what ever the case may be.
A healthy dose of Brake Clean is a good idea on the Shoe Linings & Drums. Soak them down and wipe them off. Don't want any greasy stuff or brake dust on those.
Hopefully the Rust Check is dry application. We don't want any oil or grease to be on the Shoe or Magnet Surfaces.
Hope this helps. Cheers.
The Magnet should float on the Spring. It's designed that way so
1) it's not dragging all of the time when the brakes are not applied.
2) it can get drawn into the drum when the brakes are applied
Having the magnet float on one side and not the other will lead to awkward and potentially dangerous braking.
The Brake adjuster needs to spin as free as free can be. The little spring will hold it in place. Makes brake adjusting a lot easier since your laying on you back, half upside down anyway in the process. Or maybe just working by brail, what ever the case may be.
A healthy dose of Brake Clean is a good idea on the Shoe Linings & Drums. Soak them down and wipe them off. Don't want any greasy stuff or brake dust on those.
Hopefully the Rust Check is dry application. We don't want any oil or grease to be on the Shoe or Magnet Surfaces.
Hope this helps. Cheers.
Yup that helps alot. Maybe I should try and get that one magnet floating on the little stub. I think there is enough room that it isn't rubbing on the drum but ya it should be free. The rust check wasnt dry application but didnt really run too much but I did it before I put the pads back on so hopefully it wont travel to the pads. Maybe tommorw I'll look at that one again, now that I have it pumped just full of grease. I guess you'll have to be carefull not to pry the magnet off and break trying to free it up. Thanks all
Is the shoe rest in the picture the square piece that spreads the shoes or is the shoe rest the round piece that isn't really shown in the picture but the shoes actually rest on. My square piece on one side when apart will spin freely and the other is solid. I think maybe it is supposed to be solid but unsure on that.
snowfish
Member
Maybe we could call it the Shoe Rest Actuating Arm Pivot. The Square Thing sounds better to me! LOL! Yes, it should turn, with ease as well, since you're down there.
Just keep everything as clean and dry as possible. A little lube is a necessary evil. But brake dust is drawn to it, and will gum it back up.
Plus, one does not want oil and grease to work it's way to the shoes. Stopping power will be greatly diminished. A lot of brake chatter, too.
I haven't tested and proven it yet, but remember the old Comet Clutch lube? Kind of a graphite based lubricant. Goes on wet then dries. I may toy around, with this, to see what happens. Cheers
Just keep everything as clean and dry as possible. A little lube is a necessary evil. But brake dust is drawn to it, and will gum it back up.
Plus, one does not want oil and grease to work it's way to the shoes. Stopping power will be greatly diminished. A lot of brake chatter, too.
I haven't tested and proven it yet, but remember the old Comet Clutch lube? Kind of a graphite based lubricant. Goes on wet then dries. I may toy around, with this, to see what happens. Cheers
I got both the magnets now floating quite freely. The spring behind the magnet, is it to pull magnet back in or to push it out some. It seems on both side the spring is keeping it from sticking in possibly??? Oh well, I had the misess step on brakes and have the brake controller adjusted approx 1/2 way and rotated wheels by hand and seems to be grabbing and letting go nicely. Thanks for all the helpfull info, as always.
skeeter2010
Member
Looks like one left and one right on the same side Opps it happens
