Adam F Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 I have a problem and need solutions / suggestions.... Before I left the slip on Sun, James lent me his grease gun. To show me how it worked he clipped it onto the offside trailer wheel hub and gave it 3/4 good pumps. On arriving home, grease had leaked out and covered the wheel (not too much of an issue - as I suspect it may have been overfilled?) but what was more concerning was that the wheel was RED hot! The grease on the wheel was boiling and bubbling. Now I surmise that wheels heat up due to friction? If I have filled the hub with loads of grease their should be no friction, and therfore no heat??? All I can think of is that the brakes are binding on the drums and causing heat this way......could I be right?? If so, how do I remidy this?? Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Adam Your brakes are probably over adjusted so that when you are towing the pads are rubbing on the drums which causes heat to be generated and therefore melting your grease. This poses several problems 1 your pads are probably hard as nails now and may need replacement. 2 your bearings have probably been running with no grease in them due to the grease heating up and melting away, so give them a good looking over. Your brakes will be easy to adjust as it is all cables, just slacken off the main cable slightly and thats it in a nutshell. Dr. Mad Mike can fill you in with all the technical bits Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Adam, The other thing to check is that the pressure of the grease has not pushed the bearing seal out at the rear of the hub. ( That is what happened on my trailer, although I think the seal was done for prior to this ! ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted July 26, 2004 Report Share Posted July 26, 2004 Jack the trailer up (with the boat) undo the hand brake. Rotate the wheel by hand, it should spin fairly smoothly/freely. Listen for any noises, good bearing should be whisper quiet, if it rumbles or grinding noise, change the bearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Adam, The other thing to check is that the pressure of the grease has not pushed the bearing seal out at the rear of the hub. ( That is what happened on my trailer, although I think the seal was done for prior to this ! ). This is a good point. It's one of those things that no one expects to happen but often does. Also the bearing it self may be over tightened so there is too much preassure on the bearing surfaces. Adjust the brakes to give too much slack (to rule out break binding) have a little run and check the temp one side Vs the other. Obviously they should both be the same and quite cool at that. Try again with the break tension set correctly. If you find one side hotter than the other then my guess would be an over tightened bearing adjustment or break imbalance. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted July 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Right.... Bought a trolley jack today to do the job safely. Up she went - binding alright, pretty hard to turn infact. Slackened off the cable - no change....tried the bolt on the back (is this the adjustment???) and that made no diff. either. Cant work out how to get the drum off to have a look at the shoes either. No Im really stuck! Help???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Adam, The bolt on the back will be the adjustment. In days long gone now I had a Ford Anglia and I think the trailer hubs are much the same. You have to take the bearing out with the hub to remove the drum I think. As in remove dust cap. Remove split pin Undo cotter nut Pull off hub with bearing Someone else will shout I am sure if I have got this totally wrong ( no brakes on mine to go wrong ) There is an article on the forum somewhere on replacing bearings which is basically how you put it all back together. Cue Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Right.... Bought a trolley jack today to do the job safely. Up she went - binding alright, pretty hard to turn infact. Slackened off the cable - no change....tried the bolt on the back (is this the adjustment???) and that made no diff. either. Cant work out how to get the drum off to have a look at the shoes either. No Im really stuck! Help???? Don't forget to check the bearing its self, there is still a strong possibility that the problem is an overtight bearing. It's an easy peasy job to do, if your not too far from Kinson I'll pop round and do it if you want.. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 I'd be very careful when taking out the hub and bearing. If you take the wheel off and the bearing (1/2 of it anyway) falls out, you could have got dirt and grits on the coasters and ruins the bearing. Can't give you hint on taking drum off, but when you put the bearing back in, tighten the nut gently, [use both hands] rock the wheel back and forth to make sure it's in probably and spin it to make sure it's smooth. Tighten the nut some more, rock it, spin it, repeat until it's hand tight. Now make sure it still spin freely, it not loosen it a little. Back it up to the next available pin hole postion and insert split pin, if you don't, one day you will find your wheel travel a lot quicker without the trailer . Never over tighten bearing, it's better to be loose than tight (as long as not too loose). I could be wrong but I don't think you need to take the bearing off to get to the drum. I remember when I was a lad, I changed the shoes on a mini and the metal drum [cover] is fixed on by 2 screws. Once unscrewed, the drum [cover] falls off and you should be able to see the brake shoes, springs etc. Paul was right the adjustment is at the back od the drum, like a square nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Right.... Bought a trolley jack today to do the job safely. Up she went - binding alright, pretty hard to turn infact. Slackened off the cable - no change....tried the bolt on the back (is this the adjustment???) and that made no diff. either. Cant work out how to get the drum off to have a look at the shoes either. No Im really stuck! Help???? Don't forget to check the bearing its self, there is still a strong possibility that the problem is an overtight bearing. It's an easy peasy job to do, if your not too far from Kinson I'll pop round and do it if you want.. Mad Mike It could have been, but then he didn't adjust the bearing nut and it was working find before that. Unless the bearing was overtightened already and he never noticed in all this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 If its bearings your looking at look here Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Yep - that's the link I was thinking of. Newboy, It is coming back to me now. Ford Anglia to change the drums on the front wheels necessitated taking the bearing out ( Drums on front wheels !! ). The rear wheel could be done without removing they bearing. ( I am 99 % sure ). Either way, it is not too hard a job doing the bearings ( I did them on my trailer and it has survived so far ). You were quite right about the bearing falling out from the back when removing the hub. However, it is a little daunting the first time you do it. If the old bearings are being put back in your instructions are spot on. If new bearings are being put in they need to be "pre-loaded" first - ie. Tighten up the nut tight and then back off the nut etc. etc. ( as described in the link Martin posted ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 This might also be helpful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted July 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Cheers guys... Very helpfull link. the author says it can be used for non commercial purposes...should we put it as a link on the main page?? Ill jack her up again tomorrow and have a bash. I dont think anything is wronf with the bearings, just the shoes bonding for some reason? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Adam, for the cost of replacement bearings, while you have the thing open, you may as well replace the whole lot, then you know what condition the brake shoes and bearings are in, replacements will be in the region of a tenner a pair, take your hub in with you, they will measure the inner diameter etc........it will save youin the long run, if you drive into the sea as often as you do, its really worth replacement annually.................how much does it cost for a tow these days?????? Regards, Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Hi Adam If your trailer is like mine with bearing savers, long metal tubes sticking out from the hub, you have to remove these first to gain access to the split pin in the casalated nut. I have yet to remove mine but I did try one side and it did not move but freinds have told me you have to tap it side to side to remove as it is a frition fit. Suggest a squirt of release liquid or deisel. You can get a handbook from rollercoaster web site http://www.indespension.com/fromparts-home.htm Regards Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Thanks coddy - yours is the answer Ive been looking for!!!!! Ill try it tonight. I am now proposing that once the bearing savers are off, I can ger the hub nut off and take the whole hub off - will this then give me access to the drums so I can look at the shoes? Also - they are obviosuly binding, once I get to them, why would they be binding and how do I stop it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Not sure how the brake work on your trailer, but most shoe brake work on springs. I would have thought all these dunking into salt water could well have made it seized up. It's pretty easy to do once you have seen it done. It's years since I last did one and the memory is a little hazy. Mike will probably be able to help more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Adam Binding of brakes is caused by the seizing up of the internal workings and can be dealt with as previously posted on this thread. What some of you might like to know is its is better to leave your trailer for long periods (ie when stored at home) without the brakes on, better they sieze off than on. Use chocks to stop your boat moving. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Martin sugested.............Use chocks to stop your boat moving I did but the bloody things melted in the sun shine and left brown marks on the drive. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 aaaggghhhh not choc's as in chocolates chocks as in wooden wedge type thingys . You just cant get the staff these days uuummm beggining to sound like my old man Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Right. Bought a pair of circlip pliers today - essential if you have to remove a circlip as i do...8 quid well spent! it seems one of those things that once you have done it once it is easy! Got the hub off in about 5 mins. then i could see the problem! ....the brake linings have become detached from the shoes and jammed causing them to rub severely! ...that explains why i can hardly move the trailer at the moment! A word of warning here to all trailer users: I have heard that if you reverse your trailer into the water too soon after towing the cold impact on the hot shoes can cause the linings to detach....I thought I was always really careful leaving at least 10 mins??? Anyway - hopefully Bmth Trailer Centre will have new shoes in stock???? and I can complete the job tomorrow. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Adam, someone will tell me they have heard of this before but I, after a loong time in the motor trade, have never heard or experianced friction material detatching it's self from the metal shoes. In normal use brakes are often plunged into cold water (puddles Water filled gutters etc) so they are manufactured to take this. I can only think that yours were what the trade call 'Micky Mouse' parts made and imported cheaply from the far east. Name brands are the safest bet. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted July 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Mike, I have heard it said on a number of occasions...See here paragrapgh 5 I think a use of another forum with the same boat as me has also mentioned it. Are they easy to change? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 The trailer centre should have it, if not, Halfords will probably too, but you will need to take the old one in for them to match it. Changing the shoes are pretty easy and straight forward, another one of those thing once you done one, it's easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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