RV Trailer Brakes are likely to get uncared for till there’s a catastrophic failure that would have been prevented.
Similar to the brakes on your truck, RV Trailer Brakes must be changed at common intervals to make certain they are going to work whenever you want them too. Happening hill with an additional ton or 5 behind you will not be the time to understand you need to have changed them.
The very first thing it is advisable do is work out what RV Trailer brakes you’ve, so that you could order the replacements.
What RV Trailer Brakes Do I Want?
You want two key items of data to get the appropriate brakes in your Fifth Wheel or Journey Trailer.
First it is advisable know what dimension axles you’ve. Someplace in your axle needs to be an data tag that exhibits what weight axles you’ve. Ours are Dexter 7,000 Pound Axles.
The subsequent piece of data you want is the scale of your brake meeting. Totally different dimension axles and rims can have completely different dimension assemblies. Our axles have 12 inch x 2 in brake assemblies.
Ordering Substitute RV Trailer Brakes
Similar to every part else, there are various kinds of trailer brake assembles. There are guide adjustment brakes, and self adjusting. We selected to make use of the Dexter 12×2 Nev-R-Regulate Self Adjusting Trailer Brakes.
These self adjusting brakes imply that I don’t have to recollect to effective tune them each season earlier than we hit the highway. The brake assemblies will regulate themselves to keep up the correct amount of spacing between themselves and the brake drum.
In your Fifth Wheel or Journey Trailer, your brake drum is all a part of your Hub Meeting. Changing your brake drum and bearings is simply as necessary as changing your RV Trailer Brakes. In case your bearings give out your wheels can snap proper off your axle.
The brake drums are topic to a situation referred to as glazing. That is when the hub absorbs a lot warmth that making use of the brakes acts extra like a sharpening wheel than a brake pad. The contact floor of the hub turns into as clean as glass stopping the brake pads from really slowing you down.
We ordered these Dexter Brake Drum And Axle Bearing kits. They arrive with the brand new hub, new interior and outer bearing, grease caps, lock nuts, lock ring. The entire deal.
RV Wheel Bearing Grease and a high quality Grease Gun are the following issues you’ll want. My grease of selection is Lucas Pink n Cheesy. It has nice thermal properties, and after doing a upkeep greasing of my axle bearings final season the trailer towed simpler and I even picked up half a mile per gallon on my gas gauge.
Eradicating your present RV Trailer Brakes
Begin by eradicating the Mud Cap. Faucet it from the within out with a hammer and it’ll ultimately come out of your Hub.
Then take away the cotter pin or lock ring that’s holding your spindle nut.
Subsequent take away the nut and washer, and pull your entire Hub Meeting out and off the spindle.
As soon as the Hub Meeting is off, wipe off any remaining grease with a paper towel.
Now take discover of the 2 wires going by means of the again of the brake meeting. You’re going to lower these two wires, on the trailer aspect of the wire nuts.
Lastly, take away the mounting bolts that maintain the brake meeting on.
Now all you must do it pop the brand new brake meeting on, and set up the brand new lock nuts. On the again aspect it is advisable reconnect the 2 brake wires. I extremely advocate utilizing shrink tubing for a water tight connection.
Now slide your drum again onto the spindle, and reinstall the washer, luck nut and lock tab.
The ultimate factor to do it faucet the brand new mud cap on and grease the axle. There IS a proper strategy to grease an axle, and if you wish to see the way to do it, Try our youtube video the place we just do that.