Adding trailer brakes

[FuzzyOne]

I had to move this page to my new ISP and wanted to post a link for future reference/searchers.  I hope this continues to help the DIYers out there.
 
 
http://home.comcast.net/~jeffbevan/camping/brakes.htm

[wavery]

I had to move this page to my new ISP and wanted to post a link for future reference/searchers.  I hope this continues to help the DIYers out there.
 
 
http://home.comcast.net/~jeffbevan/camping/brakes.htm

Thanks for that FuzzyOne.

I'm not sure where those instructions came from but I would take a slight exception to one point. I would recommend changing all bearings and races when installing new hubs on all but the newest of trailers. In fact, I'm a little surprised that the new hubs didn't come with new bearings.

It's not a good idea to put old bearings in new races or new bearings in old races. Wheel bearings develop a wear pattern in just the 1st few hundred miles as the bearings and races wear into one another. Using the old bearings on new races risks the possibility of wearing through the heat treated surface of the bearings as they try to establish a new wear pattern. You may have absolutely no problem 9 times out of 10. I just don't think that it's worth the risk for one of my 4 bearings to be #10.

Just my 2 cents........... :sombraro:

[FuzzyOne]

Good point.  Since my trailer was a year old with little miles on the hubs, it wasn't a problem.  I'll add that note to the instructions.

[wavery]

Good point.  Since my trailer was a year old with little miles on the hubs, it wasn't a problem.  I'll add that note to the instructions.

I just have a few more suggestions....

Never....ever....re-use the old cotter pin. 2 new $.20 cotter pins may keep you from losing a wheel at highway speed. Also, when installing the new grease seal, use a block of wood flat against the seal and tap it in, using a circular pattern.

As for the bearing buddies. IMHO, they're not worth your time & effort.

Bearing buddies were originally designed for boat trailers. They are great because you can fill all of the voids in the hub to make sure that water can't get into the bearing space. After pulling the trailer out of the water, an extra squirt of grease may expell any unwanted water.

However, the reality is, the bearings really don't need a lot of grease on most trailers. Packing the bearings will give you plenty of grease to adequately lubricate your wheel bearings. There is absolutely no up-side to filling the entire hub on most trailers as long as the seal is not leaking and the dust cap is secure. Wheel bearing grease does not evaporate or somehow get "used up".

Companies like "Bearing Buddies" and others have used the inexperience of most people to market these products as added protection. The reality is, that may make some trailer owners have a false sense of security and prevent them from doing regular bearing inspections. It will also cause some to put a squirt of grease in the hbs before using the trailer. When they do that, some grease will be forced out of the seal and may end up on the brakes (not a good place for grease :p ).

The worst enemy of trailer bearings is lack of use. As trailers sit for long periods of time, gravity will pull the grease off of the upper part of the bearing (where it is needed most while stationary) and they will corrode and pit over time. Even packing the hub "Full" won't eliminate this completely.

[brainpause]

I also have brake additions on my mods page. These pictures/experience may help those who search for this thread. The brakes were actually added to a utility trailer, but the principles are the same.

http://www.larryandhollycrockett.com/modifications.html

Larry