Trailer brakes

[bigeasy1]

Well the boats almost finished,but the trailer brakes need to be put back in working order.
It sat in a field for several years,so i know the bleeders are rusted.The steel sections of the line have to be replaced.

So far I put on a new coupler(regular shoe brake one),but now I need to do the rest.I'm only going to be towing it for one long tow of 400 miles to where the boat will live.(fresh water).
Once there it will only be a 1/8 th mile trip to the boat ramp each time I use it,so I'm not that concerned about the brakes at that point.I just want them to safely operate for the long NY thruway trip.

I'm hoping that I can free any corroded parts up so that they will work again,and I may be lucky,and find that it was only the old rusty coupler/master cylinder,that was bad.I know that the trailer has very little mileage on it.Overall,it's in excellent condition.I of course, will be doing the wheel bearings over.

Should I just bite the bullet,and buy a whole new kit?,or should I take it apart and try to get any parts i would need locally.Would parts for these trailer brakes be available from auto parts stores?

I'm probably nuts,here I am worrying about saving a couple hundred bucks,after spending several thousand to do the restoration.I'm not a risk taker,so I will end up doing it right,but I'd hate to spend money on a complete new system,if I can get just the parts that I need from an auto parts store.

[FELLOW-SHIP]

The best way to go is first remove the parts and then take them to a Trailer repair shop and replace the parts with new that are the same. Sometimes auto break parts are not the same.
Bottom line is drum breaks are junk for boat trailers. Disks are much better and Stainless Steel parts are the way to go. I read about your use you need to make these decisions.



FellowShip

………………………

Just for the Grins

Official Antique Classic SeaCraft Owner

[bigeasy1]

Yeah,Fellowship,you're right,I know that discs are much better,but this trailer is really only going to be used as a storage rack for the Tsunami when I'm not at the lake.
It will literally see a trip of less than an eighth of a mile down a small side street to the launch.
I don't want to spend several hundred dollars for brakes on a trailer that will see less than 3 miles a year.

[riprunner]

My trailer brakes haven't stuck once since I took them off! If you have a full size truck and you aren't traveling far I wouldn't bother having them. Just go slow and give yourself plenty of stopping time. My GMC 1500 stops my 23 inboard with no issues. My trailer is only used twice a year because the boat is in a slip. If I trailered a distance on a weekly bases I would have disk brakes installed.

[BigLew]

John123,

IMHO, I would invstigate a pair/2pair of new hubs w/drum brakes. Their are certainly less expensive (about $350 at W/M prices) in terms of both time AND money than repair/replace what you have plus new SS discs with new hubs- a fair comparison. As you said, it's the 400 mile trip that most concerns you and new hubs and brakes answers both your braking ability and hub concerns. Yes, it's more $$ than repaired/rebuilt bearings/hubs, but when you start the long trip there is the confidence factor even when the A/holes swerve and cut you off or you get into a stop and go stretch of the trip- likely.
If the trailer is otherwise sound and the axles are good, then new hubs & brakes are easy enough to install in an afternoon once you have the parts purchased.

Then, when you get to you destination, pull the brakes off. Personally I agree you probably don't need to subject them to a dunking twice/season for a 1/4 miles worth of driving, and you will have essentially new brakes to re-install on well maintained hubs when it comes time for resale. Heck, you could pull the hubs off for the winter as well and keep them inside where they will not wear as much and it will be a show stopper for the would be thieves you might worry about through the winter months.

It could all be a deal maker rather than a deal breaker at resale!

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck. Congrats and enjoy. Take care and be well.

[bigeasy1]

I may just do that Lew,the more I think about it,I know it's the right thing to do.
Hey what's another few bucks,after all the glass,resin,seating,steering,arch,electronics,engi nes wiring,tabs,etc etc etc.
A few more bucks for brakes I guess isn't a big deal.

It's not the place to try and save money.After all the time and work that I put into it,and the risk of, something terrible happening on the highway,to the boat or our safety,I'd never forgive myself,for not doing it right.