Trailer brake problem

[Woodbutcher]

I have brakes on my Tear that has a Flexride torsion axle on it. There is something wrong with the internal brakes. How do I get into the hub to check the brakes? There are 4 bolts on the back side of the hub. Do I take it apart there or pull the dust cap and disassemble from the outside. Any help is appreciated.

Steve

[eamarquardt]

Use a putty knife or screwdriver to pry off the dust cap. Then remove the cotter pin and bearing retaining nut. Then you can pull off the drum and inspect the brake mechanism. This might be a good time to inspect/repack your bearings. Should you decide to do so you'll have to pry out (and destroy) the grease seal for the inner bearing so you'll have to obtain new ones to reassemble.

With the drum removed, apply 12 volts to the brake wire leads and see if the electromagnets are working (assuming you have electric brakes).

After cleaning the old bearings and drum in solvent (do not spin the bearings with compressed air) repack them with a quality grease by forcing grease into the gap between the roller cage and race, reassemble, tighten the retaining nut snugly and then back off just enough to line up the hole in the shaft with the slots in the retaining nut. Use a thick (1/4 inch or more) piece of steel flat stock over the grease seal to tap it back in place. Then use a big socket or pipe over the dust cap to tap it back in place.

There is no need to remove the backing plate (held onto the spindle with 4 nuts) from the spindle.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Gus

[Shadow Catcher]

Gus has the basics but video helps to understand what you are doing.
This one is how to inspect. Getting the proper adjustment of the castle nut and loading bearings is the only really ticklish part.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85p7_YeG ... ure=relmfu

[Woodbutcher]

Thanks Guys, that answered all my questions until I get it apart. Maybe some more then.

[Yota Bill]

If you drive the inner bearing out by using a brass punch through the hub, it will push the seal out without destroying it. You can also remove the nut, then remove the outer bearing, put the nut back on part way, and then slide the drum off and pull down slightly so that the nut catches the inner bearing and pulls the seal out that way. This method does require pulling the drum off with some force, but its honestly the easiest way to remove the seal.
You can easily and safely reuse the seal several times that way.

[eamarquardt]

If you drive the inner bearing out by using a brass punch through the hub, it will push the seal out without destroying it. You can also remove the nut, then remove the outer bearing, put the nut back on part way, and then slide the drum off and pull down slightly so that the nut catches the inner bearing and pulls the seal out that way. This method does require pulling the drum off with some force, but its honestly the easiest way to remove the seal.
You can easily and safely reuse the seal several times that way.

I wouldn't trust a bearing that had been tapped/beat out with a brass drift. Pressing a bearing out slowly with lottsa contact area is a different matter. I once had a "technician" that worked for me beat the daylights out of steel shafts with a brass hammer, ruin a machined fit, and clean em up with a file thinking all was right with the world/fit. I told him if I saw him do that again I was taking away his hammers! Water is arguably softer than the human body but I wouldn't want to fall into water from 300 feet. Sameo, sameo with a brass drift and a precision ground bearing.

Having a bearing fail on the road is a major PITA as compared to the few dollars a new seal will cost.

More "World According to Gus". Better, IMHO, safe than sorry.

Cheers,

Gus

[Yota Bill]

Ah, I see. You think the part that hits the nut or the drift is the part tht contats the race.
I understand what your (over)thinking, but in the real world, tricks like this work perfectly.

[eamarquardt]

Ah, I see. You think the part that hits the nut or the drift is the part tht contats the race.
I understand what your (over)thinking, but in the real world, tricks like this work perfectly.

The only way to get the race out is to tap the edge of the race with a drift. Tapping on the edge of the race, which I agree doesn't contact the cone, can distort the part of the race that does contact the cone which can lead to a premature failure. There are few surfaces in a modern car/trailer that have a precision ground finish and bearings are one of them. I don't think it's good practice to beat/tap on em and then reuse em.

If you want to punch out pressed in bearings with a drift to save $5 it's ok with me. None of the engineers and mechanics I've worked with in paper mills would risk it except in a real pinch or emergency.

http://www.etrailer.com/question-13376.html

I happened to have a 2000# stub axle on my bench. I tried to duplicate the technique using the retaining nut to press out the inner bearing but couldn't get the retaining nut past the outside bearing. No joy.

Cheers,

Gus

[treemaker]

I used a drift to drive out bearing races all the time, then i installed new bearings and recycled the old ones as scrap.

[CarlLaFong]

I have beaten out bearing races and seals using various cudgels, meat axes and Bronson rocks and then reused the old parts. Never had a problem, but..........................God protects the ignorant. I'm, marginally, smarter now.

[eamarquardt]

I have beaten out bearing races and seals using various cudgels, meat axes and Bronson rocks and then reused the old parts. Never had a problem, but..........................God protects the ignorant. I'm, marginally, smarter now.

Yeah, but have you ever used a brass or aluminum drift?

Cheers,

Gus

[CarlLaFong]

I have beaten out bearing races and seals using various cudgels, meat axes and Bronson rocks and then reused the old parts. Never had a problem, but..........................God protects the ignorant. I'm, marginally, smarter now.

Yeah, but have you ever used a brass or aluminum drift?


Cheers,

Gus

Those are for sissies. You can't beat anything into submission with soft alloy candy bars and rubber mallets.
Seriously, I don't reuse gaskets, seals or bearings that have been brutally removed