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Trailer Brakes failed "on"


Lieutenant Dan

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Some "clever" guy at my ski club decided to use a dime jammed in the surge brake actuator of my Boatmate trailer in order to move my boat around without using a tow vehicle with a 5-pin connector. Unfortunately he was not aware enough of what he was doing and forgot to remove the dime. I discovered this when I was trying to bring my boat home for some pre-trip maintenance.

I was merging on the freeway on an uphill ramp and couldn't accelerate over 45 mph because the dime had caused the brake actuator to stick in the actuated position. I pulled over to see what the heck was going on and found the dime. Let me tell you, things were really hot (including my temper). I had just done a complete bleed of the system so the brakes were really working great. I had also just put 4 new tires on.

What do you think? Do you think I might have cooked my bearings?

I have bearing buddies and have always kept them stuffed with good grease. I noticed last night that after towing the boat home yet again, I heard some pretty nasty squealing coming from back there. I jacked things up this morning to see how the wheels spin (albeit without load) and everything "seems" OK. As an aside, how do you remove those bearing buddies anyway?

Also, could I have damaged the tires?

Edited by Lieutenant Dan
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Bummer man, I hate it when people mess with stuff. All I can say is that I think you are going to have to do a complete inspection. If the bearings/ grease were overheated you should be able to tell when you get it apart.

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The bearing buddies are press-fit.

To get them off, wrap a rag around it and get out your largest pair of Channel locks. Rock the buddy back and forth a little until it loosens up.

To re-install, set the buddy in the hub and with a block of wood against the buddy, hit it with a hammer until seated.

Then, take that same hammer and tune-up the guy who put the dime in there.

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Then, take that same hammer and tune-up the guy who put the dime in there.

Amen to that, brother. Haven't been able to id the culprit as yet, though.

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I had an actuator lock up my brakes. It got to the point (hot enough) that grease left my bearing buddies and ignited. I had to put the fire out with an extinguisher. What a mess.

Jack your trailer up and try to rock the wheels as if you were trying to get them off. If there is not much play (maybe an 1/8th inch or so) you should be fine.

I took mine to a trailer shop and they replaced my faulty actuator, replaced the brake lines I cut on the side of the road to get home, but everythng else was fine.

I get my bearing buddies off by taking a block of wood and a hammer and tapping them one side at a time till they come out. Like Pete said, they are press fit, and once you get going you will see that it's not that hard to get them off.

I think your bearing will be fine. Like I said, mine were hot enough spew grease and ignite, and after replacing the grease, they have been fine for 7 years.

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i found that a 1" length of scrap pvc pipe has just about the right id to fit the bearing buddies.

i reinforced one end with a hose clamp.

slide it over the bearing buddy and wobble a little and the bb slides out pretty easily.

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I would not tow any further without a good inspection, especially if it's a single axle trailer and I would talk to all your buddies at the club to see if they can kick down with some of the expenses. This is just plain ignorance and their people should be trained properly or ask questions.

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Can also tap the bearing buddies with a dead blow hammer while turning the wheel. Sometimes they are to tight to wiggle off with channel locks.

Look at the bearings close and see if the grease is melted if not you will be ok. Repack them and you will be good to go. I can not imagine that you got hot enough to trash your tires.

Like Pete said then take that hammer and tune up the guy that did this to you. Or stick that same dime up his actuator.

Edited by rodman
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Dan - DryDock in Sharonville is the local UFP dealer & have been good to deal with.

I've had problems getting the Bearing Buddies to stay on the axles after taken off once & had to replace them... Just make sure you don't have grease on the seal side area once you inspect them.

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i found that a 1" length of scrap pvc pipe has just about the right id to fit the bearing buddies.

i reinforced one end with a hose clamp.

slide it over the bearing buddy and wobble a little and the bb slides out pretty easily.

That's gold!

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ok I'm confused. I thought the dime(or a lockout key) kept the brakes from working when reversing. I wasn't aware that it would lock the brakes up when moving forward??? I have surge brakes on my trailer but never used any kind of lockout key or know where one would be used. The story sounds like the dime kept the brakes on? Or did the dime get jammed when you started towing and that locked up the brakes?

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ok I'm confused. I thought the dime(or a lockout key) kept the brakes from working when reversing. I wasn't aware that it would lock the brakes up when moving forward??? I have surge brakes on my trailer but never used any kind of lockout key or know where one would be used. The story sounds like the dime kept the brakes on? Or did the dime get jammed when you started towing and that locked up the brakes?

Right.

I guess Mr. Clever put the dime in there to keep the brakes from working while backing the boat into a new parking slot. He wasn't clever enough to take it out afterward. When I took the rig out on the road and made a normal stop or two, the dime got mashed in the works of the coupler and prevented the coupler from releasing upon acceleration. (I really didn't see the dime in there until the next day and it was so scraped/squashed that it was nearly unrecognizable as a dime.)

This left the brakes "on" while I was trying to accelerate, up-hill, onto the freeway.

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