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Another trailer Surge brake issue


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A month ago I bought a 2006 RLXI Promo boat. It came with a 2006 Sweetwater single axle trailer. This trailer has surge brakes with Disc brakes. Two weeks ago it developed a very odd braking characteristic. When the brakes are applied the trailer goes into a violent shaking and rattling that sends vibrations into my pickup. I can actually hear the trailer rattling and making shaking noises. I looked into the brake fluid reservoir and the fluid level looked fine. I could add maybe an OZ, but that is it. I don't want to overfill. I am just starting to diagnose. I realize it is under warranty, but I haven't researched who will do warranty work on the Sweetwater trailers here in Denver. I did not buy the boat and trailer from the local dealer because this is a used Promo boat. The local dealership did not have any available.

I thought about bleeding the brakes, but sort of confused how you bleed the brakes without using a pressurized system.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

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It sounds like one or both of the rotors got warped. If a pad was at some time stuck or binding and then the trailer was backed in the water with a extremly hot rotor, it would definately warp which would cause a bad vibration when braking.

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I thought about bleeding the brakes, but sort of confused how you bleed the brakes without using a pressurized system.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

It'd be about the same procedure as bleeding the brakes on a car with discs, except when it came time to pump the brake pedal in the car, you would slide your actuator in and out by hand.

But I agree with gooddog...doesn't sound like a problem bleeding the brakes would fix.

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Just a wild guess, but were you well balanced? Maybe if you had a full tank of gas and some heavy equipment in the rear trunk that would take too much weight off the tongue... Dontknow.gif

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Just a wild guess, but were you well balanced? Maybe if you had a full tank of gas and some heavy equipment in the rear trunk that would take too much weight off the tongue... Dontknow.gif

We keep the boat pretty much empty all the time. All the gear comes out everyday. We never fill past half tank (don't want extra gas weight effecting the wake) Maybe I don't have enough tongue weight? We have tried two different pulling vehicles and same thing happens.

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It sounds like one or both of the rotors got warped. If a pad was at some time stuck or binding and then the trailer was backed in the water with a extremly hot rotor, it would definately warp which would cause a bad vibration when braking.

Well that sure sucks. I bet that isn't warranty covered either. Just like a car, brakes aren't covered. According to the manual... the brakes are from a 1997-2000 Kia Sephia. That isn't very comforting. But it says to reference that to get the right parts. But I bet I could get rotors and pads cheap for a hooptie like that. No offense to the board members rolling a 2000 Kia Sephia.

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I thought about bleeding the brakes, but sort of confused how you bleed the brakes without using a pressurized system.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

It'd be about the same procedure as bleeding the brakes on a car with discs, except when it came time to pump the brake pedal in the car, you would slide your actuator in and out by hand.

But I agree with gooddog...doesn't sound like a problem bleeding the brakes would fix.

Well sliding that actuator is certainly a hard task.. it doesn't move in and out very easily. I should get some speed bleeders for this bad boy.

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I thought about bleeding the brakes, but sort of confused how you bleed the brakes without using a pressurized system.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

It'd be about the same procedure as bleeding the brakes on a car with discs, except when it came time to pump the brake pedal in the car, you would slide your actuator in and out by hand.

But I agree with gooddog...doesn't sound like a problem bleeding the brakes would fix.

Well sliding that actuator is certainly a hard task.. it doesn't move in and out very easily. I should get some speed bleeders for this bad boy.

Once the bleeder valves are cracked, you can push the actuator with little effort.

oh, and no offense taken on the Kia slam...mine's not pretty but it gets the job done.

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I thought about bleeding the brakes, but sort of confused how you bleed the brakes without using a pressurized system.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

It'd be about the same procedure as bleeding the brakes on a car with discs, except when it came time to pump the brake pedal in the car, you would slide your actuator in and out by hand.

But I agree with gooddog...doesn't sound like a problem bleeding the brakes would fix.

Well sliding that actuator is certainly a hard task.. it doesn't move in and out very easily. I should get some speed bleeders for this bad boy.

Once the bleeder valves are cracked, you can push the actuator with little effort.

oh, and no offense taken on the Kia slam...mine's not pretty but it gets the job done.

I will try bleeding them first and do a full inspection. My bad on the KIA. I sold mine, that is why I called it a Hooptie.. I picked up my girl a Civic. I got my new OJ 324 to test.. I will have the results Saturday.

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