Forum Discussion

roundman's avatar
roundman
Explorer
Oct 13, 2015

Electric Brakes.. Wheel/Drum move back and forth

Two Issues:

First: I replaced all four brake assemblies on my Gulfstream Amerilite. The unit is still up on four jack stands. I adjusted the brakes. I then plugged the unit into my tow vehicle and had my wife fully depress the brakes.

The electric brakes fully engaged as they should ...however, I can rotate the brake drum forward and backwards (fore and aft) an inch or two...in other words the brakes are holding and not slipping at all, but the brake shoes appear to be moving with the drum a little....is this wheel play normal? I can move the wheel/drum a little in each direction then it stops solid as long as the brakes are engaged. The mounting bolts on the brake assemblies are properly torqued, so they are not loose at all.

It reminds me of moving a rear wheel on my truck when it is in the air...the wheel moves a little before the differential causes the opposite wheel to move...(said in an effort to explain)....that is how it feels. I wish I had moved the wheels in the same fashion before I removed the old brake assemblies, but I did not, so I do not know what is normal.

Second: I also replaced the suspension equalizer, bushings, and links (used a Dexter Upgraded Kit). My springs are 1 3/4" wide. However, the hangers that came on the camper measure 2" wide...so when I torque the link bolts they pull the hanger in and make it bow toward the springs and equalizers. The "before" photos that I took verify that the stock installation also pulled the hangers inward so that they angle down from the frame to the springs...Therefore when I torque the link bolts and seat the nut against the bolt shoulder it pulls the hanger sides inward. This is causing the serrated part of the bolts to pull out and not be fully seated.

Has anyone else had this problem? The guys at eTrailer seem to think that Gulfstream used the wrong hangers or the wrong springs and that the hangers should also be 1 3/4" wide. I hope this makes sense. Any comments?? See photos below:


and


Upper and lower hanger measurements:




Thanks!!

12 Replies

  • roundman's avatar
    roundman
    Explorer
    Oct 14, 2015
    I really do appreciate the replies and help! I am going to get a ball joint press as I need one anyway for another project...I just did not think of it...

    It has occurred to me, however, since the new wet bolts are exactly the same size as the stock bolts (3"), if I place spacers the bolts will not be long enough (my bolts are 9/16" on the shoulder and 7/16" threads and the bolt is torqued down against the shoulder...I know that most link bolts are 9/16" shoulder and threads). Right now the nuts are torqued against the shoulder of the bolt. I have managed, through using a clamp and hammer, to fully sink the serration on the bolts into the hanger at the top of the bolt with only a small crack at the bottom of the bolt head due to the bent angle of the hanger. In order to expand the hangers back out to where they are 2" top and bottom and then use spacers I would need longer bolts (with longer shoulders). Since it came from the factory like this I am going to go with it for the time being....maybe trade up later... Thanks again!!
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Oct 14, 2015
    Camper G wrote:
    Huntindog wrote:
    The brakes are normal,

    The bolt is not installed corrrectly. The bolt head should be flush against the hangar. You need to use a ball joint press to press/push the bolts serrations into the hangar. Just tightening the bolts won't work. Harbor freight sells them, or you can probably rent one at an auto parts place. Some slop in the spring/hangar assembly is normal and desireable. It is part of what allows the axles to contort the way they do in tight turns.


    When i rebuilt the suspension on my layton last year, i asked the rv shop how to seat those bolts. They told me to put a c clamp around both sides if the frame hangar and then drive the bolt in with a hammer. The c clamp keeps both sides of the hangar in place and makes things solid so you can drive the bolt in so it's flush with the hangar. I had to use washers i got at lowes also to make things right. The bolts i got from the kit i bought off eBay were 1/8" too wide in width and when I tightened them down without the washers it pulled my frame brackets in like yours are and i knew that wasn't right. A few dollars in washers and all is well It works well and for what i paid for the complete kit with all new bushings, wet bolts and hangars and equalizers was a very good deal. Of course if you use wet bolts, put a socket over the grease zerk before you drive the bolt into the hangar.

    I used my shop vise and layed the shackels on t top of it with a space for the bolt between the vice jaws to drive the bolts into the shackels. Worked great.

    As an aside, iagre6 with the comments about older rigs. I may go new soneday but will be pucky if i do. My 1989 Layton is built really well. Heavy and had a one piece aluminum roof which i really like. I'm not a rubber roof fan for many reasons. Just my preference.

    Hope this helps and please forgive any typos as im writing this at 0430h on my phone.

    -G
    I have done this job several times... I have tried the C clamp hammer method. Trust me on this,, Get a ball joint press. The difference is night and day. No beating on things, just a smooth pressing action..

    Lots of sp called mechanics really .....Aren't.

    I do not believe that there is any certification process at all to be a so called TT mechanic.
  • Camper_G's avatar
    Camper_G
    Explorer
    Oct 14, 2015
    Huntindog wrote:
    The brakes are normal,

    The bolt is not installed corrrectly. The bolt head should be flush against the hangar. You need to use a ball joint press to press/push the bolts serrations into the hangar. Just tightening the bolts won't work. Harbor freight sells them, or you can probably rent one at an auto parts place. Some slop in the spring/hangar assembly is normal and desireable. It is part of what allows the axles to contort the way they do in tight turns.


    When i rebuilt the suspension on my layton last year, i asked the rv shop how to seat those bolts. They told me to put a c clamp around both sides if the frame hangar and then drive the bolt in with a hammer. The c clamp keeps both sides of the hangar in place and makes things solid so you can drive the bolt in so it's flush with the hangar. I had to use washers i got at lowes also to make things right. The bolts i got from the kit i bought off eBay were 1/8" too wide in width and when I tightened them down without the washers it pulled my frame brackets in like yours are and i knew that wasn't right. A few dollars in washers and all is well It works well and for what i paid for the complete kit with all new bushings, wet bolts and hangars and equalizers was a very good deal. Of course if you use wet bolts, put a socket over the grease zerk before you drive the bolt into the hangar.

    I used my shop vise and layed the shackels on t top of it with a space for the bolt between the vice jaws to drive the bolts into the shackels. Worked great.

    As an aside, iagre6 with the comments about older rigs. I may go new soneday but will be pucky if i do. My 1989 Layton is built really well. Heavy and had a one piece aluminum roof which i really like. I'm not a rubber roof fan for many reasons. Just my preference.

    Hope this helps and please forgive any typos as im writing this at 0430h on my phone.

    -G
  • trail-explorer's avatar
    trail-explorer
    Explorer
    Oct 14, 2015
    Just like all the others have said, the slight to and fro movement of the wheel is normal.
  • roundman's avatar
    roundman
    Explorer
    Oct 14, 2015
    Ball Joint press sounds like a great idea! I will take a look at Harbor Freight. I knew that the bolts needed to be well seated, but I have not found a good method for doing so. I tried to place a proper sized large socket between the sides of the hanger and beat the wet bolt in enough to seat the serrated part, but too much bounce to make it fully seated.

    Although the hangers came from the factory bent inward, I think that I need to find a good way to make the two sides parallel.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Oct 14, 2015
    The brakes are normal,

    The bolt is not installed corrrectly. The bolt head should be flush against the hangar. You need to use a ball joint press to press/push the bolts serrations into the hangar. Just tightening the bolts won't work. Harbor freight sells them, or you can probably rent one at an auto parts place. Some slop in the spring/hangar assembly is normal and desireable. It is part of what allows the axles to contort the way they do in tight turns.
  • roundman's avatar
    roundman
    Explorer
    Oct 13, 2015
    I bought the camper about one year old in 2005. I have only put about 10,000 miles on the camper and that without a failure on the axles, however, I plan to put much more mileage on it next summer and I want it right. Gulfstream apparently built it this way...see "Before" photo below. I guess someone could have replaced the springs during that first year but I do not see a reason why...no damage from an accident is apparent...but who knows. Thanks for the advice. We are headed for Florida next week but I will tear it all apart again before next summer and add spacers...or sell it and buy a higher quality camper...

    This is the way the hangers looked before I touched them...bent inward:
  • Chuck_thehammer's avatar
    Chuck_thehammer
    Explorer
    Oct 13, 2015
    I agree older is better.... my 05 Coachmen is a tank....

    make spacers from steel washers to fit tight.. but not bind.


    when I replace the leaf spring in my Corvette.. they came with metal spacers
  • roundman's avatar
    roundman
    Explorer
    Oct 13, 2015
    Thanks guys! That makes me feel more confident that my installation was correct. Randu, as far as the spacers go do you think that several simple washers would work or should I fabricate something larger and thicker? I still wonder if anyone else has run into this issue or is my unit unique.

    Since I purchased this camper twelve years ago I have learned a real valuable lesson...that it is better to spend your budget on an older quality built camper than a newer poorly made one!
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Oct 13, 2015
    Magnet when energized is attracted to face surface of drum and as drum rotates (froward/reverse) the magnet moves with drum causing the actuating lever to rotate which causes brake shoes to move outward making contact with drum.

    If you are the original owner them Gulfstream made a bo-bo at factory.
    2" shackles and 1 3/4" leaf spring packs should not have been used together.
    Bottom portion of shackle should mate flush/parallel with ends of spring eyes

    IF not original owner.......possible springs have been previously replaced with wrong size

    In either case........you need a spacers (thick washers) preferably on each side of spring eyes.

About Travel Trailer Group

44,031 PostsLatest Activity: May 21, 2025