Expected milage from 5th wheel brakes

[Bob_Vaughn]

What is the the expected milage one could expect from the original brakes on a 5th wheel??

[diesel_man_03]

My local rv dealer says he can remember changing maybe one set of brakes, usually all you need is adjusting.

[rhagfo]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
Say what you want but my brake shoes say differently. The shoe that engages going forward has much less material than the one that is engaged when backing up! And yes they are operating properly! And both my shoes are primaries because of how the brakes are setup. So mine can be switched. The amount the adjuster gives to the other shoe is minuscule!

And yes I've been doing drum brakes for near 35 years now!

For your reading

Please provide info to contrary

I have never seen drum brakes with 2 primary shoes.
Primary has less brake material and is leading shoe
Secondary has much more material and is trailing shoe

Thanks Old-Biscuit!
I guess I had the primary and secondary shoes backwards, but operation correct. 🙂

[Old-Biscuit]

dodge guy wrote:
Say what you want but my brake shoes say differently. The shoe that engages going forward has much less material than the one that is engaged when backing up! And yes they are operating properly! And both my shoes are primaries because of how the brakes are setup. So mine can be switched. The amount the adjuster gives to the other shoe is minuscule!

And yes I've been doing drum brakes for near 35 years now!

For your reading

Please provide info to contrary

I have never seen drum brakes with 2 primary shoes.
Primary has less brake material and is leading shoe
Secondary has much more material and is trailing shoe

[Earl_E]

We put 70,000 miles on our fiver when full-timing and they still worked great when we sold it. We did let the truck do the work but never had to replace the brakes on the truck, either.

[dodge_guy]

Say what you want but my brake shoes say differently. The shoe that engages going forward has much less material than the one that is engaged when backing up! And yes they are operating properly! And both my shoes are primaries because of how the brakes are setup. So mine can be switched. The amount the adjuster gives to the other shoe is minuscule!

And yes I've been doing drum brakes for near 35 years now!

[Old-Biscuit]

Lynnmor wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

Ok guys. You may want to look at that photo again! When the magnet swings in the pendulum it's only pushing one shoe out, depending on which way it moves. Look where the pivot is and where the lever is for the shoes. Only one shoe will react to the magnet/pendulum at a time. These aren't hydraulic drums that push on both shoes!

You are WRONG! The shoes are expanded and one shoe pushes on the other thru the adjuster. Do whatever you want, but for the rest, replace both and position them where they are to be.

Just a snippet from 'How Electric Brakes Work"

Electric current from the brake controller energizes this magnet which in turn tries to attach itself to the spinning brake drum. The rotating motion of the drum causes the actuating arm to pivot, spreading the brake shoes, causing them to come in contact with the brake drum and apply the brakes.
LINK


Plus the numerous brake jobs I have done over the years.


You may be confusing 'how they work' with 'how they adjust'

Self adjusting drum brakes can be type that adjust when you back up and apply brakes OR type that adjust when going forward/backwards when applying brakes.
Depends on adjuster cable installation, adjuster lever and star wheel

Regardless if self adjusting or not.....both brake shoes engage drum when applying brakes.

[Lynnmor]

dodge guy wrote:

Ok guys. You may want to look at that photo again! When the magnet swings in the pendulum it's only pushing one shoe out, depending on which way it moves. Look where the pivot is and where the lever is for the shoes. Only one shoe will react to the magnet/pendulum at a time. These aren't hydraulic drums that push on both shoes!

You are WRONG! The shoes are expanded and one shoe pushes on the other thru the adjuster. Do whatever you want, but for the rest, replace both and position them where they are to be.

[dodge_guy]

rhagfo wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
I'm at near 20k miles on my original brakes. I have a TT, but it scales at around 9200lbs loaded (has an 11k lb GVWR. I think next year I may flip the shoes front to back. The way magnetic drum brakes work is you only use one shoe when stopping going forward, and the other one when stopping in rev. So my shoes that only work in rev still have 90+% life on them. Car/truck drum brakes use both shoes however!

:h
Drums have primary and secondary shoes, the secondary being smaller (less lining area, BUT they all work during braking either direction.
The brake shoes only have one FIXED anchor point. so when the are activates the primary shoe, it pushes the secondary shoe into contact also.

Thanks to Mitch150 for the great photo!!!

Ok guys. You may want to look at that photo again! When the magnet swings in the pendulum it's only pushing one shoe out, depending on which way it moves. Look where the pivot is and where the lever is for the shoes. Only one shoe will react to the magnet/pendulum at a time. These aren't hydraulic drums that push on both shoes!

[larry_barnhart]

We have our bearings greased every other year and the brakes are large on our fifth and are still in great shape.

chevman

[Us_out_West]

ol Bombero-JC wrote:


Too many variables. Mileage isn't a way to gauge brake "life".

Best = Pull (a) drum(s) and look...;)

.

Best post in here...congrats!!

[ol_Bombero-JC]

Bob Vaughn wrote:
What is the the expected milage one could expect from the original brakes on a 5th wheel??

Too many variables. Mileage isn't a way to gauge brake "life".

Best = Pull (a) drum(s) and look...;)

.

[Bob_Vaughn]

LOL.....I called a mobile repair guy that I have used a lot and he stated he did not know that they could be adjusted....so I told he he needed to google it....He also stated that they did not do any job that they would get dirty doing......how is that for being specialized.....

[Old-Biscuit]

rhagfo wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
I'm at near 20k miles on my original brakes. I have a TT, but it scales at around 9200lbs loaded (has an 11k lb GVWR. I think next year I may flip the shoes front to back. The way magnetic drum brakes work is you only use one shoe when stopping going forward, and the other one when stopping in rev. So my shoes that only work in rev still have 90+% life on them. Car/truck drum brakes use both shoes however!

:h
Drums have primary and secondary shoes, the secondary being smaller (less lining area, BUT they all work during braking either direction.
The brake shoes only have one FIXED anchor point. so when the are activates the primary shoe, it pushes the secondary shoe into contact also.

Correct..........magnet grabs face of drum. Magnet rotates causing shoes to extend and engage drum. Both shoes rotate outward regardless of trailer direction.

Expected mileage for brake shoes.......too many variables

Usually after 12,000 miles they will need adjusting

[rhagfo]

dodge guy wrote:
I'm at near 20k miles on my original brakes. I have a TT, but it scales at around 9200lbs loaded (has an 11k lb GVWR. I think next year I may flip the shoes front to back. The way magnetic drum brakes work is you only use one shoe when stopping going forward, and the other one when stopping in rev. So my shoes that only work in rev still have 90+% life on them. Car/truck drum brakes use both shoes however!

:h
Drums have primary and secondary shoes, the secondary being smaller (less lining area, BUT they all work during braking either direction.
The brake shoes only have one FIXED anchor point. so when the are activates the primary shoe, it pushes the secondary shoe into contact also.

Thanks to Mitch150 for the great photo!!!