Trailer Brake Wear

[kellertx5er]

For those of you who do your own maintenance work, have you noticed if your brakes wear evenly (or unevenly) among the four wheels? This assumes tandem axle. It also assumes no failures in the brakes such as bad magnet(s), broken wires, lockups , etc.

[kellertx5er]

I like etrailer a lot, but have seen other (negative) comments about their packing of brake assemblies.

[john_bet]

I just finished changing all four of mine tonight. After 10 years and untold miles they were close to the same wear on each. Biggest problem was that one had suffered a return spring failure and pretty much destroyed the adjuster and magnet. I got four complete new sets from e-trailer in 2 days. I do have a grip with e-trailer concerning their packing skills. I had to reassemble three of them as they had come apart to include return springs and adjuster, shoe hold down springs off one shoe. All parts were still in the box. Now almost ready for our Oct. trip to Amish country in Ohio.

[Gdetrailer]

kellertx5er wrote:
I had no expectations of perfectly even wear. What I am wondering is if it is common for one or two sets to wear out 'significantly' faster than the other wheels.

It is very normal, in the case of trailer brakes you have some extra "variables" such as how evenly is the magnet wound (IE each magnet will most likely have a slight different current draw due to windings and wire resistance), how clean the drum surface is for not only the brake shoes but the magnet.. How easy the mechanical parts move from brake assy to brake assy.. How close to identical is the brake shoes are set.. How close to round are the brake shoes (some shoes may not be formed as close to the drum as another), brake material my not have come from the same "batch" so you may have s slightly softer material on one, two or even three sets..

Just to many variables to worry about uneven wear..

As far as I can tell, my 1984 TT is STILL sporting the ORIGINAL brake shoes.. And the trailer came originally from California! I have owned it close to 10 yrs now.. Still passed my state inspection this year with some material to go.

Not sure what folks are doing that is wearing out trailer brakes fast..

[kellertx5er]

I had no expectations of perfectly even wear. What I am wondering is if it is common for one or two sets to wear out 'significantly' faster than the other wheels.

[Gdetrailer]

Never ever saw that with my 70s autos with drums on all four wheels, even modern day autos and trucks with rotors on all four wheels do not experience "even" wear..

I would not expect or demand that trailer brakes will have the exact same even wear across all wheels.

[donn0128]

Not going to happen. Any brake system will always have uneven wear due to any number of mechanical items working against other mechanical parts.