Axle Service

[boosTT]

I have a 2005 19' Keystone tandem axle travel trailer and (yes I know) never serviced the axles. I pumped some grease into the zerks every few years, but haven't repacked the bearings or adjusted the brakes ever. Maybe I've been lucky, but haven't had any issues and typically tow 2,000 miles per year.
This year I'm going to have the axles serviced. A trailer place that primarily sells cargo trailers said it would be $750 per axle with everything. The big local RV dealer said $1400-1900. Should I take it to an RV dealer or trailer dealer? I'm thinking the trailer dealer will be cheaper. Everything else on the trailer is in great shape and has been well maintained. Thanks

[deltabravo]

boosTT wrote:
Do most trailers come without automatically adjusting brakes? Thanks

Yes.

[Gdetrailer]

Lynnmor wrote:
In PA there is an annual required safety inspection, while the drums are removed it is a simple job to do an adjustment after they are put back in place, no need for automatic adjusters if one does proper maintenance.

PA mechanic is only required to pull one drum and inspect condition on each side during inspection on multiple axle trailers.. Single axle, sure the mechanic can adjust both since they are supposed to pull both.

Have run into a few lazy mechanics that don't bother pulling drums and they use an adjuster tool to adjust the brakes.. Not impressed with that procedure since the Mechanic that inspected my flatbed trailer BACKED OFF the adjustment on one brake on the passenger side of the trailer :M as I discovered by pulling all drums a day a go..

Have to be extremely careful adjusting brakes via the back hole, non self adjusting drum brakes do not have anything to prevent you from accidentally backing off the adjustment think you made them tighter.

Self adjusting auto drum brakes had a spring loaded lever that engaged in the adjuster star wheel that made it easy to tell if you were backing it off as the lever would catch and hold if you tried to back it off.

[Lynnmor]

In PA there is an annual required safety inspection, while the drums are removed it is a simple job to do an adjustment after they are put back in place, no need for automatic adjusters if one does proper maintenance.

[dodge_guy]

boosTT wrote:
I started going down this path because my trailer brakes felt weaker. Last year I redid all of the wiring. Now I am thinking I might just need to adjust the brakes. I've never adjusted them before.

Do most trailers come without automatically adjusting brakes? Thanks

No. most come with manually adjustable. When I relaced my brake assemblies I went with auto adjusters.

[boosTT]

I started going down this path because my trailer brakes felt weaker. Last year I redid all of the wiring. Now I am thinking I might just need to adjust the brakes. I've never adjusted them before.

Do most trailers come without automatically adjusting brakes? Thanks

[BarneyS]

Take a good look at this thread by one of our more informed and helpful members John Barca.
It shows, in detail and with many pictures, just how to adjust brakes and lube your axle bearings.
Barney

[Lynnmor]

A few things:

Get a box of disposable nitrile gloves, your hands will stay clean and the bearings will have less contamination.

Do not remove spindle caps with large pliers, pry them off as shown in the Dexter video. Also, install them using a wood block, hammering them will make them ugly.

Do not reuse cotter pins, if that is what you have, replace them.

Self adjusting brakes do not work well if the drum does not run true, the factory tolerances are too large and you may be wasting money if you buy them.

[deltabravo]

boosTT wrote:
Thanks for the information everyone! I'm going to look into doing this myself.

I have several videos on the topic.

Brake and bearing inspection

Dexter NEV-R-ADJUST Brakes and how they work as shown when I installed them on my toy box trailer.

How to Pack Wheel bearings.

If you decide you need brakes once you get everything disassembled, GET SELF ADJUSTING BRAKES. The are awesome.

[Gdetrailer]

dodge guy wrote:

boosTT wrote:
Thanks for the information everyone! I'm going to look into doing this myself.

If you can take off a wheel and turn a wrench it is very easy. If you haven’t done it before it will be a full day for you. Once you do I wheel the rest will be easy!

Yep.

Pretty easy to do, messy but easy.

Just spent 1.5 hrs today pulling and checking brake condition/wear on my 10K lb flatbed trailer..

That includes dragging jacks, tools, air, trouble light and a bunch of rags out into the driveway and them back away when done plus a 15 minute beverage "break" in between sides.

I even measured each brake shoe since the last inspection last yr the Inspection mechanic claimed brake shoes were excessively worn on the passenger side..

Measurements I took says the mechanic was incorrect.. Lowest thickness of all the shoes was 5/32, and the thickest was 6/32 so pretty even and plenty above the min of 2/32 for bonded. Both sides pretty much the same wear..

Make sure you have some replacement "cotter pins", they often break off or may be difficult to straighten out enough to reuse..

Disposable rags/shop towels, needle nose pliers, water pump pliers (adjustable jaws), flat blade screw driver, hammer are pretty much the tools you will need.

You can often get the grease cap off by using the water pump pliers to grab the cap (have to be careful to not crush the cap), then "bump" the pliers with your other hand a couple of times and rotate the drum a bit each time. That should dislodge the cap enough you can use a screw driver to pry off..

Putting the cap back on can be tricky sometimes, make sure you have it straight, then lightly tap the edges with hammer moving hammer around the cap evenly.. For real tough caps, I have used a piece of steel pipe with large enough inside diameter to fit over the cap but not go past the cap lip.. That gives a good hearty surface to tap on with hammer without destroying the cap. I believe there is a installation tool you can buy to make cap installation quick and smooth..

Found one..



HERE

Make sure the tool handles the cap style and size you have, "EZ Lube" caps are longer than standard caps..

[Lynnmor]

boosTT wrote:
Thanks for the information everyone! I'm going to look into doing this myself.

Good idea, just work clean and carefully. Here is information from Dexters site. YouTube videos can be helpful, but they are often incorrect and done in a sloppy manner.

[JIMNLIN]

boosTT wrote:
Thanks for the information everyone! I'm going to look into doing this myself.

Whatever your trying to do in your axle r/r do a you tube on that subject and be specific such as trailer hub service/bearings... or trailer axle service...there is a difference.

[dodge_guy]

boosTT wrote:
Thanks for the information everyone! I'm going to look into doing this myself.

If you can take off a wheel and turn a wrench it is very easy. If you haven’t done it before it will be a full day for you. Once you do I wheel the rest will be easy!

[boosTT]

Thanks for the information everyone! I'm going to look into doing this myself.

[Gdetrailer]

Grit dog wrote:


Speaking of prices, I needed 1 set of brake shoes last week to get me by on my snowmachine trailer. Typical 3500lb manual adjust Dexters.
Trailer place nearby was $40.....$$$$40 for one set of shoes. 2 shoes, 1 wheel!

Correct!

Not to mention, generally is always a good idea to change both sides at the same time, otherwise you have one side that is well bedded in and one side that needs bedded in for best brake operation.

That is why it generally has been said that it often is more economical over all to just buy new backing plates since you get all new parts including new magnets.

Acutally not a bad deal considering you get 100% fresh new mechanical parts and everything is assembled.

Just remove 4 nuts and the whole shebang falls off in your hand..

Over all a very quick change out.