Rambunctious

I have a 98 Manning triple axle trailer with tandem drum brakes. Trailer has very little miles on it and surge brakes have been "bottoming out" with little braking power left. I had two close calls (tail gating I know) this weekend and needed to check them out. I figured/hope they just need to be adjusted up. I adjusted one up till the pad just scrubbed, then decided just to remove the hub and check things out in case I had excesssive wear on the pads.

Pad wear looks good, but I have grease on the inner 1/3 of pads and drum. > I will adjsut them up till jsut scrubbing then back off one click...right?

. But the grease....... Am I pumping up the bearing buddies too hard and forcing the grease out the inner bearing seal. thats where it is coming from. or what?

Also. can I clean this up with common brake cleaner from the auto store and wipe the excess grease from the inner bearing seal and be good to go?

any advice would be appreciated

thanks

Tinkerer

Drum trailer breaks have to be manually adjusted. I also have the same trailer. After the trailer breaks wear in you wont have to adjust them as offten. Jack up one tire at a time and using an adjuster tool you have to turn the break adjuster untill the brakes start to drag when you turn the wheel by hand. Have someone show where the adjuster hole is on the bottom of the brake assembly (looking at the back side of the wheel). You have to adjust each side in the oposite direction. GOOD LUCK

PS - It makes a lot of noise when the surge coupler slams against the stops doesn't it.

Rambunctious

yea, wife looks at me every time like the boat is going to fall off.

I understand the adjustment part, there is only one turnbuckle with a star and rotating the star on the spring retainer moves both pads out. I can do it with a long screwdriver, a trouble light, and a double jointed shoulder and elbow

anyone know if brake cleaner can go on the pads to get the grease off? I don't want to buy 8 of them if I can clean these up, they have a lot of life left.

dockmech

I dont think brake clean would hurt. they don't work now take a chance. but on the brake adj , I got out my book and it says to adj the brakes up until you can not turn the wheel and then back the adjuster off 10 clicks .

Tinkerer

The wheel assemblies that maning uses have to be tighter than normal. You may have to shim the axel nut to get the proper bearing tension. If you are getting grease on the pads than the bearing tension isn't tight enough. You should have almost no play with the wheel jacked off the ground. Grab the top and bottom of the wheel and you should barely be able to move it. Yes you can wash the break shoes. Thighten up the wheel bearings and then adjust the breaks. It will work like new.

Rambunctious

thanks for the advice. I bought brake cleaner last night and it says it's ok for hard parts and linings. so i started last night. i tapped the inner seal in until seated. I think I will not overpack the bearing buddies like I have been from now on. The nut seemed to adjust tight enough to start to bind the bearing, then I backed off 1/8 turn and it spins free. I will adjsut the brakes a little tighter liek suggested then back off the 10 clicks.

Only got one done (1/2 done I guess) when the power went out !!!!!! . never mind the venison in the deep freeze. This sophisticated redneck had a trailer to FIX!!!!

so I fired up my new generator and we were styln ALL NIGHT.....ahhhhhh the cool breeze. I could even take a shower and get the grease off

back to it tonight.

thanks for the help