I'd just hit it with an impact and the correct 6 point socket, shock it right off.

1-1/16 did the trick for anyone who finds this later. Opened up and yeesh.. previous owner was freaking useless on trailer maintenance...






Looks like I'll be replacing the whole master cylinder. Thing is freaking nasty inside.

Just bite the bullet and switch to electric over hydraulic.

Padraig

Maybe down the road, but honestly.. swapping it out for an $85 part and bleeding some brakes isnt a huge deal. The trailer is from 1983 and had brakes redone back in 14 from what I can tell. Not sure it's worth dumping a ton of money into vs just putting a new trailer under it in a season or three. If really needed.

If master cyl looks like that, wheel cylinders probably do too and are stuck.

I'd be inclined to agree about being gunked up but as far as being stuck I did manage to pull it 600 miles without an issue in functionality miraculously. I'm sure they ain't pretty though.

Try etrailer.com. You can usually get OEM brake kits pretty reasonable from them. I replaced my Haulmark bike trailer brakes a couple years ago. I got complete bolt on kits for the same price as shoes and springs at a box auto parts store. The bolt on kits were backing plates, shoes, springs, solenoids and wiring.

Per experience I'd pull a caliper and check the bores for rust after seeing the MC pic. I've switched to all SS calipers and unfortunately they're big bucks now as are the rotors. Warning, the new Dico caps are very fragile. DO NOT use a tool to tighten, hand tighten only! They'll break right in half, again experience.

drum or disc brakes? Assuming drum...