Tips for Faster, Easier Electric Brake Replacement

Essential to equipment trailers, braking components wear quickly and require frequent maintenance attention. Luckily, if electric brake replacement is topping your to-do list once again, you’ll be happy to know handling this necessary maintenance doesn’t have to be a colossal time suck. How can you get the job done with less effort and move on with your day?

Simpler Solutions for Brake Replacement
The simplicity of electric brake operation makes them far easier to deal with than hydraulic and surge brake options. Yet you can make electric brake maintenance even easier by replacing the entire electric brake backing plate assembly. Backing plate assemblies include the brake shoes and all related parts, pre-assembled and ready to install. This simplifies the repair and shortens downtime, making it a good choice for those individuals who lack experience rebuilding brake drums, which house springs, magnet assemblies, and other hardware that can be a headache to deal with during installation.

How to Replace Electric Brakes
If you purchase the complete backing plate assembly, you can complete brake maintenance in just a couple of hours, getting your trailer back on the road. The process is simple:

Remove the wheels.
Loosen lug nuts, jack up the trailer, and remove the wheels/tires.
Access the brake drum assembly.
Remove the dust cap from the axle hub using a large screwdriver. Take it easy to avoid damaging the dust cap. (Begin lining things up in reverse order for easier reassembly.)

Remove the drum.
Remove the cotter pin/retainer to remove the castle nut from the spindle, then the brake drum. Slip-out and discard the outer wheel bearing. (Never reuse wheel bearings.) If the drum is stuck, tap the perimeter gently with a metal hammer until it frees.

Inspect brakes.
Check the brake drum for excess wear and uneven scoring, replacing drums in poor shape – otherwise reuse the drum. Unsure? Your local parts store should be able to inspect and turn the drums for reuse or suggest replacement.
 
Remove seals and wheel bearings.
These do not get reused. Simply pry them out with a flathead or pliers.

Clean.
Remove old grease from the drum and spindle. Check bearing races for wear, removing/replacing as necessary. Refill with fresh grease.

Replace the backing plate assembly.
Bolt in place, crimping the 2 wires of the new magnet where the old wires were cut. (Magnets are not polar sensitive.)

Reinstall bearings.
Clean old grease from drum assembly components with brake cleaner. Don’t forget to pack new wheel bearings with high-temperature grease, leaving no voids.

Reinstall the drum.
Turn the tension adjuster at the bottom of the brake assembly until drum slides into place. Then adjust the tensioner until the shoes just grab the drum, barely backing off until they do not. This eliminates play/drag.

Reassemble the hub.
Reassemble in reverse order: Drum, outer wheel bearing, outer bearing washer, then retaining/castle nut with proper tension/no end play. Once there is no play, tighten the nut ¼-turn, then install retainer/cotter pin, and dust cap, replacing the cap if it does not seal well.

Grease spindles.
Grease the spindles with 5-7 pumps of grease via the zerk fitting.

Replace wheel.
Torque lug nuts to factory specs, repeating on all axles.

Break-in.
Drive carefully until brakes are broken in, adjusting if the trailer pulls to one side.

Regular break maintenance is vital to hauling your load, while a skilled operator can do basic task, we don't recommend replacing your breaks on your own, but Ainsworth Trailer Repair has you covered. For the fastest, easiest road to replacement, contact us and schedule your service today.

This article was previously published at: http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/tips-faster-easier-electric-brake-replacement/

Pitfalls of Trailer Axle Repair & Maintenance in Denver

Looking for ways to increase vehicle performance and boost your bottom line? The answer may be right under your trailer. Trailer axle repair and maintenance in Denver can prevent a plethora of pitfalls…

More than Meets the Eye
Oftentimes, it’s not beams that require the most maintenance, but the components attached. If you’re overlooking ‘the small stuff,’ you could be in for trailer trouble. All axle components need to be regularly inspected for wear, damage, and alignment each 6-12 months to protect the safety and efficiency of your vehicle. One of the main areas of concern here involves proper alignment, which causes an array of issues. A main area of concern, this involves more than steer axle positioning. For proper alignment, both the tractor and trailer units should be aligned with each other to ensure optimal performance.

Don’t Fall Victim to these Pitfalls of Neglected Trailer Axle Maintenance:

Rapid Tire Wear
If you’re suffering rapid or irregular tire wear, you’re watching income go up in smoke with the frequent replacement of tires. And this is no small thing, with the cost of tires increasing with the cost of petroleum.

Diminished Fuel Economy
Front and rear axle misalignment, or misalignment between the trailer/tractor, can cause ‘dog tracking’ (rear end is offset from the front). This increases rolling resistance, destroying fuel economy and putting unnecessary strain on the motor as the truck must operate at a higher RPM to compensate for added trailer drag.

Reduced Stability
Worn tires, a byproduct of poor axle alignment, cause a loss of steering control on low-friction surfaces like wet pavement, affecting the driver’s ability to maneuver the vehicle. Any loss in driver control that negatively affects stability not only increases operating costs but safety risk and the likelihood of accident.

Driver Discomfort
Higher than normal vibration levels in the steering wheel and driver’s seat resulting from misalignment can create an uncomfortable ride, leading to muscular fatigue and stress.

When was the last time you had your axles inspected? Prevent the potential pitfalls of neglected trailer axle maintenance with regular attention every 6-12 months from a mechanical pro who knows the ins and outs of fleet trailer issues. Schedule an appointment for the ‘Express Lanes’ at Ainsworth Trailer Repair today.


This article was previously published at: http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/pitfalls-trailer-axle-repair-and-maintenance-denver/