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/

Heavy Trailer Axles: Should You Double-Up or Spread-Em?

Seasoned tractor-trailer drivers know intimately how weight distribution effects drivability, and axle spacing – namely spread axles versus double axles - plays a primary role in this. For those new to the arena of heavy trailer axles, however, confusion and assumptions abound. Which axle style is superior? The seasoned pros at Ainsworth Trailer Repair take a closer look…

Small Difference, Significant Effects
 
Though the axle spacing between the different axle configurations is obvious, the ramifications of this subtle shift are not: 

Tandem Axles
 Rear axles spaced close together, usually about 5-feet apart.

  

  
Spread Axles

Axles spaced farther apart, about 10-feet.

 


Trailer Axle Spacing Effects Weight Distribution
Though the gross legal limit of either setup is 80,000-pounds, allowable weight distribution above each axle configuration is quite different.
  
Tandem Axles
12K+34K+34K=80K gross weight.


 

Spread Axles
12K+34K+20K+20K=86K (though gross max caps at 80K).

 




Trailer Axle Style: Which is Best?
As with many things, each axle style has its pros and cons…

• Tandem Axles: Terrific in Tight Spaces

The axles on tandem axle trailers can be slid forward or backward to adjust the amount of weight resting atop the axle. However, this can be quite the juggling act with heavier loads, making it difficult to get cargo weight correctly balanced – and right at the limit of 80,000-pounds. What tandem axles lack in maneuverability of cargo, however, they make up for in maneuverability on the road. They are much easier to handle on city streets, in tight spaces, and in reverse, as well as easier on tires.

• Spread Axles: The Long-Haulers Friend

Offering 20,000=pounds above each axle, spread axles offer more flexibility in placing heavier cargo. Though capped at an 80,000-pound gross limit, the 86,000-pound legal limit offers a much more forgiving margin of error for heavy hauls and easier balancing on the scales. However, this flexibility comes at a price: Though spread axle trailers offer a smoother ride and better tracking in most situations due to their longer wheelbase, they are hard to maneuver on tight roads and crowded docks, presenting a greater degree of difficulty in turning and backing up. They are also tougher on tires, ‘scrubbing’ in turns (though this may be offset using the dump of the rear axle). Golden State hauler? California requires trailers longer than 48-feet have a kingpin in the center of the rear axle of 41-feet, meaning the rear axle would need to be scooted forward to be legal.

Trailer axle issues? No matter what trailer axle configuration you’re toting, you can count on the knowledgeable staff at Ainsworth Trailer Repair to do the necessary math to keep your rig running in tip-top shape. Guard against excess tire wear and ensure safety and fuel economy. Contact us and schedule a trailer axle inspection and alignment today.  

This content was previously published http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/heavy-trailer-axles-double-spread-em/

Trailer Roof Leak? Skip a Quick Fix for a Lasting One & Save

Your tractor trailer roof experiences a lot of wear and tear, from wind and weather to flying road debris and the effects of freeze/thaw cycles. As with other components on your trailer, these issues take a toll over time, wearing down seals and resulting in cracks, gaps and holes that put your trailer and cargo at-risk. It might seem easy to quickly tape, patch, or caulk a leaky trailer roof – the first time. After that, neither quick nor easy come into play as dirty tape or peeling patches and caulk complicate matters: Achieving a good seal becomes more difficult and time-consuming with each repair attempt, and over time repair costs add up. At some point, you’ll have to stop the insanity – or risk snowballing trailer damage.

What Can You Save by Skipping the Quick Fix for a Lasting Roof Repair?

Instead of turning to temporary solutions and constantly re-patching your trailer roof, making an appointment for a lasting, professional roof repair could save you quite a bit in…

• Trailer Value 

Except for when you’re in a pinch, letting a leaky roof go long-term ultimate decreases its value as water damage compounds over time.

• Equipment & Cargo

It doesn’t take long for equipment and cargo left beneath a leaky trailer roof to suffer extensive damage from moisture, mold, and mildew.

• Trailer Structural Damage

Eventually, compounding water damage leads to mold and structural rot – and the need for more extensive and costly repairs.

Leak from Roof? Nearly Any Trailer Roof Damage is Repairable

Ainsworth trailer repair professionals have the skills and equipment to address many levels of roof damage, from the minor to the severe:

• Punctures, holes, and cracks.

• Gouges and tears.

• Progressing damage from deterioration to seals, joints, and welds.

• Bent/broken carlins and roof bows.

• Rail damage.

• Extensive accident damage.

Ainsworth can even replace your worn roof panels with new, translucent panels, bringing in additional light and boosting visibility.

Looking for the Duct Tape Again?

No trailer roof lasts forever. Instead of slapping a ‘band-aid’ on your trailer roof leak, skip the quick fix for an OEM-quality trailer repair from the pros at Ainsworth. Lasting trailer roof repair requires removing damaged roof panels rivet-by-rivet, and restoring your trailer to factory standards with just the right material, stretched with specialty machinery and an expert eye to ensure a perfect fit, and secured in place with the proper OEM-quality fastenings and industrial joint adhesives to ensure your trailer roof won’t look (or sound) like a kite sailing down the highway with loose panels or repair materials flapping in the breeze.

Drip-dropping dilemma? Spend less (time and money) on a quality repair. Discover why our reputation for trustworthy estimates, lasting repairs, and unparalleled customer service precedes us. Contact Ainsworth Trailer Repair for a free quote today.




This was published previously at: http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/trailer-roof-leak-skip-quick-fix-lasting-one-save/

Don’t Get Burned: Replacing Trailer Axle Spindles

Trailer axle issues? If all signs are pointing to worn spindles, you may be considering a DIY-repair job. But hold-up trailer-toter – you may be in for more than you bargained for. It’s essential to know the ins-and-outs of how to replace a trailer axle spindle to prevent unnecessary damage and dangers down the road.

Welding Worries

Very few spindles are of the ‘bolt-on’ variety. Most spindles are welded to the axle tube. To replace a trailer spindle, the old one must be cut off, and a new spindle welded into its place - and anyone who’s ever dipped a toe in the welding pool knows professional welding results are no easy feat. Far from a do-it-yourself job, trailer axle spindle replacement requires more than average results. Each new spindle addition must be installed securely and absolutely square with the trailer axle. If it is off by any amount, wheel tracking problems and premature tire wear are imminent.

The DIY Workaround

Understand, we are not trying to discourage you from attempting do-it-yourself repairs, simply help you avoid a lot of stress and heartache for those who are not skilled welders. Rest assured, if you prefer a DIY-approach as opposed to dropping off your trailer with an experienced Ainsworth welder for spindle replacement, there is another way. For the die-hard DIY-er, in many cases, it may be easier and cheaper to simply replace the trailer axle. For those that prefer to go this route, the Ainsworth warehouse is stocked with an array of trailer axle replacement parts. Simply call us for a price, noting the reference numbers on your inner/outer wheel bearings, hub face to hub face dimensions, and the distance between your springs seats (measured hole to center hole), and we’ll hook you up with an affordable, OEM-quality replacement part.

Avoid the stress and frustration of difficult and unfamiliar trailer repairs. Look to the expert advice and trusted service of Ainsworth Trailer Repair today.

This post was originally published at http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/dont-get-burned-replacing-trailer-axle-spindles/

Gauges Trump the Thump: Your Guide to Safe, Accurate Tire Pressure Readings

Relying on your trusty tire thumper to check air pressure? Better than nothing, it may help you notice pancake-like flats before heading out, but industry experts agree, this ‘shortcut’ is virtually useless. Thumpers can’t show you actual air pressure, showcasing no difference between tires at 120-psi, and those at 85-psi, the point where hot tires will eventually blow, making thumpers no substitution for an accurate tire pressure monitoring system or a simple hand gauge.

Blowouts are NOT a Normal Part of Business

Extremely costly and time-consuming, and extraordinarily dangerous when they result in a crash, blowouts should never be considered a ‘normal’ part of the trailer toting business. Measuring the pressure of your tire pressure precisely is worth more than the time it takes - because it doesn’t take much variation for serious problems to occur.

Tire Pressure Issues Can Blowout Your Bottom Line

• A 10% difference in pressure between duals results in enough variation to cause irregular wear in both tires. Dual tires must be kept within 5-psi to maintain the same load on each tire.
• Under-inflation of 20% reduces tread life a staggering 30%. And tires aren’t cheap.
• Under-inflated 40%? Kiss half your tire life goodbye.
• Under-inflation by 10% reduces fuel economy by 1%. (Seem minor? Add it up by tire positions, miles per year, and current fuel costs.)
• More is not better: Tire pressure increases with heat. Overinflate and you could lose traction, ending up in a dangerous situation due to bounce.
• Inflating to higher than recommended pressures for load alters tread shape, stiffens the tire casing, and causes uneven and excessive wear of the tire shoulder – even at ‘just’ 20-psi over.

The Only Reliable Way to Check Tire Pressure is with a Calibrated Gauge, Once-a-Week

This 20-minute time investment costs less than you will lose in terms of irregular wear and reduced tire life. Too much legwork? Invest in a monitoring system – it’ll more than pay for itself.

How to Determine Optimum Tire Pressure

1. Invest in a calibrated gauge.
   They cost only $10 more than cheaper models. Check it at a dealer with a master gauge (it’s typically free), calibrating it via the gauge’s screw adjustment to match.
2. Go automatic.
   If you hate the thought of manually checking tires, go automatic. With an automatic tire inflation system, your indicated tire pressure will be maintained no matter the minimum. The more sensors you add, the more tires you can monitor, helping you maintain optimum pressure to guard against blowouts, respond immediately to potentially dangerous situations, and prevent downtime and emergency service calls.
3. Establish ideal pressure.
   Stamped on the sidewall, pressures are not arbitrary, but scientifically-based on tire construction and loading. These pressures will vary based on temperature and load weight, up to 20-psi. Typical cold tire pressures are:

• 110-psi for steer tires on a 12,000-lb axle.
• 75-psi for drive and trailer pressure. (This is the legal load limit, though must truckers set theirs well above - about 85-95-psi - sacrificing tire life. Check tires regularly and you won’t need ‘spare air.’)
3. Don’t overcompensate for temperature.
   A 30-degree drop in temperature will only result in a 2-psi drop in pressure - not much when you’re starting at proper inflation levels.
4. Don’t overcompensate for weight.
   Taking/delivering loads up to 80,000-lbs shouldn’t be an issue. Over 80,000-lbs, and you may want to check the Tire & Rim Association table, or manufacturer load/inflation charts (available online).
5. Know when to adjust for hazardous conditions.
   When dealing with ice, snow, mud or sand, you may need to lower pressures to boost traction until the situation has passed.

Tire problems? Don’t blow it. Ensure safety on the road with the affordable, trusted services of Ainsworth Trailer Repair today.

This post was originally published at http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/gauges-trump-thump-guide-safe-accurate-tire-pressure-readings/

Beached Roadside? Avoid Breakdowns with Regular Boat Trailer Service

Have good intentions with regard to boat trailer service, but fall short on the actual effort required to make the appointment? Boat trailer breakdowns are common, with 77% of roadside assistance calls for boat trailer breakdowns attributable to trailer maintenance issues. Don’t want to end up becoming part of those roadside statistics? Managing boat trailer breakdowns is all about preparation…

Avoiding the 3 Most-Common Trailer Breakdowns
Rushing onto the road with your boat and sticking your head in the sand in regards to maintenance could leave you beached roadside. To avoid the causes of most boat trailer roadside snafus, regular preventative maintenance is key:

1. Preventative Tire Maintenance
   43% of roadside assistance calls for boat trailer breakdowns are due to flat tires, which are easily prevented with an air pressure check, a quick eyeball for sidewall cracks caused by age and other tread irregularities such as separations and bubbles, and the occasional alignment and balancing of wheels and tires.
2. Preventative Wheel Bearing Maintenance
   22% of roadside assistance calls for boat trailer breakdowns are due to failed wheel bearings, which are easy to detect but commonly ignored. Watch for warning signs of neglected wheel bearings including hubs that are too hot to touch after hauling, noisy bearings, and sloppy, loose wheel play when the trailer is jacked up. When was the last time you checked or repacked your bearings?
3. Preventative Axle Maintenance
   12% of roadside assistance calls for boat trailer breakdowns are due to failed axles. This typically indicates long-term corrosion. If your boat trailer shows signs of rusted stains or bubbles beneath axle paint, your trailer needs TLC – and fast. You can verify the issue by tapping the axle lightly with a steel hammer. If it doesn’t ring, but thuds, it’s rotten. Once rust or ‘metal cancer’ has begun within the axle, replacement (potentially following a roadside trailer breakdown) is inevitable.

Boat Trailer Breakdown Despite Your Best Efforts?
Sometimes you follow all the rules of regular trailer maintenance, and you still end up roadside. When your trusty trailer toolkit isn’t enough to get you by, it pays to have the number of a trusted roadside repair service on-hand in the event of an emergency. If your boat trailer ends up miles from the creek and there’s no paddling or pushing your way back home, Ainsworth has you covered, servicing your vehicle roadside and sending you on your way to the water, or rescuing you from your roadside location for service at our local repair facility.

Boat trailer beached? Dig yourself out with the dependable and affordable emergency roadside service of Ainsworth Trailer Repair today.

This post was originally published at http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/dont-get-burned-replacing-trailer-axle-spindles/