brakes-again

[wavelength]

I know we have been here before with trailer brake problems but they really are a pain- or at least mine are
Only used last weekend but by this weekend one stuck on although we haven't used the handbrake for months - traced problem down to the bourdon cables with the inner wire rusting and sticking inside. Tapped end of wire at the yoke and it slid back and freed brake. Local trick has become tying the wires up so that the curve loops upwards instead of hanging down to prevent water lodging inside in the bottom of curve. I think I'll have to replace the cables or take them off and soak 'em in an oil bath for a week. Anyone know how they come off at the drum end?? Do I have to disassemble the shoes etc or can I get it off without doing that? It may have to wait until its a bit warmer though!

[gavin]

Drum brakes, not so difficult to tackle, slacken off the cable if possible so that the drum rotates freely, there maybe some where , that the cable has adjustment on it.Remove the centre nut from the drum, the drum may be tight prise off evenly using a screwdriver, watch as the roller bearing drops into your hand as the drum comes away, if it is tapered u will know what way it goes back in,with the drum off ,the lever that the cable operates will have a spring on it, compress this spring and pushing the lever one way pull the cable the other exposing its lead end, simply lift it clear of its retaining end on the lever, leaving the shoes in place.One important thing to note if the drum has a ratchet adjuster inside it make sure you adjust it back out to let the drum and shoes not be so far apart still allowing the drum to rotate freely on reassembly, it possibly wont have a rachet adjuster in it but just make sure that if it does you adjust it out a couple of clicks before the drum goes on, if you adjust it out too much the drum wont go on, and release the rachet and click it out click by click counting one or two less and try the drum again , gavin

[matiboy]

adjuster mechanism, there will ussually be an access hole in the back plate to enable you to adjust the ratchet ( shoes against drum ) when the drum is back on. ( sometimes this has to be done by tapping the ratchet teeth lightly with the end of a screwdiver )

dont do it too much without checking the wheel spins freely each few times

This makes fitting the drum back on a lot easier as sometimes they are a pig to get back on when the shoes are too tight

At least you will be able to inspect / grease outer bearings

Great eh, a few hours of your time you could be doing something else more enjoyable

[wavelength]

Thanks for that. I have the drums off regularly just to clean up and check the bearings. Its just the B****y cables that I need to sort out. Once I get'em off I'll see if they will free up in some oil or get some new ones.
Thanks
Dave

[Garygee]

Hi Dave

While we no longer have trailer problem, we dont have one, we do have a caravan. The caravan however uses a different arrangment. Instead of cables it uses rigid rods via a rotating plates.

Similar to cables but there is not outer. This means that there would be no where for the salt water to get trapped and the linkages at the rotating plates are simple clevis pin things, easy to work on and keep greased & clean.

Not sure if you can convert cables but it may be worth talking to or looking on http://www.indespension.co.uk/trailers.htm

Regards Gary