Titan 10" Disk Brake Kit from Etrailers on single axle trailer

flynnhart1

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I just installed the Titan 10 inch disk brake conversion kit (T4843300) available from etrailers on my single axle boat trailer. All inclusive kit with UFP actuator, brake lines, rotors, calipers, bearings, brackets, etc. After I installed the kit I brought it to a trailer manufacturing company with over 35 years experience to have them inspect my installation and bleed the brakes as I had a little trouble getting them fully bled. They told me everything was fine with the installation. After bedding the brakes and putting around 100 miles on the trailer, it is obvious from looking at the disks that the pads are pressing harder on the outside of the rotor than the inside. Etrailer and Titan both told me to check if the pads are cocked in the calipers and that the pistons are flush. Pads are not cocked and pistons are flush. There is something interesting about the design or the calipers. The pistons are offset a little to the outside of the pads and it looks to me as if that would bias the pressure on the pads to the outside and result it what I am seeing. No reply from etrailer or Titan regarding this observation. Does anyone have Titan 10" disk brakes on their trailer and have you seen this?
 

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cobalt1999

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Apr 28, 2010
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In picture #3 the brass block for the brake hose is at the top of the caliper and the bleeder is on the bottom, Is that how you installed it? This would be a good reason why you had trouble bleeding the brakes.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 5, 2006
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Is this happening on both sides of the rotor? If it was just one side, your brake mounting flanges may not be perpendicular to the axle.

You are using rubber brake lines to the calipers right?
 

flynnhart1

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cobalt 1999
The picture is upside down. The bleeders on both sides are at the top. Thanks.
 

flynnhart1

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bruceb58
It is happening on both sides of the axle. I have the mounting flanges oriented with the offset facing to the outside. Is that correct?
 

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Horigan

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You either have the wrong caliper bracket that's putting the caliper too far away from the axle, the wrong caliper, or the wrong rotor. I suspect the bracket. Is there clearance in the caliper to accept the rotor deeper in to it so the piston would be centered on the pad?
 

flynnhart1

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Horigan,
This was a "complete kit" sold by etrailer. Etrailer part number is T4843300. If you look on the Dexter web site you will also find the same basic kit. It is clearly described in the etrailer website as for a 3500lb single axle trailer. EXACTLY what I have. Both etrailer and a VP at Dexter Axle (Dexter now owns Titan) have told me that the kit is correct for my application. Neither the "experts" at etrailer or the VP at Dexter can explain what is going on. I believe that this is inherent to the design of the parts that were supplied in this kit. Either the disk needs to be larger or the caliper re-designed. There is not much room for a larger disk, maybe 1/4" larger. I haven't measured it yet. IMO, a 1/4" larger disk would not solve the issue. I have made a simple drawing of the caliper piston to rotor relationship.
 

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frantically relaxing

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100 miles? Give the pads some time to burn in. There's probably all of another .005" of the top edge of the pad to burn in (which is going to take MANY more stops than you'll do in 100 miles) and then they'll fit the entire rotor. There's nothing wrong with the design that I can see. I'm betting the offset caliper is on purpose so the outside of the pads DO put more pressure on the outside of the rotors than the inside. 2 reasons for this I can think of: For one, heat dissipation, the outside of the rotor can cool off faster since it's more in the air stream. And second, the outside of the pad is easy to inspect for wear, the inside is almost impossible to determine without removing the whole brake assembly...seems to make sense that you'd want the edge you can see to wear faster than the edge you can't see.

I think everything's just fine, especially considering both sides are doing it. Check the rotors after 50 good stops. You'll likely find the pads will be making full contact, or very close to it by then...
 

flynnhart1

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Frantically Relaxing:
I will definitely re-post once I get more miles on the brakes and show how they look. I have over 50 stops on them now. I put more than 10 good stops on them just today. I stopped at a brake shop on the way to the lake today and they could not offer me any advice other than they asked me how I bedded them. I told them I warmed them up with a few light stops and then did about 10 good, firm stops from about 50mph down to about 3-4mph. They said that was OK. Thanks.
 

Horigan

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Thinking on this further, this is all around how the caliper is designed and the positional relationship between the piston and the pads in the caliper. I've never seen the piston offset like that. You generally want the piston centered on the pad. I used to be a brake engineer, so I have some knowledge here. I guess I would just run with this and see how it performs.
 

flynnhart1

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Horigan,
Thanks for the advice. I emailed the "expert" (ha-ha) at etrailer and the VP at Dexter Axle (Titan) again. Still no reply. IMO, they don't know what's going on. Sad. I guess I'll have to take it as they know it is a sub par design but are not willing to admit it. I'm concerned for my safety as I'm certain I don't have the stopping power I should. NTSB complaint? I'm not sure but I think they are only concerned with automobiles. Maybe I'll contact them.
 

JASinIL2006

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How long has it been since you first contacted etrailer? My experience has been that they have excellent customer support, although sometimes for more technical questions it can take a bit longer to get an answer.
 

flynnhart1

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JASinIL2006:
Etrailer was OK for the first couple of times I contacted them but I think they are now stumped and don't know what to say. The VP at Dexter I'm talking with has been better at replying to me. He alluded to the 10" brakes will never apply full pressure to the top of the pads but I'm seeing the opposite; the calipers are not applying pressure to the bottom of the pads. I'm trying to get us both on board as to what each one considers the top of the pads. Thanks.
 

flynnhart1

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Dingbat:
I don't really think so. I know what you are saying as a 12" bracket would move the caliper further from the rotor but my calipers are just about right at the top of the rotors now. Thanks.
 

flynnhart1

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Dexter Axle (owns Titan) contacted me and told me I have the caliper mounting brackets on backwards. They told me to turn them around with the offset facing inwards. I had them installed with the offset facing outwards as per instructions from the "experts" at etrailer (see enclosed pic). The guy from Dexter told me that the instructions from etrailer are wrong. He said with the mounting bracket offset facing outwards the caliper piston is pressing on the brake pads at an angle. I turned the mounting brackets around and it appears to have fixed the left side but the right side still looks like the pads are not pressing fully against the rotor. Waiting to hear back from Dexter (hopefully).
 

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