terrible clicking and shaking noise while braking at low speeds

rentprop1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
358
no name trailer but it has tandem Dexter torsion axles , used it last night , first time in about 6 months, air pressure good, and after a few miles while braking at low speeds I got a horrible clanking ( at first it sounded like it was in the coupler ) and a shimmy, got out checked everything, un hitched and re connected trailer to ball... looked all over the tires no sign of wear, front and rear tires not out of line, double checked, hitched up correctly...duh , wasn't something simple like dangling chain or anything, and this was under the a load about 1500 lbs maybe

didn't do anything while braking hard at a red light or reducing speed at the off ramp from hwy speeds down to 35 ish then from 30 on down its rattles and shakes ???
 

oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
Sounds like what my trailer does when it is empty, the brakes make the thing jump like crazy so I lock them out. Are you saying that you have a 1500lb boat on a tandem trailer? If so then what kind of weight is the trailer built for?
 

Blind Date

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Messages
462
Sounds like possibly a bad tire to me. Bias ply tires? I had one go bad on a tandem, couldn't tell by looking at it. Shook the whole truck. I'd jack up each wheel and make sure the bearings are in adjustment and that everything spins nice and smooth like it should. By your description doesn't sound like it has anything to do with the brakes. What is ever shaking the trailer appears to smooth out as you pick up speed.
 

UncleWillie

Captain
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
3,995
... used it last night , first time in about 6 months, air pressure good, and after a few miles while braking at low speeds I got a horrible clanking ...

Disks or Drums?
After 6 months of sitting, the brake surfaces may have developed a significant coat of surface rust.
This will play havoc on the braking action until it gets worn off.
Brake early and often and see if it clears up after a period of time.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
Before using it again, jack up the wheels and give them a spin. If drums, pull off the drum and give the brakes a visual.

I would be doing this before even using a trailer at the beginning of a season.
 

Blind Date

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Messages
462
"didn't do anything while braking hard at a red light or reducing speed at the off ramp from hwy speeds down to 35 ish then from 30 on down its rattles and shakes ???"

Doesn't sound like anything brake related to me.
 
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