3 days on brakes please help

[kellydee]

I just put new Tie-Down disc brakes on my trailer.They just do not free wheel when pressure is released .Finally,after dealing with master cyl, I thought,maybe lines.I pumped the master to bind them,let off,removed the lines at the caliper,and they still take considerable pressure to turn.Only 1 caliper loosens enough to wiggle a little.To freewheel,I have to squeez the caliper by hand to release enough pressure to freewheel.How much drag should they have?Barely any,right?Shouldn't they freewheel as soon as I release the pressure on the master cyl?Is tie-down a s@#$* system?Had Kodiacs before but they were shot.Steel calipers were rusted and all pads were shot due to previous owner who converted from drum not removing residual valve from master.Thanks Jerry

 

[bjcsc]

Re: 3 days on brakes please help

This can be normal sometimes. Take it for a spin (check it as you go to make sure nothing is getting hot) and wear the "fuzz" off of the pads and see what you get...

 

[kellydee]

Re: 3 days on brakes please help

This can be normal sometimes. Take it for a spin (check it as you go to make sure nothing is getting hot) and wear the "fuzz" off of the pads and see what you get...

Thanks.I'll re=assemble all the lines and bleed and give it a whirl I guess.Just seems not right to have this much drag.can BARELY turn the rotor by hand(1).

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: 3 days on brakes please help

Disk brakes drag slightly. Let the brakes seat to the rotor and they should free spin with a tiny bit of drag.

 

[Wide Open]

Re: 3 days on brakes please help

Not that it helps you but I just installed disc brakes and I have "some" drag. Not nearly the level that you do but the instructions state that the drag will decrease noticeably within the first 100 miles.

 

[kellydee]

Re: 3 days on brakes please help

I know the pads drag slightly but I'm talking HARD to turn.I got ahold of the trailer place where I got the brakes and low and behold,they've got a guys boat trailer back that THEY put the same brakes on a couple weeks ago.MANUFACTURING DEFECTS !! They have 8 sets right now that are bad.Oops make that 11 counting mine.The calipers bind up on the slide pins.Either brackets are bent or the pins are not perfectly square with one another.After removing them from the trailer,I put the calipers on the brackets and I could hold the bracket with the pins faceing up and the calipers would not fall down the pins against the bracket.3 outa 4 were bad.I assembled the new calipers on the new brackets before I took them out of the store.Couple of hours in the AM and I SHOULD be looking good. Thanks Guys. Jerry

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 3 days on brakes please help

thanks for posting the solution. good luck.

 

[kellydee]

Re: 3 days on brakes please help

Confirmed,All installed and operating PERFECTLY ! 1 finger free spinning.Beautiful.I did notice that the brake flanges were not perfectly flat.Had kinda "humps" or "high spots"between each hole.This could easily throw the angle of the mounting brackets off so,I added washers between the brake flanges and the mounting brackets to compensate for this rather than grinding the flanges.Brackets are square with rotors, everything clears and plenty of room for caliper travel.PERFECT.

 

[rndn]

Re: 3 days on brakes please help

Thanks for sharing your story. Hopefully it will be in the back of peoples minds if they have a similar problem.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 3 days on brakes please help

Not sure what Tie Down brakes you bought but if you bought the stainless ones, keep an eye on the rotors. I put Tie Downs on my trailer last year and they were horrible. One of the rotors got heat damaged and wore the pads out in less than 1000 miles. I have since changed over to Kodiaks and all is well. I now have 4 sets of Tie Down brakes that I need to get rid of.