Hot brakes!! Need help!

[fouroaksphoto]

My setup: 2008 240 Sun Deck on a Shorelandr' SLB58T 5,800 lb rated trailer. Boat and trailer weigh in at about 6,800 lbs. UFP Disc brakes on both axles. My brakes have been running hot and found that the pushrod release bracket on the UFP actuator was bent and holding the pushrod in place applying some brake pressure causing the brakes, hubs, wheels to overheat. Left rear axle seal threw quite a bit of grease, others not too bad. Disassembled actuator, straightened release bracket, reassembled, bled brakes, took on 7 mile test hop. Brakes and hubs warm but not nearly hot. On 15 mile (one way) trip from ramp Saturday I could keep my hand on the hubs but still seems too hot. On other threads some say 180-200 degrees is OK for hubs. UFP website shows a graph with bearing temps. running at 260 degrees. What is a reasonable temp. and what is not? Thanks!

 

[Lrider]

Re: Hot brakes!! Need help!

I would remove and check all of the hubs, bearings and seals. Definitely repack all of the hubs, the heat would have pretty well hurt the grease.

"Left rear axle seal threw quite a bit of grease, others not too bad"

The seals are rubber type material, if you were throwing grease, you might consider replacing them when you remove the hubs, seals are not expensive and cheap insurance.

I'm no mechanic, I just replace the bearings on my trailer because of a failed Bearing Buddy, (bought it that way the damage was hidden by the BB covers)

 

[dingbat]

Re: Hot brakes!! Need help!

Disc brakes naturally run hot. If your don't have the brakes bleed 110% a disc system will run hot on you.

Make sure your using the right grease for the job. Disc brakes create a lot of heat. Most "marine" grease are not made to operate at those temperatures. Use a good quality hi temp greases specified for use with disc brake systems

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Hot brakes!! Need help!

If your don't have the brakes bleed 110% a disc system will run hot on you.

What does that mean?

 

[Outsider]

Re: Hot brakes!! Need help!

Boat and trailer weigh in at about 6,800 lbs.

Is the trailer rated for 5800# load or is that the GVWR? There is a difference and all trailers aren't rated the same way. If it's GVWR, you're about 1000# over-weight.

Bleeding has everything to do with proper actuation, nothing to do with caliper release ...

 

[fouroaksphoto]

Re: Hot brakes!! Need help!

Outsider: Trailer is rated for 5800lb. load.
Dingbat: What is "naturally hot" on the farenheit scale? Hi temp automotive disc brake grease...any particular brand? I will bleed the brakes again. I also have bearing buddies.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Hot brakes!! Need help!

What does that mean?

Mostly its called talking on the phone, responding to a thread and running out the door for an appointment all at the same time.

Disc brakes are very sensative to air lock. All the installation instructions I've seen say to bleed the brakes a second time after 100 miles and thus the 110%. Perhaps that's 200%

 

[dingbat]

Re: Hot brakes!! Need help!

Outsider: Trailer is rated for 5800lb. load.
Dingbat: What is "naturally hot" on the farenheit scale? Hi temp automotive disc brake grease...any particular brand? I will bleed the brakes again. I also have bearing buddies.

Really depends on your braking. Stop and go traffic will really heat them up.
I'm guessing @ 100-120 degrees F above ambient is typical.

Any grease recommended for disc brakes will work. I think I have Pennzoil 707L in the grease gun right at the moment.

 

[fouroaksphoto]

Re: Hot brakes!! Need help!

Dingbat: I looked at the marine grease I bought from Auto Zone and used in my last repack and it says it is not for use in automotive type disc brake applications. So...I'll be doing a total repack job in the next day or two. I was comparing greases today and found two hi-temp greases by Lucas (Tacky #2 and Heavy Duty #2) that had temp. ranges of 540 F and 560 F. Can greases with temps. that high be resistant to becoming viscous enough to properly lube the bearings?

 

[fouroaksphoto]

Re: Hot brakes!! Need help!

Meant to add this link in the last post. This is what the makers of Bearing Buddy recommend as far as proper installation and choice of lubricants goes. It will surprize many people.

http://www.bearingbuddy.com/installation.html