HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes

[jumpjets]

So, I'm towing this big 22' boat with this small Ford Explorer. The truck has good power and acceleration, but trailer control and stopping power kinda stank. I decided to install some upgraded disc trailer brakes, and ditch the inop drum brakes. I bought a complete TITAN disc conversion kit for $439 shipped. Sadly, iBoats only had a Tie Down brake kit, and I've heard bad things about Tie Down, so I had to shop elsewhere.



First, I removed all traces of the crappy old drum brakes, and cleaned the spindle.



Next, I greased the bearings. Installing them was a logical first step.



This bearing packer tool was $6 and it worked well. I stuffed it with grease, then
put the bearing on it.



I put the top on the bearing packer tool, and then shot grease into it with a standard grease gun until grease oozed out of the bearing.

More to follow....

 

[jumpjets]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes



Next I put a coating of grease on the cone inside the disc, and installed the bearing.



The bearing fit snugly into it's home.



I took the "double lip seal" and put it in place next. You can't pull the bearing out once the seal is in place, so test fit everything before you start installing hard parts like this.



gently tap the seal in until it's snug, then.....



beat the seal all the way in using a block of wood. This will keep from damaging it. I put a towel over the seal to keep wood dust and splinters from getting into my bearing.

More to follow.....

 

[jumpjets]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes



Next I installed my caliper bracket. I guess I could have done this first if I wanted. This is also the time to decide whether you want your caliper to face front or aft. I selected forward, for no good reason at all...





Test fit everything!!!! I ended up not being able to put the lock washers on the inside of the bracket. I had to put them outboard.



I'm now ready to install the disc. I stuffed the inside of the disc with grease.



I slid the disc assembly onto the spindle, and installed the smaller, outer bearing. Wiggle the bearing into the disc until it fits perfectly with no lateral play.

More to follow....

 

[jumpjets]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes



I was a little dissappointed that the TITAN kit did not include new castle nuts or cotter pins. I cleaned and reused the old stuff from my rusty inop drum brakes.



I slid the steel donut onto the spindle and made sure it was snugly holding the outer bearing into place. Next, I spun the nut onto the spindle. I finger tightened it until the disc had zero side to side movement.



My old drums didn't have a castle nut. Instead, it had a traditional nut, and a castle nut overlay. I installed the overlay, and put a cotter pin through the whole assembly to lock it into place. Clean up your hands and check the disc for free spinning, and zero lateral movement.



Next I installed the bearing end cap. I just hammered it into place per the instructions, and shot some grease into the nipple until the color on the end changed from green to red. Clean the disc as best you can to avoid greasy fingerprints.



Now it's time to install the caliper. The kit came with a loaded caliper with GM truck brake pads. Test fit it before bolting it into place.

 

[jumpjets]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes



The caliper is in place and bolted down.



With the caliper in place, it's time to install the plumbing on the caliper. Note the holes on the front side of the caliper.



Here you can see the bleeder screw and hydraulic line fitting installed.



Here is the completed assembly, less the hyd lines.

Next, I'll install the actuator/coupler.....

 

[jumpjets]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes



Here is the actuator and all the tools I needed.



Remove the old hitch/coupler/whateryoucallthepartwheretheballgoesin.Running the hyd line from the front to the rear is a pain. I don't have any advice or pics. Good luck. It took me a while.





Test fit the actuator to make sure it lines up with your trailers bolt holes. Then, install the hyd line into the back of the actuator. Bolt the actuator into place.



At this point, I only have the main line run to the rear axle. I elected to bleed that line, just to get most of the air out of the system while I could easily see it come out.

 

[jumpjets]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes



TO bleed the system, I detached the shock absorber depicted above. This made the actuator much easier to move. THen, I used a metal rod as a lever to pump the master cylinder, as in the pic above.



Once the plumbing was run out to each caliper, I bled the rest of the system. This bleeder tool was great. It had a magnetic back plate, so I attached it to the trailer. I could watch it fill up as I was pumping the actuator at the front of the trailer. After all the air was out of the lines, I pumped it several more times just to be 100% sure.



Once the install was complete, I tested it. I engaged the system by strapping my lever down so it was pushing the master cylinder.



With the brakes secured, I tried to spin each disc using a pry bar. They were both very firmly being held down.

All in all, this was a very easy install. I didn't have any serious hiccups. From jacking the trailer off the ground, to getting back on all 4 tires was about 12 hours. I'm pretty inexperienced, and have never done a job like this before. A skilled tech could probably do this in half the time or less.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes

The lock washers on your bolts that hold on the caliper plate need to be next to the nut, not the heads of the bolt unless those nuts are actually welded to the backing plate.

You didn't mention anything about pre-loading the bearings. Might want to read about that here:
http://www.championtrailers.com/techsup.html#packhubs

Otherwise, very good right up.

When you run the hydraulic line across the axles, make sure you always run it across the backside of the axle to keep it out of the way of thrown road debris.

 

[CatTwentyTwo]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes

Very nice detailed write up and pictures, it will certainly be helpful to anyone considering a similar project. One thing you didn't mention but might have done was wiring in the backup solenoid. It looks like your new actuator came with one and they sure make things easier when it comes to backing up the trailer.

 

[eddyjas]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes

Simply download videos from used trailers such and any more which will guide actual position that how to fix these or you may contact to technicians which always prefer to do this..

 

[jumpjets]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes

The lock washers on your bolts that hold on the caliper plate need to be next to the nut, not the heads of the bolt unless those nuts are actually welded to the backing plate.

You didn't mention anything about pre-loading the bearings. Might want to read about that here:
http://www.championtrailers.com/techsup.html#packhubs

Otherwise, very good right up.

When you run the hydraulic line across the axles, make sure you always run it across the backside of the axle to keep it out of the way of thrown road debris.

I put the lock washers on the bolt side, because they were interfering with the backside of the spindle. I couldn't get the nut to fit flush with bracket. The welds on the back of my spindle are very large, and they didn't give me enough room to fit the larger diameter lock washer. I figured the front bolt side was better than none at all.

Pre-loading....whoops. I didn't know that was required. Like I said, I'm new at this. I'll drive the trailer around the block, and then pull the bearing buddy off and tighten the retainer nut.

Very nice detailed write up and pictures, it will certainly be helpful to anyone considering a similar project. One thing you didn't mention but might have done was wiring in the backup solenoid. It looks like your new actuator came with one and they sure make things easier when it comes to backing up the trailer.

I haven't done anything with the backup solenoid yet, because I don't know what to do with it. I grounded one end to the trailer, but the other end is in limbo. I have a 4 wire harness, which doesn't account for a reverse light. I could jury rig the backup solenoid into the truck's backup light, but that would be kinda ghetto. What should I do?

 

[CatTwentyTwo]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes

I could jury rig the backup solenoid into the truck's backup light, but that would be kinda ghetto. What should I do?

Hey now, I resemble that remark!:redface:
That is exactly what you need to do though, wiring it into your trucks backup light I mean. You can buy a nice molded 5 wire connector to replace your existing 4 wire connector but you would end up with a bunch of butt splices if you don't replace the whole harness back to the lights. Then you would have to splice in the 5 wire on the truck side also. I would just splice a single wire into your backup light wiring with some type of quick disconnect on the other end and tie it up next to the 4 way on your truck unless someone here knows a cleaner way to do it. My truck has the 7 way plug so it was pretty easy to just add in another wire and it has worked well for me. This is what mine looks like with the blue wire coming from the backup circuit on the truck and going to the backup solenoid on the trailer.

 

[jumpjets]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes

Hey now, I resemble that remark!:redface:
That is exactly what you need to do though, wiring it into your trucks backup light I mean. You can buy a nice molded 5 wire connector to replace your existing 4 wire connector but you would end up with a bunch of butt splices if you don't replace the whole harness back to the lights. Then you would have to splice in the 5 wire on the truck side also. I would just splice a single wire into your backup light wiring with some type of quick disconnect on the other end and tie it up next to the 4 way on your truck unless someone here knows a cleaner way to do it. My truck has the 7 way plug so it was pretty easy to just add in another wire and it has worked well for me. This is what mine looks like with the blue wire coming from the backup circuit on the truck and going to the backup solenoid on the trailer.

Well, I took your advice, and made my rig look very similar to yours. I was able to very cleanly piggy back my backup lights, and then run a blade style connector to the stock 4 wire harness on my exploder. I then put a female style blade connector on my trailer, and taped the entire 4 wire harness on the trailer and the rogue blade connector together to make a single harness. It's very easy to use, it doesn't look bad, and it works!

 

[maxistar]

Re: HOW TO: install trailer disc brakes

Wow! This looks very good and it is very detailed. It is certainly great help for all rookies with same intentions (like me).

However, I have some basic (read ignorant) questions.

1. Does hydraulic brake system need some kind of pressure or is it pouring the oil in the actuator and bleeding the system just enough?
2. How sensitive is the hydraulic brake system? For example: if you are driving down the hill, is it going to block the brakes on the trailer because of the pressure from trailer to the vehicle?