Trailer Breal Locked Up

[borourke]

As I took my boat out to the lake this weekend, only about a 3 - 4 mile drive, I noticed my engine temp gauge was pegged. Pull into the launch area and see smoke coming from left rear trailer tire. It appears that the surge brake locked up on just this one wheel. (I should mention this is a 2004 EZ loader dual axle trailer)<br /><br />After letting things cool down and refiling the radiator with coolant on the truck I put the truck in reverse, all sounded good. Put it in drive and could hear the same trailer tire squeel.<br /><br />I back up a little, put it in drive and hit the gas hard to release the surge, or at least I hoped.... After that all seemed to be OK.<br /><br />My questions are, what would have caused the break to lock on this one wheel? Shouldn't it have locked on both the left and right side? <br /><br />Is this a serious issue that I should take up with EZ loader or a somewhat common problem with surge brakes?<br /><br />Anything I should look for? I have a 3 hour trip I was planning on taking this upcoming holidat weekend and don't want to have this happen again? Any info would be greatly appreciated....

 

[tommays]

Re: Trailer Breal Locked Up

do you have disk or drum <br /><br /><br />it sounds like free backing drum<br /><br /> trailer brakes need a lot of up keep i am suprised that in a fresh water area you have had a problem this soon but it happens a lot<br /><br />at this point i cant see you haveing a safe trip with out pulling all the wheels and repiaring or replaceing the bad parts<br /><br />if you have ever worked on brakes before the main cause is a sticking wheel cylinder they can usally be freed up and reused<br /><br />i boat in saltwater and have to use marine grease on the wheel cylinder piston to stop it from sticking<br /><br /> http://www.easternmarine.com/em_showroom/tech_articles.html <br /><br />this tech section should show you whats going on<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[borourke]

Re: Trailer Breal Locked Up

I have drums, I think, not 100% sure. I was under the assumption that all surge brakes used drums. Maybe this is not the case.<br /><br />I have never worked on brakes before so I am not familiar at all with what you mention? How would I know which parts needed to be replaced? Is this an obvious thing to see?<br /><br />I can't view the PDFs on the other site, I think I am going to have to download a newer version of acrobat? Are there any other causes (less serious) that could have casued this to happen? I do not think I am capable of the fix myself and I do not think I can get it to an EZ loader location for fixing before the weekend. <br /><br />I do not want to take any unnessecary risks, but I also don't want to cancel the family vacation. Are there some easy precautionary steps I can take and things I can look out for to make the trip safely?<br /><br />PS - I am originally from LI? What part are you from? I grew up in Mastic, but spent most of my childhood boating on the sound out of Kings Park.

 

[tommays]

Re: Trailer Breal Locked Up

we live in commack and go out of kings park or Heckscher Park on the south shore<br /><br /> i hate the current at the kings park ramp no fun launching in 5 knots and they are not dredging so you cant get in and out at low tide<br /><br />anyway i dont see how you can do anything with a wheel thats locking up so bad its smokeing and you can hardly move the trailer <br /><br />the brake drum must have gotten red hot<br /><br />which is going cause wheel bearing problems <br /><br />then your going to be who knows were and broken down on the side of the road looking for your wheel<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[borourke]

Re: Trailer Breal Locked Up

We never trailered out of Kings Park we had a mooring and had to paddle the dingy against the current when the tied wa going stong, so I know what you mean. One good thing about inland lakes, no tides...<br /><br />The wheel on my trailer is not locking up anymore. It did that one time, I then hit the gas hard from a stop and it unlocked and worked well for the drive back to storage. Did not lock up and trucj did not over heat.<br /><br />I am just concerned that I do not know what caused it the first time, maybe hitting the brakes too hard at one point and the hydaulic on the surge getting stuck or something. But that is why I thought it was odd that only one wheel would be affected. <br /><br />Brian O

 

[tommays]

Re: Trailer Breal Locked Up

problems rarely heal themselves but tend to repeat at the worst time but its your call<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[JohnRuff]

Re: Trailer Breal Locked Up

Have you checked the mechanics to see that it is working freely? (Bolts not too tight?)

 

[gutshot grouper]

Re: Trailer Breal Locked Up

Probably a wheel cyl. seized up, although not likely if the trailer is that new, my problem with the drum brakes was that I could not inspect the shoes and wheel cyl. without pulling the hub and disturbing the seals etc. I finally gave it up and put discs on, all purchased fron Northern Tool, easy direct replacement, although you will have to either get a special master cyl. or do as I did and tear it apart and eliminate the check valve{s}