checking brakes

[antiqfreq]

How do you check the brakes?

We put new Maxxis tires on Saturday and the DH tried to
check brakes but can't figure out how to get to them....

I don't do this stuff myself - so I am no help - but he said
he couldn't figure out how to get to them?

Can you tell we're new to this fifth wheel stuff?

Jo

[hoffbrew]

Do you have a brake controller in the truck cab???

[antiqfreq]

Well, Yes, we have a brake controller in the truck,
but I am asking about the fiver brakes.

He can't seem to get the thingee to come apart
to even check the pads.

Jo

[Flyguy]

I assume you want to remove the brake drums to inspect the brake shoes (that’s if we are talking about shoe type brakes and not disk brakes), to do that you need to remove the wheel and then remove the grease cap in the center of the hub, then remove the cotter pin that secures the axle nut, then remove the axle nut, now your ready to pull the brake drum off and catch the wheel bearings if they try to fall on the ground (you don’t want dirt on them), now you should see the brake shoes and the magnet that operates them. Do the reverse to put it all back together, tighten the axle nut with a wrench until it is snug, then back it off and tighten the nut by hand, put the nut retainer back and insert a new cotter pin (sometimes you can reuse the old one), if the bearings need grease then repack them, in the back of the brake drum is a slot in the metal with a rubber plug in it, remove the plug and using a tool (screwdriver or brake adjustment tool) rotate the star wheel so that the drum wont rotate very easily and then back off on the star wheel until the drum rotates freely with a slight drag, put the wheel back on. You should have received an axle manual with your trailer which covers the procedure, if not, look on my homepage in the towing folder to download a copy, my trailer has Dexter axles. Hope this is the info that you wanted.