fifth wheel brakes..

[Roscoe]

Need some help on if anyone sees anything that should alert me to replace anything? doing the repack of the wheel bearings and want to get some opinions on if the magnet needs replaced or the brake shoes as well. thank you in advance for any suggestions

[Frank G]

The photo says everything is working, clean it up with some brake cleaning fluid and post a couple of photo's from different angles. I've seen magnets right down to the coils and that is not good. Another consideration is usage, 100 miles/year or 5000.

[Dave W]

Do the brakes woork now? If so, then a good cleanup, bearing inspection and relube and maybe some paint on those rusty axles and backing plates. Here is a step by step magnet inspection criteria: https://itstillruns.com/check-electr...t-8014655.html.

If you have grease on any brake shoes, they will need to be replaced.

Not a critique, but how do you end up with that much rust on suspension parts? Our '14, built in mid '13 has virtually no underside rust in 28K miles and "living" in the rust belt where liquid deicer is used.

[Roscoe]

The trailer lived its first four years 2013-17 along the Oregon coast so I’m taking a shot in the dark that’s why it’s like that. we bought it in 2017 from porters Rv in coosbay Oregon.. I will be attacking that next and cleaning what I can up. Yes everything works just fine. Trailer seems to brake great. Was just doing the first for me owning this trailer bearing repack since I have not done it since owning and wanted to look at it all before a trip in a few weeks and then a long trip in a month

[flybouy]

Your picture shows 1/2 of the break "system". What does the inside of the drum look like?

[Roscoe]

I will take some better ones if needed. Drums look good as well. No pitting. Bearings looked good. No pitting on those either

[sourdough]

Watch the surfaces of the shoes and thickness. Those look good just need some cleanup. Can't really tell what the inside of the drum looks like from that pic (the inner edges where the brake pads contact). From the surface of the one shoe I could see you shouldn't have an issue unless something got hung inside the drum somehow. Look at that for grooves or excessive pitting on the outside edges of where the shoes ride (contact) the drum. I figure it's fine.

[bobbecky]

When you do decide it’s time to replace shoes and magnets, it will end up being cheaper and quicker to just buy the entire backing plate brake assembly rather than messing with the individual parts. You might even be able to get self adjusting assemblies too so you don’t have to worry about adjusting the brakes between inspections and bearing repacks.

[Roscoe]

After cleaning with some brake clean

[ChuckS]

Overall the brakes and such look great and will look cosmetically much better when cleaned up... use some 180 grit sand paper and lightly buff the surface of each brake shoe...

The brake shoe thickness shown in pic is a shoe that’s hardly worn...

This manual will provide you with everything you need to know...

And I can’t stress enough that when you reinstall the hub torque that axle nut down to 50 ft lbs and then back it off... per Dexter manual...

This sets the freshly greased bearings into the race...

[ChuckS]

Just to give you an idea these are the OEM Dexter brakes on my 2014 Alpine with 25K miles towing... in the Mtns of Idaho and Montana.... yours will look about as good when you get finished.

[Roscoe]

Cleaned up with some brake clean. I will hit it slightly with some 180 like mentioned above. Thanks for the replies everyone

[Frank G]

Originally Posted by Roscoe

Cleaned up with some brake clean. I will hit it slightly with some 180 like mentioned above. Thanks for the replies everyone

First of all, all looks good. I have the bearings off of our cargo trailer and am awaiting the seals to show up to finish the job. Do you see the grease hole halfway drilled into the seal surface lip. It is the same way on my axle and it is very sharp, I am thinking it could damage the new seal during assembly. I am seriously considering taking a stone and rounding the sharp surfaces. BTW both the old (2 yr) seals were leaking, a lot.

[bobbecky]

Prior to installing the hub/drum assemblies back on the axle, clean up the seal area with crocus cloth until it is fully clean and smooth. If you don’t have a very clean and smooth seal contact area, your seals will fail early. I never thought about doing this until I watched a very experienced mechanic doing a brake job and he cleaned the seal area on the axle, and it made sense that the seals would do much better.

[flybouy]

And don't forget to pump fresh grease thru the spindle before installing bearings/seals to flush out contaminates.

[Roscoe]

Are you referring to the ez system? Before I reinstalled everything I did push some grease through the fitting and only what looked to be good grease came out. Everything is back together. Wheels torqued and will re check after 50 miles when we leave in two weeks. Thank you everyone for replying with good knowledge. Really appreciate it

[Roscoe]

Used my good ol bearing packer to get good grease through the inside of the bearings. Torque to 50lbs and the rotated the assmbly to seat it all and backed it off and reinstalled the safety clip over the nut.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Roscoe

Are you referring to the ez system? Before I reinstalled everything I did push some grease through the fitting and only what looked to be good grease came out. Everything is back together. Wheels torqued and will re check after 50 miles when we leave in two weeks. Thank you everyone for replying with good knowledge. Really appreciate it

Exactly, that little dot of sticky grease grease will catch metal shavings, grit from whatever abrasive used to dress the spindle and dirt & cleaners. Only takes a pump or two from the grease gun to chase it out.