jtbeck
Kentucky
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Joined: 04/23/2008
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Newbie question here.
I'm VERY inexperienced when it comes to trailer brakes. My FIL helped me adjust the electric brakes on my Fleetwood Utah, and I think they may be too tight.
After adjusting them I drove home with the camper (30 min drive at highway speeds) and the hubs were way too hot to touch and leave your fingers on them. Is that excessive? Should I back off the tension?
We're leaving for a trip to Florida on July 7th, and this is the last thing that I need to get straightened out, so I really appreciate any help you guys can give me!
Me (69), DW (69), DD (95), DS (00), DS (01) and 1 camping toy fox terrier (08)
95 Fleetwood Utah, 02 Ford Explorer Limited (V8)
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Polishnurse
Schodack, NY
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Joined: 03/13/2007
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Heres a website to help you out. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ar_1962_co........article/0,2021,DIY_13704_2278441,00.html It's for a Cheve, but pretty close. The tightning will be same. Bill
Tip: Here's a technique for properly adjusting the wheel bearing and hub:
Place the brake-drum and wheel back on the vehicle.
Thread the lug-nuts by hand, then tighten them down with a power wrench.
To adjust the wheel bearing, rock the wheel as you tighten the hub by turning the nut (figure L).
Continue to tighten until the wheel firms up and no longer rocks. Stop turning the nut at that point, then use your pliers to rotate the nut back to the nearest castellation notch (figure M).
Install the new cotter pin and fold the ends back (figure N). Use your pliers to pinch the cotter pin to secure it in place. If properly installed, the cotter pin should allow now "wiggling" movement in the hub.
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SCOMP225
Brownsburg,Indiana
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Joined: 12/08/2002
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Sounds a little warm to me.
Did you pull the drums and check the shoes or at least look through the back side ?
I would re-adjust them until they just begin to drag.
On my trailer- same brakes I pull all 4 wheels once a year and inspect and re grease.
Chuck
1992 American Eagle
Security: Sam- Black Lab/Glock When He's asleep on the couch.
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jtbeck
Kentucky
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I pulled them and checked the shoes. I adjusted the brakes right after repacking the bearings, so I had everything pretty well taken apart anyway and got a good look at them.
I think the problem is that my FIL wanted my brakes to feel the way the brakes on his 26' Kodiak TT feel. He's got 4 BIG brakes pulling on that thing, and the 2 little drums on my Utah will never give him that same feel. So, he kept having me adjust them tighter and tighter until he felt the same "drag" that he feels from his big, heavy trailer. Does that make sense?
I thought they felt too hot. I'm going to back them off.
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SCOMP225
Brownsburg,Indiana
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This is fresh off a Trailer website:"Turn the adjuster until the brake locks up, i.e. you can no longer rotate the wheel by hand. This centers the brake shoes on the brake drum so that they are in the correct position.
Now back off the star wheel 8 to 10 clicks or as specified by the manufacturer. The wheel should spin freely with no apparent drag to slow it down. A slight scraping noise is normal as the wheel turns."
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jtbeck
Kentucky
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SCOMP225,
That's pretty much exactly what I did. But still the hubs seem unreasonably hot to me. Actually I backed off another 2 clicks from the initial 10 clicks. Maybe I'm just being paranoid since I've never had trailer brakes before.
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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It could be that the brakes are too tight OR the wheel bearings are too tight but in general terms "slightly warm" NEVER hot is what you should find when putting your hand on your hubs.
2004 F-150 HD 3,050 lb. payload
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
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jtbeck
Kentucky
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Then mine are definitely too hot. You couldn't hold your fingers to those hubs for more than an instant.
I'll be backing them off this afternoon.
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Polishnurse
Schodack, NY
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If the wheel is turning freely, when you spin it, then you are most likely over tightening the hub nut on the bearings.
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Dave H M
IL
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Joined: 08/11/2006
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I can keep my finners on mine when checking the heat at stops. 
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