Disc brake discussion

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by cwf

Interesting.. Wonder if actuators can handle 6 brakes? ����

Mine does, well sort of.

[AtomicNo13]

Both my tri axles have 6 calipers, flawless for combined hundred if thousands of miles!

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by AtomicNo13

Both my tri axles have 6 calipers, flawless for combined hundred if thousands of miles!

Are your calipers the four piston, or the single piston? And what actuators do you have?

[J. Morgan]

Playing from memory, I am about sure that there is a Dexter model that will handle six brakes. I am 99% on this.


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[AtomicNo13]

Single piston stainless Kodiak calipers, Carlisle Hydrastar 1600 actuator.

[Ag&Au]

I think this thread's brakes have failed. It doesn't seem to be slowing at all.
Are they disk or drum?

Ken

[truckasaurus]

I'm still struggling with the brake choice for my current project. On the Overlander I had a full disc package installed and although the braking performance was good enough that I never really gave it a second thought there were some teething troubles. Problem one was a wiring fault by the installers that blew a fuse in my truck after a few miles so that could have happened on any brake set up but the most annoying was the actuator pooping out just days prior to a huge trip. I never really liked the noise from the actuator or the need to drop my TV into Park rather than Drive more than normal when at lights etc and it's got me thinking more about drums.

For a car I'd never even consider them but for the trailer they have a certain appeal.
-Initially cheaper parts and simpler instal labour/ (0 cost) and long term maybe still cheaper if I don't keep having to buy actuators and overnight them!
-quiet when in use
-easy to to maintain
-up to the task of braking (10" would be fine so 12" must be more than fine)
Downside seems to be
-weight which must slightly affect the suspension performance a tiny bit
-mentally not perceived as an upgrade
-needs more adjustment (although Nevr Adjust or whatever it's called might help) -a desire for Centramatics which wouldn't be needed with discs.

I'm thinking of 12" electric drums with 6" on 5.5" bolt pattern mated to axles no greater than tandem 3500 lbs so pretty simple kit suited to a sub 6000 lb loaded trailer rolling on 16" tires.

Kind of a long post to get to the point which I think is that on a light to medium weight tandem axle trailer like this any merit discs have might be slight. Still inwardly debating though and keen to see what else crops up.

[SteveH]

Just a guess here, but I would think there are less than 5% of the Airstreams on the road with disc brakes.

Anyone know the number?

[AtomicNo13]

Dunno..... I installed both of mine myself.

[switz]

As an after thought, when I did the research for an external brake controller since the Dodge's factory OEM built in brake controller did not work with the selected and installed BrakeRite II SD brake pump, both the Tuson DirecLink (and the NE model which we installed) and the Prodigy P3 would have been suitable for the wiring work around to keep from throwing error codes.

I spent lots of time on the phone with Chris at Tuson getting comfortable with their DirecLink brake controller design and the wiring work around.

We did install two fused runs directly off the truck battery of #10 wire. One went to the DirecLink under the dash and the other replaced the Dodge factory 12Vdc #14 power wire at the seven pin plug at the rear of the truck. We brought a #10 wire from the DirecLink brake pump actuator circuit to the seven pin plug on the back of the truck. The factory controller blue wire was snipped close to the unit under the dash, so it never senses a trailer being connected and thus no error codes.

If I decide to upgrade the existing disc brake system to the Tuson ABS system, I think a trip to their facility would be in order to be sure all works well.

After reading this thread, it would seem prudent to have a spare pump (I already have a spare electronics controller for the brake pump) in the truck's spare parts bin for that slim chance of a pump failure when in a remote area.

Not every Airstream or RV service center could even work on a disc brake system let alone properly bleed the hydraulic brake lines.

[AtomicNo13]

I would never take an airstream back to a dealer unless it was for warranty service. $120 an hour buys me a lot is stuff with my own labor!
I recently saw a labor bill from a dealer.....$500+ to install a brake controller on a Ford pickup. The P3 and correct vehicle harness was supplied by the customer..... Dealer used sticky tape to attach, and plug in...... Just saying!

[KJRitchie]

I don't have the equipment to jack up the trailer and work on brakes and I'm not confident to do the work myself despite having some experience working on vehicles in the past. Every time I try to fix something on my Classic it always ends being more complicated and taking longer than expected.

I'm afraid most RV and Airstream dealers probably don't have the experience to work on hydraulic disc brake trailer systems. Maybe purchasing my Classic was a wrong decision.

Kelvin

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I don't have the equipment to jack up the trailer and work on brakes and I'm not confident to do the work myself despite having some experience working on vehicles in the past. Every time I try to fix something on my Classic it always ends being more complicated and taking longer than expected.

I'm afraid most RV and Airstream dealers probably don't have the experience to work on hydraulic disc brake trailer systems. Maybe purchasing my Classic was a wrong decision.

Kelvin

Kelvin.

You don't need ANY jacks to work on your wheels or brakes.

Pull one wheel up on a couple of 2 X 6's, and watch the other tire hang in the air.

Much safer as well.

Andy

[ROBERT CROSS]

Can I have a KISS.....please.

Bob

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Can I have a KISS.....please.

Bob

As per your request.

Andy

[GCinSC2]

Bob,

Keep It Simple Stupid?

That the one you're looking for?

Gary

Let's fix anybodies current dexter EOH issue, who has one?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by GCinSC2

Bob,

Keep It Simple Stupid?

That the one you're looking for?

Gary

Let's fix anybodies current dexter EOH issue, who has one?

Yeah, that one too.

Andy

[SteveH]

I still have one. Dexter told me on the 14th of last month they were sending me a new actuator to replace the one that I bought in July, which has failed, and it has not arrived yet. Called them this morning, then went over to their retailer here and found they had sent it a while back already. Long story short, they sent it to the wrong address. Wonder how long it would have been if I hadn't started backtracking it. Supposed to be here tomorrow.

THEN I can start the bleeding thing all over again. So far after a year of ownership of this trailer, the hydraulic disc brakes have been nothing but a great big PITA!

While I was at the retailer, actually Southwest Wheel, I talked to one of the techs about how to bleed the brakes. He had nothing new to offer, and told me the air in the inner reservoir goes out the bottom to the outer reservoir. I told him, "sure it does".

[dznf0g]

So air is now heavier that fluid?

[KJRitchie]

What a crazy design not to put a bleed valve on the one caliper. Are all their dual caliper discs designed this way or only us Classic owners lucky?