Temp safe brake fix to get home?

[WayneS]

Quick question: Can I disable one brake to make the 170 mile drive home?

Long story: So I took my 2015 FB27 to a venue outside of Wimberley, Texas, for my daughter and her friends to stay on site for a wedding (no drinking and driving, yay dad),

I noticed that one wheel was hot and decided to check the brakes before going back to Houston.

I’ve never adjusted the brakes before but the problem wheel didn’t look right so I bought the correct socket and snap ring pliers. This is what I found.

Longer questions: Are these parts available near Austin or San Antonio? Can I just disable this brake and be extra careful going home?

Thanks,

Wayne

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by WayneS

Quick question: Can I disable one brake to make the 170 mile drive home?

Long story: So I took my 2015 FB27 to a venue outside of Wimberley, Texas, for my daughter and her friends to stay on site for a wedding (no drinking and driving, yay dad),

I noticed that one wheel was hot and decided to check the brakes before going back to Houston.

I’ve never adjusted the brakes before but the problem wheel didn’t look right so I bought the correct socket and snap ring pliers. This is what I found.

Longer questions: Are these parts available near Austin or San Antonio? Can I just disable this brake and be extra careful going home?

Thanks,

Wayne

……remove all the pieces. Tape the wire ends separately…install hub and roll…you are fine…you will need a complete backing plate with brakes…60$….

[WayneS]

Originally Posted by tjdonahoe

……remove all the pieces. Tape the wire ends separately…install hub and roll…you are fine…you will need a complete backing plate with brakes…60$….

Thanks, and just to be clear, the wire ends to the magnet?

Edit to add, it’s 10:23 pm here, 39deg outside, I’ll go look in the morning!

[kscherzi]

Yes you can disable one brake and still drive safely back home. I know because I inadvertently did the same on a 8,000 mile trip halfway across the US with a never-adjust brake that never adjusted itself.

[WayneS]

Thanks again to all.

So I take everything out that I can and then cover the wires that I will find?

[Kevin245]

We had a similar experience a few years ago on a return trip from camping. I removed the innards and snipped the wires, then proceeded home with no issues. I did decrease my travel speed, and increased my following distance as a safety measure.

[richard5933]

The brakes may pull towards the other side, and you'll have 1/4 less braking power available. Otherwise you should be fine.

[DonRich7878]

Originally Posted by richard5933

The brakes may pull towards the other side, and you'll have 1/4 less braking power available. Otherwise you should be fine.

Unlike common toyota brakes which causes a pull to the side with the most drag, trailer brakes out of side to side balance will always torque towards center line, or in other words, cause the trailer to pull towards the side with less stopping power when brakes are applied.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

The Dexter brakes on the typical trailer are not at all unusual. I can usually get parts for them here in town on a Saturday. This is by no means a big town. They are a staple item for a lot of trailers of all sorts. If there are farms around, there is a local demand for those parts.

Bob

[Fungus]

Did same on a long trip last spring. Drove with three brakes for a few hundred miles. At least the brakes wasn't dangerous.

Amazon carries both the Dexter ($330/pair and Lippert ($120/pair) 12" assemblies. Easy replacement. I keep a spare of each (left and right). Trailer shops around Buda/Kyle may have an assembly. AS of Atlanta charged me double for the Lippert. They didn't have a Dexter.

Now that you have the big socket and snap ring, the only tool you need is the socket to replace the assembly and Something to connect the brake wires. They should have shrink tubing.

Did you find an assembly?

[Fungus]

I realize that you can't wait for the part. But for others looking, the Amazon price is robbery. Etrailer has the Dexters for less. And I paid $75 less for my Dexters from Amazon in June.

[JohnTF]

A lot depends on what tow vehicle you are using & round conditions ?
Using less of a vehicle - like SUV / short wheel base , 1/4 or 1/2 ton .
Going down mountains , etc.
Driving as suggested above be comes more of a problem as the road & TV have less ability to keep the trailer under control .

[Eagle & Bear]

There is a lot of uneven wear on the inside of the drum/backing plate pieces. Before you get back on the road check the bearings in that wheel. Since you have the jack under the trailer, spin and rock the other 3 wheels to make sure that the bearings are proprely adjusted.

[azflycaster]

I once found a broken wire to a brake magnet and did not know it. I am sure many of us have driven hundreds of miles with only 3 out of 4 brakes working.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by DonRich7878

Unlike common toyota brakes which causes a pull to the side with the most drag, trailer brakes out of side to side balance will always torque towards center line, or in other words, cause the trailer to pull towards the side with less stopping power when brakes are applied.

I have a hard time understanding that. The side of the trailer that has the stronger brakes will want to go slower which will cause the tongue to go to that side. The force of the tongue on the ball will cause the rear of the truck to go that way, forcing the front to go toward the side with less braking power, which may be what you are talking about. At least that is the way I interpret the physics.

[tjdonahoe]

One wheel the lower spring broke..everything just wadded up..when I found it the others all were wore down..I replaced all of them.. 4 backing plates..$200

[DonRich7878]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

I have a hard time understanding that. The side of the trailer that has the stronger brakes will want to go slower which will cause the tongue to go to that side. The force of the tongue on the ball will cause the rear of the truck to go that way, forcing the front to go toward the side with less braking power, which may be what you are talking about. At least that is the way I interpret the physics.

Think of it this way. A trailer is "pulled" from a center pivot point forward. If the point of resistance is greater on one side of something being dragged, that side will torque to the center of the pull. In other words, the single braking wheel will try to line itself up behind the force of the tow point...always.

When you add additional variables of a tow vehicle, it becomes more complicated.

A trailer torqueing to one side (to the side with less drag) causes an equal but opposite pressure at the pivot point (the ball). So now you are introducing the ability of the tow vehicle to remain in line with the direction of travel while pressure is applied at right angles at the rear of the tow vehicle. Without knowing more about the tow vehicle, it is impossible to determine which side of the road the vehicle and subsequent attached airstream, will be launched.

[zapper]

Originally Posted by WayneS

Quick question: Can I disable one brake to make the 170 mile drive home?

Long story: So I took my 2015 FB27 to a venue outside of Wimberley, Texas, for my daughter and her friends to stay on site for a wedding (no drinking and driving, yay dad),

I noticed that one wheel was hot and decided to check the brakes before going back to Houston.

I’ve never adjusted the brakes before but the problem wheel didn’t look right so I bought the correct socket and snap ring pliers. This is what I found.

Longer questions: Are these parts available near Austin or San Antonio? Can I just disable this brake and be extra careful going home?

Thanks,

Wayne

Wayne- Camper Clinic II in S. Austin (Not far from Budda TX) should have the parts you need. I do not recommend them for service though, just parts.
-Hugh

[WayneS]

I removed the innards, cut and taped the wires, and increased the following distance for the drive home.

I checked the bearing on that wheel and it didn’t seem to have unusual play and the wheel spun smoothly with no noise. There also wasn’t an excessive amount of grease either compared to videos online.

I’ll check the other 3 brakes and may just replace them all and will take a closer look at that drum too.

Thanks for all the help!

[GCinSC2]

Wayne

Just curious. Was this the self adj brake or manual adj brake system?

Gary