Right Side Dexter Brakes- Not Engaging

[GCinSC2]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

You can not adjust the brakes with the drum off.
How would you get the drum back on?

IMHO

TG Twinkie,

Gotta agree in general but these tools https://m.ebay.com/itm/K-D-Tools-No-....c100930.m5375 used to be common place for pre setting shoes to drum adjustment. You’d measure (sorta) the drum diameter and the hold this too up to shoes and adjust before installing drum. It sped up the process.

Just discussing how it used to be.

Gary

[Ray Eklund]

TGT figured out how to get these brakes set at the beginning, using the brake adjusting tool.

I have found that the brakes seem to be just slightly 'loose' so you can work the drum over them, spin the wheel to hear a slight drag. If too loose, I can easily tighten the brake towards the drum without damaging the chrome self adjuster.

The Left Side Dexter cartons contain new five bolts with lock washer and two brake adjust plugs.

I figure that the left and right sides use the same backing plate, so there are TWO adjusting holes. Maybe Gary or TGT can add to that thought.

[TG Twinkie]

I used the second hole to reach in and hold the plate back at the same time using the brake adjustment tool to turn the star wheel or ratchet wheel as some call it.
Using the old fashioned method of rotating the tire to determine how much the shoes were contacting the drum
Once the adjustment was correct I released the plate.

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

I used the second hole to reach in and hold the plate back at the same time using the brake adjustment tool to turn the star wheel or ratchet wheel as some call it.
Using the old fashioned method of rotating the tire to determine how much the shoes were contacting the drum
Once the adjustment was correct I released the plate.

*******
Fantastic! Thank you. Many others may also been helped.

[Ray Eklund]

I found the Dexter website. There are a number of Plants. Their addresses and telephone numbers are listed for your... convenience. I see that Plant 62 is in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

My first attempt was to Dexter Corporate. I called at 2:17PM and it was closed due to the time difference between Pacific and their Time Zone. I left an email on two options.

My second attempt was to Dexter San Marcos, California Plant 24. I called and a recording asked that I leave a message, which I did. I also used the email address and sent the same information as I had sent to Dexter Corporate.

Dexter is obviously busy.

I look forward to discussing my experience and after purchasing four Dexter Self Adjusting Brake Assemblies, out of pocket for $255.46. Paiceman mentioned the Five Year Warranty, while I believed it was only a three year warranty... I became personally interested. I installed all four assemblies and kept my original assemblies if needed in the future.

I asked for $255.46 or a set of FOUR Dexter Brake Assemblies. Either way. Parts are parts.

Like the AirForums, there are Airstream outsourced representatives scanning posts and threads. I would expect when the word... DEXTER... is used on the Internet... they are also given a heads up on Social Media. Good, passive or negative.

I encourage EVERYONE to check each and every wheel for braking. My experience was a wake up for me. Luckily, I do not mind getting dirty and check out problems when they occur.

I believed it was my 2016 F350 Diesel Ford at blame for the Trailer Disconnected. Plugs. Fuses. Etc. That took some time as you have to read a lot of questionable posts on the Ford Truck Forums, as well. But, all were an education.

Blinkers worked. Brake lights worked. Night lights worked. Checked, check and check.

I was very surprised to discover both of my Right Side Brakes were not working, when I began narrowing down possible problems.. Nor anything I could do on the road would change the fact they needed to be replaced. I do not test each brake individually while traveling, each and every day. When this occurred, I have no idea. This year? Last year?

Had I been using my under the dash Tekonsha Brake Controller, I could have been BLIND as to one or more brakes failing. Someone may post if the Tekonsha Controller would respond to a Brake Failure, even if the 12 volt circuit was functional.

The majority of Airstream Owners are not going to be testing each and every wheel. You should. I had the Trailer Disconnect prompt and it would go away. This trip, it was persistent. I was not happy with my… Ford F350, which was NOT malfunctioning. How would I know?

Today, tomorrow, next week… I will be as patient as I can be awaiting a response to my Four Dexter Inquiries. I provided the Free Labor, saved myself leaving my trailer or a day, a week, a month sitting at a RV Lot awaiting parts, service and picking up my trailer. Obviously there could be many trailer owners with issues with their brakes, but not even aware of a problem. I am proactive. It is too late for me to be an unknown, and that is my error when I first joined the AirForum and proud of my 2006 Airstream purchase.

All I ask is to be treated fairly. I discovered on this Thread, HOW to test my electric brakes. Then discover I that two brakes had failed. I estimate we have 8,000 to 10,000 miles on the 2016. Brakes should not disposable like an Air Filter or an Oil and Filter Change.

You can be involved in an accident involving yourself and others, damage, injury and not even be aware that this problem exists. Any time I see a trailer accident… I will wonder if it is the Brakes that Failed, and not the judgment of the driver of the Tow Vehicle. Passing of the Buck needs to stop where it belongs. If this is a common problem, we will all know soon enough.
__________________
Human Bean
Ray Eklund is online now Report Post

[Ray Eklund]

Post #25 had been posted on a similar thread, but also appropriate here. I understand it is a developing story for me and me only, but others may find this worthy.

I cannot short hand my post or posts. More information is better than little and leave much up to further question and answer periods.

If you have a similar problem now or in the future... I am the 'dog that will catch the grief'. I am getting use to the Social Internet as a two edged good and bad for one individual.

Just check out your brakes. I spent too long thinking others were getting a bad rap for describing problems... now I find they are most likely... TRUE.

[paiceman]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

Post #25 had been posted on a similar thread, but also appropriate here. I understand it is a developing story for me and me only, but others may find this worthy.

I cannot short hand my post or posts. More information is better than little and leave much up to further question and answer periods.

If you have a similar problem now or in the future... I am the 'dog that will catch the grief'. I am getting use to the Social Internet as a two edged good and bad for one individual.

Just check out your brakes. I spent too long thinking others were getting a bad rap for describing problems... now I find they are most likely... TRUE.

After thinking about your previous posts and this most recent one, I am leaning towards a significant number of trailers, Airstreams and others with brakes either not functioning properly or in some cases not at all. My reasoning on this is simple: Most of us with our trailers in tow drive prudently and exercise looking far ahead and anticipating and braking well in advance of any situation. Another thing many of us do is tow with large vehicles, F250s types or larger. I know when I neglected early one morning to connect the truck to the trailer we drove 200 miles and I never noticed, maybe a little sluggish on stopping, but nothing to be concerned about. So, how many are running and in reality don't have four working brakes as very few owners consistently check their brakes. My quick check as been to jack the trailer up, spin the wheels on one side and pull the emergency brake, wheels stop i have brakes and do the other side and that is it, that is also the PA state safety inspection procedure at most locations.

I do know that after my and other owners bake issues coming to light I'll check more carefully in the future.

Bud

[Action]

Originally Posted by paiceman

After thinking about your previous posts and this most recent one, I am leaning towards a significant number of trailers, Airstreams and others with brakes either not functioning properly or in some cases not at all.


Bud

Unfortunately this is likely true. And I believe many owners don't inspect brakes as frequent as needed. So if a brake or two are not working it isn't noticed that much. It is a maintenance issue. And who wants to do maintenance when there is some good camping to be done!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[paiceman]

Originally Posted by Action

Unfortunately this is likely true. And I believe many owners don't inspect brakes as frequent as needed. So if a brake or two are not working it isn't noticed that much. It is a maintenance issue. And who wants to do maintenance when there is some good camping to be done!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

Yep for sure

[GCinSC2]

Add to that all of the non campers landscaper rigs, horse trailers, etc.

[TG Twinkie]

Make sure you have "Never Lube Hubs" and not "E Z Lube Hubs"
IT'S THE NEVER LUBE HUBS THAT REQUIRE 150# OF TORQUE ON THE SPINDLE NUT.
The E Z lube hubs use the same old fashion method of bearing pre load.
There is no grease zert on a Never Lube Hub. Refer to the Dexter manual. You should have one in your info from A$.

[GCinSC2]

Never Lube inspection and replacement instructions.

http://http://www.dexterpartsonline....20Bearings.pdf

And they do not have the same inspection end play or TILT as Dexter describes it. I'll let Dexter explain, you just gotta read it.

Gary

[james.mileur]

Thx for the reminder and technical reference about the correct inspection. Always good to have Ref: (a).

Leaving our last overnight site yesterday for home, left side brakes locked up wheels going slow on dirt road with full manual override, right side, never stopped rolling. Ordered my Trailer Aid Tandem Tire Changing Ramp last night since looks like I'll have all four wheels off at least twice this month. Going to manual. Should be easy to check and set with my little yellow buddy.

[paiceman]

Originally Posted by james.mileur

Thx for the reminder and technical reference about the correct inspection. Always good to have Ref: (a).

Leaving our last overnight site yesterday for home, left side brakes locked up wheels going slow on dirt road with full manual override, right side, never stopped rolling. Ordered my Trailer Aid Tandem Tire Changing Ramp last night since looks like I'll have all four wheels off at least twice this month. Going to manual. Should be easy to check and set with my little yellow buddy.

Bummer, yep manual is my new approach to these issues. Good luck

Bud

[james.mileur]

Pulled off all four drums; my two right brakes needed 1.5 to 2 full turns on the adjuster wheel to get the slight contact of the shoes with drum. Last Sept I had done an inspection, and remember backing them off, thinking the self-adjuster would re-adjust. Wrong. Looks like when there is not enough tension on the spring, the wheel just rotated back and forth with the adjuster finger. Left side looked great also, no signs of spring contact with magnets, flat faces on the magnets, free motion on all parts. Only thing I didn't check was the five bolts holding the drum assemblies onto the axle. No runout when grabbing the tires at 12 & 6, 9 & 3.

Test drive still had light clattering noise from right side, especially in slow right turn, no noise when trailer brakes actuated alone, more noise when using truck and trailer together. Temps on drums after neighborhood drive with lots of braking, both front drums about 98, both rear drums about 108.

Any ideas from the community for this wheel, axle, suspension noise?

[cwf]

Originally Posted by james.mileur

Pulled off all four drums; my two right brakes needed 1.5 to 2 full turns on the adjuster wheel to get the slight ..............
Any ideas from the community for this wheel, axle, suspension noise?

James.. when on asphalt, I can hear the tires grab/release/grab... it shakes things a bit... In parking lot, my wife drove right turns..and only noise from the tires... then a funny thing happened, she let off the brakes.. she had been applying them slightly ... I don't know why.. It was then I heard a little 'chatter'.. the brake shoes, were doing like fingernails on a blackboard... but in a chatter way.. not a steady sound.

So, see if you can get some help and try applying a little braking as you turn.. does that make any difference?

P.S. Do on dry asphalt.. when wet, the problem seemed to go away..

[Action]

Drum brakes that chatter (Lack of full engagement during less than hard braking) is typically due to:

Foreign material in shoes or drum surface
Shoe to drum surface not engaged due to misalignment of shoes or shoe or drum surface uneven. Possibility of harden spots in the drum surface.

The chatter is very rapid engagement and disengagement of the shoe to drum surface. If correct the chatter goes away under hard and very hard braking.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[james.mileur]

Thanks for the quick insight. No foreign debris inside the drums, but did notice on right side, the ends of the brake pads were still factory rough, for a couple inches, top and bottom. Those have only about 3K miles, and mostly highway. Will try the slow turn braking.

[Action]

Originally Posted by james.mileur

but did notice on right side, the ends of the brake pads were still factory rough, for a couple inches, top and bottom.

That is a designed bevel cut on both ends of the shoes. So the center of the radius of the shoes makes contact before the ends of the shoes make contact.

It is done to reduce brake noises. Like ....ahhh ....... well ...... squealing or chattering!

Debris may or may not be loose. It may be inbedded into the shoe material. It may help to spray the shoes with brake cleaner.

>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[GCinSC2]

Brake shoe arcing machine. Old school.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H-ZF200ZSVs