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jmb
04-10-2013, 08:43 PM
When I am returning home from the lake, I feel the brake or brakes drag for a short time and then quit. By the time I get home is rolls fine. I suppose I have to buy 2 calipers ($80.00 each) and an actuator ($160.00) to cure the problem because I don't know which one is causing the problem. Jerry, at Boatmate, says its a crap shoot and I can kind of agree. Any thoughts???? Jacked both sides up and is fine right now.

mmandley
04-10-2013, 10:26 PM
You can try compressing the caliper pistons, then also bleeding the brakes, if it has guide pins clean and lube them.

If that doesnt work then replace em.

jmb
04-11-2013, 08:28 PM
I bled the brakes and now I notice that the travel on the actuator is less going back than it was before. I think this is a good thing. The trailer seems to stop better too. Will try this weekend to really see. My son is going through the Coast Guard Auxillary course tonight so he can get his boating license. Hope to have another driver

kaneboats
04-12-2013, 09:49 AM
Do visitors in AL have to have a "boating license", whatever that is?

jmb
04-12-2013, 11:14 AM
Do visitors in AL have to have a "boating license", whatever that is?

Visitors are not required to have a license. You are good to go. I do see that more states are requiring licenses these days.

NCSUmoomba
04-14-2013, 03:37 PM
Yes, less travel on the actuator is better. It should be hard to compress.

jmb
04-14-2013, 07:47 PM
Took the boat out yesterday. Didn't have any problems with the brakes so hopefully they are okay.
Put the GoPro on the wakeboard yesterday but have to upload it on youtube yet

kaneboats
04-15-2013, 11:00 AM
Took the boat out yesterday. Didn't have any problems with the brakes

I still haven't found that pedal.

jmb
04-15-2013, 12:22 PM
I still haven't found that pedal.

Pedal is small and hard to see but it is there

kaneboats
04-16-2013, 10:29 AM
Must be my eyes then. :)

chadjitsu1
04-26-2013, 08:24 PM
Guys I don't think that my trailer brakes are working at all. I can back the boat up and they don't lock up on me, I also onlu have a 4 prong pin on the Jeep wiring harness. I also have a lot of travel in the tongue when stopping and starting. I always hear a big bang when I take off, I don't think this is normal.

Today when I towed the boat to the lake the brakes on the car where steaming from getting so hot. Not good.

I understand how to work on brakes and all that but how do you bleed the brakes on a trailer. I have done this in a car a ton of times but I dont know how you would be able to pump the brakes on a trailer. I am thinking that there is a leak and no fluid.

Any help telling me how to bleed the brakes would be awesome.

jmb
04-26-2013, 09:23 PM
I used my vehicle to bleed the brakes. I found this easiest for me. I blocked the back of the trailer wheels and then back the truck up until the actuator on the trailer is pushed all the way back. Set Emergency brake on the vehicle and then go back crack the bleeder valve on whichever caliper you are doing. Block trailer forward of tire and move vehicle forward pulling actuator back out. Fill Master Cylinder on trailer. Block behind trailer wheel again and push actuator back in. Then bleed again. Do this over and over until there is no air in either side. Do Caliper farthest from Master Cylinder first. Tedious, but this is how I did it.

mmandley
04-26-2013, 09:58 PM
I used my vehicle to bleed the brakes. I found this easiest for me. I blocked the back of the trailer wheels and then back the truck up until the actuator on the trailer is pushed all the way back. Set Emergency brake on the vehicle and then go back crack the bleeder valve on whichever caliper you are doing. Block trailer forward of tire and move vehicle forward pulling actuator back out. Fill Master Cylinder on trailer. Block behind trailer wheel again and push actuator back in. Then bleed again. Do this over and over until there is no air in either side. Do Caliper farthest from Master Cylinder first. Tedious, but this is how I did it.

Thats deddication LOL.

Easy way is goto the Auto parts store. Buy the brake fluid DOT3 and a blake bleeding tool, Basically a hand held vacume pump with a hose.

Fill the resivour up, put the pump on the cliper you want to bleed, apply vacume, then crack open the valve for a couple seconds till you see fluid, if your vac is dropping pump it a few times to keep the vac going.

Stop and check the fuild level, if this goes low your wasting your time because you are sucking air in. Easiest to have a second set of hands to pour in the brake fluid.

Keep doing this till you get no air bubbles, just fluid.
DO each caliper like this.

chadjitsu1
04-27-2013, 09:34 AM
Any idea what one of these things cost. I am thinking about the option #2 approach assuming that the pump isn't like 200.00

james yarosz
04-27-2013, 09:49 AM
You can get one At Harbor Freight pretty cheap. On sale now for about $23.

jmb
04-27-2013, 09:55 AM
Borrowed one from a friend but it didn't seem to work well for me. Didn't have any help either so ended up doing it that way.

chadjitsu1
04-27-2013, 11:24 AM
Harbor Freight it is. Thanks