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Got home yesterday and the back wheels on my 2005 tandem axel trailer are both covered in grease and the center caps are gone. This is the axel with the breaks so Im thinking the breaks got stuck at somepoint on my way to the lake or on my way home. What would have caused this ? If I did something or didnt do something I was supose to I would know to prevent this from happening angain to the future.
I also have a 2005 Basscat with tandem axle. I am also having the same problem only mine is only on the right side brake. I think the brakes are clamping down and not letting go. I have tried to bleed the lines and that didnt help. Hey Basscat, can you help us with this problem?? Thanks,
Here is what I would do. Remove the wheel, then remove the caliper by disconnecting the brake line, removing the pads, and the two bolts that hold it to the bracket. Before you disconnect the brake line, acutate the master cylinder to pump fluid into the caliper and force the piston out. Be careful as this will make a mess. Now that you have the caliper in your hand, with the piston out, look in the bore and on the piston outer surface for any rusting, or pitting or any dirt intrusion. There should be a dust boot around the caliper piston that is also connected to the caliper itself like an accordion bellows. If that is cracked, broken or missing, thats a problem. The easy fix for any of the above is to buy a rebuilt or new caliper. They are not that expensive. Most american calipers are under $50 bucks unless you get to the dual-piston/quad-piston brakes. The other choice is to use some crocus cloth and clean out the caliper bore, and the piston, removing all rust. Replace the o-ring, and the dust boot (these can be had in a caliper rebuild kit for under 10 bucks). Reassemble, bleed, and the problem will go away. I have not looked at BCB disc brakes, but most cars using a floating caliper where the two bolts holding the caliper to the bracket are really long pins that let the caliper slide back and forth to clamp or release the rotor. If these pins are dirty, that can also cause the problem. If you look and find the dust boot intact, water intrusion is less likely. Check the two caliper bolts/pins, clean them, put some high-quality grease specific to disc brakes (since the temps are much higher) and you will be OK. Ford has this problem on some of their mustangs, and they can be a pain. Happened to my son a year ago and when you overheat a caliper, the brake fluid will boil, and that will pressurize all the other calipers and make it tough to move until things cool down. But either the pins, or water intrusion into the piston bore are the two most likely culprits here. The pins are easy to fix and advanced/auto-zone sell the bolts. But you will still need to clean the holes thru the caliper where the pins fit, and again there is normally a dust/water boot on the bolts that has to be intact to keep water out, along with the rust it causes…2008 Pantera Classic2014 Mercury Pro XS 200
Just had the same thing happen on my 2006 tandem trailer. Got so hot it blew the center caps off. However my problem was self induced and it is worth a look to see if you might have a similiar issue. My trailer has a small bead on the emergencey cable that has to have a small clip in front of it or the cable will slip forward just enough ( an inch or so) to allow the brakes to lock down after you apply them hard. I was unhooking my trailer in a lighting storm and in a hurry not to get struck I allowed the safety cable to hang down by the ball just enough that it grabbed when I drove off. I reset the brakes and the cable but didnt know about the clip. Next day headed to the lake and all was fine. On the way home a lady pulled out in front of me and I had to slam the brakes. I didnt feel any extra weight nor did it smoke but all the grease was gone, buddy bearings and center caps blown out whjen I got home. They were locked for about 20 miles. Stayed down 6 weeks as BC was out of bearings. Check for you clip if you havent already. RJ
The safety cable being pulled taut will continuously apply the brakes as an emergency procedure, which heats up the pads when pulled and could blow the end caps. The coupler could have failed also. Though we suspect the cable got stepped on or something and thus applied brakes 24/7.
I dont think my problem is with the cable since I only have the problem with the brake on the right side. I thought it was the bearings but I checked them and they were fine. I changed them anyway because they had gotten so hot. But when I pulled the boat across our small town the wheel was so hot I couldnt put may hand against it. It also has gotten so hot that it blew the wheel center off and the buddie bearing is messed up so bad that it wont stay pushed in. Of course that has to happen when I am on fish and now I cant get to the lake to take everyones money. Please Basscat HELP!!!
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