Dramas With Trailer Brake Rotors

[boat_1]

Though i best tackle the horrible job of redoing all the brakes on the boat trailer, well it is now finished, ready for the roadworthy, two days of pure hell!!! #First drama, brake rotors are no longer available (Mayfair Beehives). After two days of searching, i found a similer style, sweet just swap them over, problem solved, but no, the square style axle i had was not suited to the caliper mounting plates i was supplied with. So now i had to buy a new axle and i grabbed some new springs as well. We welded the support plates on, fitted all new bearings, bolts, shackles etc, gave it all another hit with cold gal paint & fitted new brake cables. So if anyone has an older style trailer fitted with these style rotors, this is probably the easiest way to fix the problem. I started the job 9am Thursday morning, it is now 8.30 Friday night.
Can add some pictures if people would like to have a look.

Andrew.

[Willdoe]

I logged in to do a post on trailer brakes so I'll pick up on this.

About ten years ago I bought a second hand 1979 Haines 146C on a Tinka trailer of ssame vintage. The original brake calipers were removed and handed to me in a cardboard box. They were the hydraulic override type operated by linkage to a telescopic hitch but were siezed and the pad plates were severely rusted. The discs appeared to stainless on a sleeve that bolted to the alloy Tinka wheels.

I changed the wheels to 14inch commodore and diced the brake gear. After a couple of incidentes where the boat gave me the shove while braking heavily I decided I had better get brakes fitted again. This time the discs arecast iron, cast integraly with the hubs. The calipers are cast alloy Brakemate A101 made by Trigg Bros S.A.. They are actuated by the same override hitch via cables.

The problem I have is I use the boat infrequently and the rotors rust even after a good wash down in fresh water and a run around the block with them jacked on to dry out before I shed it.

Initially I tried coating them with tectyl and then washing it off before a trip (bit painful). More recently I've scraped them or buffed them with a sanding disc and painted them with rust converter for storage.

Short of taking the outfit for a run around town every couple of weeks, is there a less labour intensive solution out there.

[boat_1]

The place that i got the rotors from told me that these newer style rotors are more tolerent to salt water, just give them a good high pressure cleaning?? I would also like to know if anyone has got a solution to this problem. They are a fair bit larger than the original units & are solid centered.
I have uploaded a couple of pics,

Andrew.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i199/tworana/Picture2241.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i199/tworana/Picture2231.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i199/tworana/Picture2250.jpg

[John_R]

I just give them a good wash out and let dry, then squirt Inox or WD40 on them for storage. This does not seem to affect braking and does stop the pitting corrosion.

[Willdoe]

My god Andrew those old brakes can't have been working!!!! You did the right thing replacing the old axel also, I think it would be illegal the way the stubb is joined to the square.

What size boat were you carrying???

The new hub looks pretty good. Was the new rotor machined?

Willdoe

[nicko233]

gday willdoe,the axle build is very common they call it an overlay axle


nicko

[boat_1]

Willdoe, I knew the brakes needed doing when i bought it, #just find it hard to believe no-one makes the rotors for these anymore. It carries a 17ft Haines, the braking surface was coated with rust preventative, a couple of applicationa with the brakes will remove it.

Andrew.

[SO70]

why did you buy a new axle.
what was wrong with the old one.

[Heno]

why did you buy a new axle.
what was wrong with the old one.

The axle length may not have suited the offset of the new disc rotors.

[boat_1]

SO70, I replaced the whole axle because the supplied mounting plates needed to be welded to the square box section of the axle, but when we tried to fit to the original axle, they needed to be welded to the round sections on the end. As the axle was over 15 years old & cost was not too bad, i decided to replace the lot. I will be able to clean the old axle up & hopefully resell it, it is a solid axle, not hollow & the surface rust will clean of pretty easily.

Andrew.

[SO70]

you can use any configuration for the caliper mounting
your trailer package will now probably sit 50mm higher if you used a straight through axle
there will be more mudguard clearance also
i have been caught before and should have stayed with a dropped axle
using welded stub axles on top of solid square bar is common practice