Trailer Bearing Fire

[ThistleCap]

Well, this is embarrassing, but it could have been a lot worse.  While an experienced sailor, I'm a trailering newbie, and could use some insight to this problem.  I know the base problem is the trailer (like anything else) suffers from sitting idle for several years.  Eventhough I tried to check all the systems, there are always things never truely tested until put back on line in normal use.  Something was obviously causing the brakes to drag and build heat.  I had run the trailer around town several times to check it out, and hadn't seen any problem.  The bearings had been serviced, the surge brakes seemed fine, no wheel heating.  Today, however, by the time I had only gone 12 miles, the wheels had already heated enough to blow the seal in the right wheel.  I heard a pop and looked in the mirror to see a puff of blue smoke.  I immediately pulled to the side.  The right wheel was on fire and grease was boiling out of the hub.  The fire extinguisher shot the flames out, but the grease continued to dribble out of the bearings for some time. The left wheel had also blown the inner seal.  The other two wheels on the axle without the brakes were cool, so I don't know if it's seized calipers or a seized surge rod holding pressure on the brake cylinder.  I waited an hour for them to cool, pumped some more grease in the bearings, and started back home.  The fire had burned the brake line off, so I had no brakes now, which points more to the surge actuator rather than the calipers.  The bearings now run cool.  So, now I need to have the brakes checked out, the bearings checked, seals replaced and bearings repacked, and new brake lines run, and get the fire extinguisher recharged.  The only bright side in the whole scenario is that it happened right away and not while I was on the Atlanta beltway.  While I'm guessing, does anyone have insight into the real problem?  Thanks.

Jim  

[Konrad]

Make sure your trailer place inspects the races of each axle as well. 

What are you towing that requires brakes on the trailer?

[ThistleCap]

It's a 25 ft. Dufour 1800.  Total weight with trailer and cruising gear is 6100 lbs.  The Continental trailer was new in 2000, ran only about 200 miles, moving from the marina to home and back when I wanted to do more than routine maintenance, then 1200 miles when we moved from the East Coast to Oklahoma.  It's been blocked up with the wheels off while we did home construction, about 3 years.

[PAR]

I just torched a trailer bearing a few days ago too. It happens.

If it's the brakes, the drum will be glazed, which is likely the case. If it was the bearing it would have most likely locked up and you'd not have been as lucky.

If you're not mechanically inclined in this regard, take it to a shop, because it's not a pleasant job and does require a few skills and tools to get it right. Not to mention dropping one (a trailer) on your foot will leave a bruise.

[Bud_Wilson]

Jim  First of all let me say, I am not a fan of surge brakes.  My guess is the breaks came on and never released.  Surge brakes can be a pain in the but if they get out of adjustment.  I beleave I would take to a good shop and have the thing checked out and repared. I would also have the bearings and axle checked and repacked. If you can find out where your local U haul has there repair done a lot of there trailors have surge brakes. Bud

[ThistleCap]

Bud, I'm with you on all that, but my question would be why they didn't release.  I did have a caliper freeze 'on' on the right front wheel of our car one time.  So, the question remains how to prevent it. The idea about U-Haul is interesting.  I'll check that out.  My other question would be about adjustment.  Trying to insure ahead of time that they were properly adjusted, I called both Continental and the manufacturer of the brakes to learn what I could.  They said disc brakes can't be adjusted.  The only maintenance they pointed to was making sure there was red Locktite on the brake mounting bolts, and that the calipers are replaced when worn, but no information on what defines 'worn'.  According to them, only drum brakes can be adjusted.  Is there reason to think I got bad information?  Since I'm still on the uphill side of the trailer learning curve, it will definitely go to the best shop I can find, but I'll see if I can watch over the repairman's shoulder to see what I can learn.

[ThistleCap]

Here

[MikeStevenson]

An observation re. hydraulic brakes locking on: I had this happen on a VW many years ago and it was due to the hoses slowly swelling closed. Eventually, they act as one-way valves, in that you caan pump fluid out through them but the springs aren't strong enough to retract the shoes. I was 500 miles from home but I was able to fold the metal line over a few times and keep them clamped shut with a pair of vise-grips and drive home.

I now replace hoses fairly often on older cars. Everything seems happier anyway...

Mike

[ThistleCap]

http://www.championtrailers.com/techsup.html#technical_support

Mike, If you haven't seen it, Champion has a good technical section.  One problem they pointed out as a possible cause of my trouble was my disconnecting procedure when I drop the trailer.  They say forward pulling pressure must be exerted on the tongue before disconnecting.  Failing to do this may leave the cylinder partially compressed and the push rod partially extended and exposed to the weather.  Any resulting corrosion has lead to the brakes failing to release, or the discs sticking to the rotor hard enough to require disassembly of the brakes to get them loose.  When the shop pulls everything apart I may learn more, but this seems like a good bet.  File under---Too soon old; too late smart.

[Bud_Wilson]

Jim Quit beating yourself over the head.  To soon old Yes To late smart No. First you have done a lot of fact finding in a very short perion of time. Second and most important this $hit can happen to us all. Welcome to Trailer Sailors. This is the price you have to pay for the ability to go where you want with your boat. It is worth every cent. Bud :painting:

[ThistleCap]

Thank you, Bud, I appreciate that.  I'm really indebted for the information I've received, and am looking at discussing some trailer upgrades with the mechanic tomorrow---bigger bearings/axles/brakes on the second axle.  I even doubled the size of my fire extinguisher.  I had just grabbed the 2.5 lb. extinguisher and put it in the truck because I had it on hand.  I had put a new 5 lb'er in the boat already.  The few short seconds you get out of a small extinguisher just wouldn't have done the job if the fire and heat had gotten a bigger jump on me, so now the truck, boat, car, and kitchen all have 5 pounders now.