galvanic Trailer Brakes Rebuilding: A Story About How They Work and What Happens When They Don't

This story begins when I offered to haul my friend's Aerostar van for him. He lives at the top of a very steep gravel hill.

electric lawn mower

We drove the van on the trailer, strapped it down tight, set the weight distributing hitch and I headed down the hill. It was all going well until I hit the brakes.

ELECTRIC

Basically there were none. Only the fronts on the Suburban were locking. I pushed the big red button on my home made trailer brake controller giving them the full 13.7 volts but nothing. Well practically nothing. I was still going down way faster than I wanted to!

The trailer brakes should have locked up solid when the red button is pushed development everything at least slide right - instead of the trailer trying to pass the Suburban. Talk about the cart before the horse!

The way the load was pushing nearby that Suburban, I was certainly glad I had not tried to tow with my dinky Jeep Cherokee.

Once that job was done I backed the trailer into the shop to take my first look at those trailer brakes. I have owned this trailer for nearly twenty five years and I have never seen inside the brake drums on it. I guess it was about time.

My inspection of the first drum showed me a dinky about how electric trailer brakes work. There is an electromagnet that pulls against the inside of the drum. The disagreement of the magnet against the drum moves one shoe that in turn moves the other shoe with a cam action.

Pretty simple. But I did not see anything wrong. The shoes looked fine, the drum was fine except for some scoring where the magnet rubbed. I put power to the magnet and it seemed to pull Ok. But, the disagreement of the magnet against the drum was obviously not sufficient to work the shoes.

I could not frame out how a magnet could go bad, but that is what it seemed. Time for some Internet research.

I finally found a site that said magnet failure was tasteless on electric trailer brakes. So I went shopping for trailer brake magnets. Most places wanted more for the magnet than I could buy the whole backing assembly for. To get one at a local parts store I would have to pay more than I could buy two backing assemblies for. And new magnets are included in the backing plate assemblies.

Just when I was about to give up and order new assemblies, I stumbled upon Auto security House. They could use some work on their web site, but they have great prices.

I found a pair of new drums on e bay and I was the only someone who bid so I got both for the price of one. Then the wait for Danny - my Ups driver - to bring them to me. naturally the drums and magnets arrived on distinct days so he got to visit with my dog Smash twice.

Upon closer inspection of the trailer brakes, I noticed that I still did not understand how they worked. Something just did not look right about the way the cams worked. It sure looked like they would be stronger in reverse. And this trailer has all the time been tough to back up when the brakes are working right.

A quick look at the Dexter Brakes web site confirmed my suspicions. The rear axle on my trailer was installed backwards.

I decided the bearings did not certainly care if they were spinning backwards, so I elected to naturally swap the brake assemblies left to right.

Having them off made installing the magnets and routing the not so dinky green wires somewhat easier. I found that some lubricant made getting them straight through the grommets a lot easier.

Dexter Magnets are identified by the wire color. The correct one for my 3500lb axles is the green wire. Nice they have not changed that in 25 years.

The magnets are held in by spring clips that are certainly hard to get off. I used a small screwdriver and a pry bar and bent them slightly to get them off. The new magnets came with new clips anyway.

I loaded the new bearings with axle grease and installed the new brake drums. They are not Dexter brand but the fit just fine.

The wiring is was pretty easy to reconnect since there is no polarity on the magnets. Just join together one wire to the brake controller power lead and one to ground. Dexter recommends running a detach ground wire but I just grounded it to the trailer frame like it had been done before.

Now my trailer has brakes again.

galvanic Trailer Brakes Rebuilding: A Story About How They Work and What Happens When They Don't

ELECTRIC

electric Boat Trailer Winches

After a long day out on the lake, the last thing you want to do is crank your boat onto the trailer by hand. Electric maritime winches allow you to load and unload without requiring any manpower. With a corded remote, you can also use your free hand to guide the boat onto the trailer as you winch. If you are by yourself, an electric winch can make loading and unloading that much easier. Regardless of your strength, size, or bodily condition, you can single-handedly load your boat onto the trailer without breaking a sweat.

electric toothbrushes

How do you know which size trailer winch to get? First find the gross weight of your boat. Check your owner's hand-operated or call the maker to find out. Then add in the weight of your motor, fuel, and any tool that will be in your boat while you're loading it. The winch you buy needs to be able to pull at least this much weight and more. The incline of your trailer as you pull also increases the load. Just in case your electric winch ever fails, make sure you purchase one with a hand crank option. That way, if your motor or battery fails, you can still load your boat by hand the old-fashioned way.

ELECTRIC

To load your boat, back the trailer into the water. Grab the winch strap and power out the cable. Attach the winch hook to the bow eye and power in the cable. Guide the boat as needed onto the bunks or rollers. To fasten your boat on the trailer, use a detach strap to get the bow eye. Never rely on the winch strap to get the bow.

The more meticulous you are to assert your boat trailer winch, the longer it will last. Keep a close eye on the cable. If you consideration any frayed wires or other damage, replace the cable immediately. A cable that breaks under load can turn into a whip and damage whatever or whatever in its path. A tethered or wireless remote allows you to stand clear of the cable when it's under heavy load. Remember to clear the area of bystanders before you start winching.

Read your owner's hand-operated and ensue the safety precautions listed by the manufacturer. An electric maritime winch should never be used as a hoist or lift. It is only designed to pull a load on a horizontal plane or on a dinky incline. Avoid wearing loose clothing or jewelry that can get caught in the winch and create a perilous situation. Keep your hands and fingers away from the shaft, and use the winch strap to unwind the cable for added protection. ensue these safety tips and the others in your hand-operated to safely and really load your boat.

electric Boat Trailer Winches

ELECTRIC