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Help with Trailer Brakes

Posted: March 15th, 2004, 9:55 pm
by d-tox
I call upon my learned brethren and sisters to lend a hand and, hopefully, provide some sage advice on a problem I am having with my trailer brakes. (OK... it's going to get deep here, but bear with me).

I recently tried to move my trailer, and to my surprise, neither of the back wheels would turn. Not an inch! When I removed the wheels, I found the brakes basically corroded beyond belief. I tried to pull the brake drums off, after removing the cotter pin and wheel lug nut, but they won't budge. I can't move the wheels, enen witha hammer, and I can't remove the wheels until I remove the brake drums.

My plan is to remove the entire wheels and replace then with stainless steel disk brakes, but first I need to get inside the wheels.

My question is this. Is there a tool, or other implement of destruction, that I can use to remove the brake drums and how do I need to proceed?

Surely, this is a common enough problem that there is a reasonable solution other than dynamite. Any help would be appreciated.

Posted: March 16th, 2004, 7:01 am
by Chalk
Not sure of your setup..but, if it is spindle based, one word hammer :o .
Start tapping around the drum, then try tapping it from the backside. It should come off. A picture might help, if you have one.

A gear puller might do the trick too, but odds are finding one deep enough will be tough.

Posted: March 16th, 2004, 9:24 am
by Sir reel
Without knowing exactly what ya got.... if your in a real bind to get the trailer moved... worst case ... remove the rear axle ..wheels and all. Might even make it easier to work on them ... but then again my suggestion may just be heifer dust. I assume you've saturated the things in any kind of oil that would penatrate... even something you could put in a pump up sprayer and apply several times. Good luck and let us know what works and how it works.

Posted: March 18th, 2004, 3:28 pm
by Blue Dolphin
all you really have to do is pull the backing plate off everything will come it it....you will have to break the break line lose in the back of the plate other than that all comes off together.......