Question on Trailer

[Dleopoldi914]

Sorry if questions seem kind of basic. I haven't work a whole lot with cars or with tools in my past but know preventative maintenance is important.

I own a Parker 21se 2021 and it came with a load rite trailer. The trailer is going on 3 years and sitting in my driveway at my house so I am starting to go through the trailer and check various things. I only tow the boat at max 3 times a year to and from my house and about 2-3 miles to the ramp.

Below are the things I have done.

1.) I went through all the lug nuts on the tires and torqued to 90lb psi.
2.) I've looked at all the tires and made sure at 50 psi.
3.) Trailer has EZ-Lube hubs so I saw that you can just hit the fitting and wait for the all of the old grease to come out. I used yamalube marine grease which was a different color than the red grease in there, so was easy for me to see when I hit the new grease.

I am now looking over the brakes, I notice my reserve looks a little low. See pic below.




Also this bladder should it sit inside the cap? In what direction I would assume its just a liner correct (see below)?




Below are how one of my brake look and you can kind of see the top layer flaking. Feels like it has decent amount of thickness. What I am hearing though is its common in salt water environment for brakes to degrade before they wear. Just from visual inspection do you think they are degraded? Do you suggest I just change all the pads?



I looked on the load rite website and these seem like the replacement brakes. Numbers and text match up on pads in pics to below pic.

https://www.loadrite.com/trailer-pa...lipers-brake-components/brake-pad-set-knottⓒ/

I would also assume that to take the calipers off and replace I would undo the cap over the hex bolt on the back of the wheel and then take out the screw? Pic of the two capped hex bolts below.




My game plan was to replace all the pads, then drain all the fluid using a vacuum pump with a very long tube. Then I am going to fill the reservoir at the actuator, I have a the long tube so can pump the brake pump I have and keep pumping until I see no more bubbles. I will start at the farthest away brake caliper with the bleeding and work my way to the closest.

I watched videos where they said the trailer needs to be jacked all the way down to the floor so as to let the bubbles escape when I bleed. After I am done bleeding do I put the trailer level then top off the reservoir?

What do you think?

Brakes right now work as is I tested them yesterday with jacking trailer up and spinning the wheel and using a screw driver on the actuator and the wheel stopped. Since I only 2 times a year should I just leave it alone? or should I be proactive?

Also maybe I can just fill the reservoir and bleed the fluid?

 

[Dleopoldi914]

Sorry if a long post.

Anyone?

 

[afitzray]

What vehicle are you towing with?

You’ve already done more maintenance than 95% of people so kudos on that. Check your line fittings are tight and not losing fluid there. If you have a vac and can bleed the brakes without too much work then I think you’ve gone above and beyond, but wouldn’t hurt for peace of mind to know you’re not missing out on any braking power due to air in the lines. After that you should just sit back and feel good about the trailer for another year. If you want to be proactive just make sure you get that cap tight to preserve the fluid and change the pads next year.

You check your lights are all working? I think that’s the only thing you didn’t mention.

 

[Dleopoldi914]

What vehicle are you towing with?

You’ve already done more maintenance than 95% of people so kudos on that. Check your line fittings are tight and not losing fluid there. If you have a vac and can bleed the brakes without too much work then I think you’ve gone above and beyond, but wouldn’t hurt for peace of mind to know you’re not missing out on any braking power due to air in the lines. After that you should just sit back and feel good about the trailer for another year. If you want to be proactive just make sure you get that cap tight to preserve the fluid and change the pads next year.

You check your lights are all working? I think that’s the only thing you didn’t mention.

Yes I did that with the lights, repaired some last year. Also checked them.

Ok will change the fluid and next year do the brakes
I am towing with a Toyota 4runner so I am right at the capacity of the suv. So the brakes I like have.

 

[captmatt]

I do not recognize those calipers but it does seem like you remove the black caps and loosen those fasteners to remove the caliper from the bracket. Be sure to get new pads with a stainless steel backing plate.

Flushing brake fluid is worth the effort IMHO. The fluid picks up moisture and debris over time. On my trailer the brake fluid was dark and somewhat dirty the last time I flushed the system.

I do not have a vacuum pump so I rigged up a clear sports drink bottle with a rigid tube through the cap the reaches almost to the bottom (I used a metal reusable straw). Put a little fresh brake fluid in the bottle and connect the bottle to the caliper bleeder screw with clear hose. Then crack open the bleeder and use the brake actuator (make a lever if is it surge; use the breakaway switch if EOH) to fresh pump fluid to a caliper. Keep the bottle and hose higher than the caliper so any air rises up the hose and into the bottle. Keep adding fresh fluid to the reservoir and do not let it run dry!

No need to mess with the tongue jack if your bleeder is set up correctly.

 

[Dleopoldi914]

I do not recognize those calipers but it does seem like you remove the black caps and loosen those fasteners to remove the caliper from the bracket. Be sure to get new pads with a stainless steel backing plate.

Flushing brake fluid is worth the effort IMHO. The fluid picks up moisture and debris over time. On my trailer the brake fluid was dark and somewhat dirty the last time I flushed the system.

I do not have a vacuum pump so I rigged up a clear sports drink bottle with a rigid tube through the cap the reaches almost to the bottom (I used a metal reusable straw). Put a little fresh brake fluid in the bottle and connect the bottle to the caliper bleeder screw with clear hose. Then crack open the bleeder and use the brake actuator (make a lever if is it surge; use the breakaway switch if EOH) to fresh pump fluid to a caliper. Keep the bottle and hose higher than the caliper so any air rises up the hose and into the bottle. Keep adding fresh fluid to the reservoir and do not let it run dry!

No need to mess with the tongue jack if your bleeder is set up correctly.

You have a link to the better pads?

 

[captmatt]

You have a link to the better pads?

Need to know the brand of caliper and size or type of pad.

As an example, these fit my trailer brakes: https://www.easternmarine.com/deemaxx-disc-brake-pads-axle-kit-stainless-calp36padss

That caliper looks like it might be UFP, which is made by Dexter.

 

[captmatt]

I also think that your caliper is not mounted in the best position. Notice how the bleeder screw is at the lowest point and that hose is low and not protected by the torsion arm.

Could you rotate the caliper 90 degrees clockwise? Check the spacing on the flange holes. Also would need to verify clearance between caliper and frame when suspension is compressed.

 

[Dleopoldi914]

I also think that your caliper is not mounted in the best position. Notice how the bleeder screw is at the lowest point and that hose is low and not protected by the torsion arm.

Could you rotate the caliper 90 degrees clockwise? Check the spacing on the flange holes. Also would need to verify clearance between caliper and frame when suspension is compressed.

You are right all of the videos I’ve seen the calipers are above the brakes. I would assume that I can rotate it to here?

Probably reason why the first time I ever took it on a long trip the line backed out and I dumped fluid everywhere.

 

[Dleopoldi914]

Need to know the brand of caliper and size or type of pad.

As an example, these fit my trailer brakes: https://www.easternmarine.com/deemaxx-disc-brake-pads-axle-kit-stainless-calp36padss

That caliper looks like it might be UFP, which is made by Dexter.

Here are the stock pads.

https://www.loadrite.com/trailer-pa...lipers-brake-components/brake-pad-set-knottⓒ/

 

[Stank Bait]

Captmatt... is right. The bleeder screw needs to be at the top. Otherwise you will have air trapped in the caliper. The hose in that position is just looking for trouble.

 

[Dleopoldi914]

Captmatt... is right. The bleeder screw needs to be at the top. Otherwise you will have air trapped in the caliper. The hose in that position is just looking for trouble.

So I should reposition all the calipers?

 

[Dleopoldi914]

Ok found a pic of the trailer with the boat on it. It seems like the spring makes the zerk move to the top.

Would you agree with that?

Below you will notice the fitting has now moved up to be the top fitting.

 

[Stank Bait]

Pics may be from opposite side of the trailer. Hard to tell without the same angle.
Looks like torsion axles. For the arm to rotate that much it's possible the rubber is getting old and worn out.
You may want to get someone experienced with boat trailers to take a look in real life. You said it's only short distance but someday you will have to make a longer run. Nothing like being messed up on the road. It happens to everyone sooner or later.


1.) I went through all the lug nuts on the tires and torqued to 90lb psi.

(Did wire clean the threads? Did you grease the threads?)

2.) I've looked at all the tires and made sure at 50 psi.

(Run your hand around them look for separations, cuts, cracks. Determine the age of the tires from mfg date code.)

3.) Trailer has EZ-Lube hubs so I saw that you can just hit the fitting and wait for the all of the old grease to come out. I used yamalube marine grease which was a different color than the red grease in there, so was easy for me to see when I hit the new grease.

(The red grease may have had a higher temperature point than the blue. Just changing the grease does not mean the bearings are good. From the pics I would say they need being disassembled and checked and new seals installed. It's the unknown things that hurt you. )

I am now looking over the brakes, I notice my reserve looks a little low. See pic below.

(You may need to put a new cylinder in there. Be sure the piston is moving freely. Flush the lines. Need to pressure bleed after everything is connected. From what I see there is a lot of work needed to insure it's all good. Be sure the breakaway switch is functioning. Nothing like backing up and the wheels lock up or going forward for that matter)