Trailer hubs and brakes replacement. How often?

[jekyl]

I use my boat at least once a month and sometimes much more often.

I have an alloy All American Trailer with Kodiak brakes etc. It is 2 years old and I just had to replace all bearings, Pads, and have the rotors machined.

We live in the tropics with very, saline water and of course lots of sun and humidity. I installed a flushing system for brakes and hubs , from the start, and i always use either saltaway or macs to flush after fresh water rinse.

Any hints and ideas, comparative costs, mine was around $1,000 aus.by a local mechanic using genuine parts.Also whether my replacement schedule is normal?

 

[Pez Vela]

How are your hubs equipped to prevent water intrusion? Bearing failure after two years seems premature if they were properly installed and have been well maintained. Useful life on the entire braking system depends on many factors of course, but I'd say you've experienced a rather short life span on your various components.

I used to religiously flush my braking systems, both drum brakes, and now disk brakes. Over a period of more than 20 years, I have found flushing to be the least effective thing I did to promote longevity. The brake calipers are the critical moving parts that tend to suffer from water intrusion and rusting, and no flushing system that I'm aware of reaches the internal moving parts of the brake calipers. Frequent use and proper maintenance go a long way to keeping everything working. If some else has a magic bullet, I'd like to hear about it.

 

[CJBROWN]

Yep. 3 year old trailer, brakes are rusty, hubs are about shot, springs too. Replaced the outer pads twice. Yuk! Mine are Tie-Down.
Bearings are fine.

 

[jekyl]

I have a bearing buddy system which allows for easy top up of grease however the stuff that came out was always milky and too liquid to be any good. We have used a superior grease this time.
There are lots of stainless pieces on the trailer including the pistons however the bolts holding the caliper brackets on are soft metal and very rusty.

I have sprayed all parts with Tectyl and may investigate how I can improve my flushing system.

I had drun brakes on a previous BMT with a flushiung system and we had to pull them apart once every 6 months and completely replace every 12 months.

Any advice keep it coming........

 

[magicalbill]

I get my bearings replaced about once a year. Had the brakes,rotors,drums replaced this spring,although they last longer than a year.
I have the trailer checked thoroughly every spring and fall. With each appointment they re-pack the hubs and troubleshoot it.
I pull it 5000-6000 miles a year so my stuff wears out quicker than a trailer that gets used sporadically.

 

[Pez Vela]

Water is getting into your hubs if the discharged grease is thin and milky .. but you already knew that. I just top off the bearing buddies frequently ... just one or two pumps on the grease gun ... quite often a few drops of saltwater comes out first. Even though very little, if any, saltwater gets past the bearing buddies on any particular dunking, you want to get it out of there as soon as possible and prevent it from accumulating. I think that is more important than the type of grease you use.

 

[Seahunter]

Unless you flush the brakes the second you pull out of the water your wasting your time. Driving home bakes the stuff on and your not getting it off by flushing.

My hubs, seals and bearing are 4 years old (Sure-lube axles). My brakes are 2 years old and still liook almost new. Trashed the junk Tiedown disc and put Kodiak SCAD with ceramic brakes pads on it.

Change your brake fluid once a year and use good seals in your hubs. The seals you buy at boat and trailer stores are junk. Go to a local industrial supplier and order some real beairng seals.