Trailer slide pins seized, wheels discolored.

[QwikKota]

The calipers seized up on the boat after only 6 months of infrequent saltwater use. I rinse everything after an outing pretty heavily but noticed heavy brake pad odor after driving a few miles in city traffic. The rear wheels appear to be a darker gray color afterwards, they are galvanized as far as I can tell.

The slide pins are stainless but go into a zinc coated steel caliper. The factory lubricant from Shoreland'r looked more like a dry yellowish paste than a grease. I had to bleed the calipers to compress the pistons. I am not all that familiar with the inertia braking system and how the tongue side of the brakes is serviced. There is probably a better way to release the pressure. I cleaned and lubed the slide pins and put some grease on the small plugs that "seal" the pin pocket.

 

[shortyb]

Wow. Those rotors look like they got cooked too due to the discoloration. Check them for cracks and runout. Replace if they have any.

 

[QwikKota]

Wow. Those rotors look like they got cooked too due to the discoloration. Check them for cracks and runout. Replace if they have any.

They are definitely rusted from being in saltwater but I only drove on them for a few miles at less than 50mph.

 

[D60]

I've never seen or touched discs on a trailer. I can see where slide pins could be a real trap for water if any manages to get in.

You almost need to pack every millimeter of the bore with lube, and the boot. But that's nearly impossible to do without a grease gun and a way to purge grease through......?

 

[crashz]

The tongue needs a little wiggle room when you are servicing the brakes because it needs to release the pressure back to the MC. So if the truck is connected it may be putting pressure on the MC, essentially closing the valving and applying pressure back to the brakes. Of course I wouldn't want to do anything to the loaded trailer without the stability of the truck being connected, so I see why you would.

 

[QwikKota]

I've never seen or touched discs on a trailer. I can see where slide pins could be a real trap for water if any manages to get in.

You almost need to pack every millimeter of the bore with lube, and the boot. But that's nearly impossible to do without a grease gun and a way to purge grease through......?

They were pretty dry from what I could tell and we had the trailer in the water just a day before. I think there is a seal on both sides of the pin. I lubed up the caps as best I could and put them back on but filling the whole void with grease is probably a good idea.

 

[QwikKota]

The tongue needs a little wiggle room when you are servicing the brakes because it needs to release the pressure back to the MC. So if the truck is connected it may be putting pressure on the MC, essentially closing the valving and applying pressure back to the brakes. Of course I wouldn't want to do anything to the loaded trailer without the stability of the truck being connected, so I see why you would.

I think that's what was going on because the pistons wouldn't budge at all. I was not sure if there was a check valve between the tongue side piston (master cylinder?) and the downstream brake lines.

 

[repairman54]

I've never serviced my single axle boat trailer that's loaded with it hooked up. There should be more than enough tongue weight when its on the tongue jack with one wheel off the ground if its properly loaded to jack a wheel off the ground.
I've got surge drum brakes that get checked / adjusted every spring for the upcoming season.

 

[QwikKota]

I've never serviced my single axle boat trailer that's loaded with it hooked up. There should be more than enough tongue weight when its on the tongue jack with one wheel off the ground if its properly loaded to jack a wheel off the ground.
I've got surge drum brakes that get checked / adjusted every spring for the upcoming season.

Thanks. I will un-hitch it next time. I will check the slide pins again in the fall and try to do it annually. Saltwater is rough on trailers. I see that aluminum calipers are available but I will wait until these get corroded to replace them. The hubs are integral to the rotors which are rather pricey at $120 each plus bearings and seals.