Heavy Hauling Disc Brake Issue

[DPrew]

I just got my 20' dump trailer upgraded to disc brakes which cost an arm and a leg. I just hauled my first load of 12 yards which is about what the trailers max weight rating can handle (25000 GCWR). I stopped at a gas station and as I pulled in I noticed smoke coming of the back of the trailer.



Every caliper on the trailer was leaking and even the pump that power the brakes had over heated and leaked some. Either the calipers or pump had over heated the brake fluid and it leaked ever where.



Has anyone ever had an issue like this with Al-KO disc brakes. Is it possible to over load them this easily. The same brakes are used on the 12K axles as well.

 

[Mark31]

Which controller are you using?

 

[Wingate]

Not sure if it is the same, but I have heard many stories of guys pulling big 5th wheels that have overheated and or/pumped fluid out due to sitting in traffic with their foot on the brake... Road construction, etc. .

Apparelty the pump runs continuously and overheats/boils the fluid out of the system... Not sure if it may be something similar that you are experiencing. .

 

[HBarlow]

The DPrew, you probably won't appreciate my opinion after spending a ton of money for hydraulic disc brakes but in my opinion those systems are more cost and more trouble than they are worth. Ordinary electric drum brakes work fine as long as the brakes and wiring are in good shape and you have a good brake controller (BrakeSmart or MaxBrake) in your truck.

The problem Wingate described above is typical because in order to create hydraulic line pressure a pump is required and as long as the driver's foot is on the brake pedal that hydraulic pump is churning fluid and overheating the fluid.

I pulled several trailers with disc brakes when I was transporting. I hated them because of the delay between truck brake application and trailer braking. I kept my finger on the manual slide on my BrakeSmart controller when pulling a heavy disc brake trailer on LA or Phoenix freeways during rush hours because the delay scared me.

 

[RustyJC]

Apparelty the pump runs continuously and overheats/boils the fluid out of the system... Not sure if it may be something similar that you are experiencing. .

I'm not a big fan of electric-over-hydraulic disc brakes because of the delay inherent in non-accumulator-equipped pump-type systems, among other things. When I researched these things a few years ago, however, I found one system (can't remember who was building it) that used a linear electric actuator driving a conventional hydraulic brake master cylinder. That design could overcome the pump delay problem and pump heating problems due to sitting with one's foot on the brake pedal.



Rusty

 

[jelag]

We ran a trailer like this for over 125K miles behind a 04 3500 Dually... we found that the trailer needed a automotive style batter close to the pump and it needed to be charged. Of course it was recharged from the truck battery... in that length of time we replaced the pads twice. . because the trailer ran in the winter ice and snow we ended up running all the wires in conduit so the ice and snow buildup wouldn't rip the wiring out.

We had no problems with this set up and liked it over the electric brake set up...

Unlike you we ordered the 12K axles with the disc option when we built the trailer...

We had a Carlie pump, they build their pump for several others as well and private label it... Make sure your pump is rated for disc brakes... I want to say 1500 lbs and there is NO residual check valve in the system as is required for drum hydraulic brakes. For drum brakes the pump is rated lower... something like 650 or 750 lbs max. .

At the time we built the trailer we bought a spare pump... still have it new on the shelf if anyone is interested...

If I built a trailer like this again... I'd do it again... they were extremely effective and what I liked was the brake controller was progressive... BRAKE SMART... the harder you pushed on the brake pedal, and the faster you pushed the more and faster the trailer brakes would come on. . It really stopped well...

Hope this helps...

 

[Mark31]

DPrew, I have an electric over hydraulic drum brake system on my 2002 McElrath 16k trailer. When I hooked a Prodigy up to it, I could hear the pump cutting on and off (not touching the brake pedal) as I was driving down the road with the window down. I got a Tekonsha P3 which is compatible, but ain't to much worth a hoot compared to a Maxbrake. Every time I get a little "dust" to get a Maxbrake, a "have to have" comes along and snatches up the coins. Just make SURE that your controller is compatible with electric/hydraulic brakes. At long stop lights, consider taking your foot off the brake pedal, and kicking your parking brake if you have to. Mark

 

[WestTN]

If the pump was really hot it has been running far too long. It should only run when the btakes are applied.