Proper Towing

[MidwestMotorman]

brakes...

Runaway,



The front shoes have more material on them when you check them because they wear less. Most automotive brakes these days have the same amount of material on the primary or secondary shoes (dummy-proofing?). On the ones with the thicker material, they are the primary or rear shoe. Some sets have the same amount of material and some must be installed with the thicker ones to the rear.



Is this as clear as mud? Some sets have the same amount of material and other sets have different linings.

 

[Stranger]

This will help explain my points!

When the actuating lever rotates around the pivot (anchor)at the top of the

backing plate. The vertical face of the square pushes the front (primary) shoe

toward the drum surface, the front shoe tries to mate with and rotate with the

drum. At the lower part of the front shoe there is the adjusting mechanism (star

wheel and other parts) that pushes the lower portion of the rear show towards

the drum surface. This shoe then tries to mate with and rotate with the drum

but the anchor stops that.

Here is page 5 from the DEXTER manual for 12X2 trailer brakes. Below that is page 10 from the same manual which clearly shows that the primary shoe has less material (in overall length) than the secondary shoe. In fact the primary shoe lining material is 9 3/4 inches in length and the secondary shoe lining material is 12 inches in length. I have 4 burnt sets in the garage as I type!

 

[Stranger]

Here is page 10 showing a LEFT side brake. Note the differences in the length of lining material between the primary and secondary shoes. Shorties in front! Also this drawing shows a self adjuster. Boy, wouldn't that make life easier .

 

[MidwestMotorman]

whoops...

Whoops, I guessed I goofed that one up. Give me an "F" in memory of braking 101... Primary is the small shoe...



I have seen people goof these up and end up with the small one in the rear. Wonder why their brakes do not work right...

 

[John Berger]

Originally posted by Doc Tinker

There's no real need for more mirrors than what the factory gives you. After all, these trucks are built for towing and they come that way from the factory. Any extra mirrors just add to the confussion, while driving. Even with good mirrors, you can't see what's going on behind you. Besides, who cares what's happening in back?



I'd like to make another point -- My trailer sways so much that I can see what's behind me everytime the trailer swings, with the standard mirrors. And you know what? It swings more, the faster I drive. So I just drive faster, to see what's behind me, when I want to.



If you drive faster than the traffic around you, there's no need to see who's behind you, because they can't keep up.



Doc

D@MN!!!! I don't know whether to laugh my a$$ off or be seriously concerned. hehehehe the faster I drive, the more it swings... . hehehehe





Doc you post like I think. I used to think I was OK. Now I'm beginning to believe my wife might have a point

 

[Paul Somers]

Runaway, both brake shoes operate on electric drum brakes. At least they do on mine. I agree they are not as strong as hydrolic(sp). When electric brakes are activated a arm rotates in direction of drum and at top the arm spreads both front and back shoes.

Caution: if you have ez-lub axels and want to lub with gun; do so slowly. Too fast and grease excapes rear seal and gets into brake area. Grease on shoes are bad enough but once on magnets almost no brakes. Mine was bought brand new with this problem. It was blamed on delivery guy.

 

[rob10858]

the biggest problem that we have is the magnet. when you check your linings make it a habit to look at the magnet also. if has excessive wear , replace it. lose your connection, lose your brakes. also check the wires coming to the mag. a bare wire or loose conn will cause either a short or again, no brakes. we overhaul our trailers every 15000 miles, and have never once let one out the door without some type of repair needed, never. how many miles do your trailer brakes have on them? from what ive seen, whether its an rv or a work trailer, we all share the same brake systems, axles, wheels and tires.

 

[Runaway]

OPP's

Dang it, as soon as I posted and headed out the door I new I goofed. Must of been brain dead. Sorry "Stranger. " And to top it off, your picture added insult to injury! But, I think we are saying same thing as far as the "primary shoe" doing the majority of the braking. Gotta go again!

 

[merryman]

Wasn't that movie about Doc Strange?



Vaughn

 

[CGoyette]

ya know I thinck Doc is being sarcastic... . funny yes but in reality it would be a bad thing. I am a Armed Motorist who would never shoot at anyone for being a rude driver... . HOWEVER I'd toture some SOB for weeks if they killed my kid with a accident that was caused by there negilgent driving... ... and It would take me at least 2 or 3 weeks to get it out of my system.



I changed my entire life after my daughter was born she is my whole world and I hate to think that anyone would be so stupid and risk the lives of inocent travelers by seeing how fast they can pull a trailer! I tow as fast as I can COMPLETELY control and no faster... period.



Simple test: Drive as fast as you tow straight at a brick wall and do a emergencey stop to within 20 feet of the wall. You may start the braking anytime you want after you hit your TOW speed. You will quickly find out that stopping power you thought you had isn't there on any vehicle..... and you know for those who think they can do it... . call the local ER and make sure you have a appointment

Curt



www.goyettefamilyonline.com

 

[JohnMcIntyre]

Originally posted by Doc Tinker

If you drive faster than the traffic around you, there's no need to see who's behind you, because they can't keep up. ... . Doc

A convincing, eloquent and well reasoned argument... . however what if it's a an EMS vehicle behind trying to get past?

 

[JyRO]

Accident waiting to happen...

Just saw on Monday: I was coming down the entrance ramp getting up to interstate speed and a large Ryder type truck came by towing about a 20' older tag along. I do my business of getting on the interstate, get settled in my groove and see ahead of me this same Ryder type truck pulling the trailer. From my vantage point I could tell the front of the trailer was bobbing significantly.



So I sped up to about 75 to catch up to see what's really going on. This guy in the Ryder truck was running about 70, he had his cell phone to his ear and I couldn't get his attention. It looked like some joker (maybe the driver) just took a square tube and welded perpendicular to the bumber so it would stick straight out from the bumper to have something to attach the trailer to. No other bracing that I could see, just one square shaped tube. The welding had almost broke off and the attachment (socket) of the tongue of the trailer was bouncing violently over these smooth Ann Arbor interstates with about 14" - 18" of vertical flex in that square tube!



Meanwhile this joker's on his cell phone running 70, and is totally oblivious as to what's going on. This was an accident waiting to happen. I got in front of him and tried to give him some indication he had a problem, but just as I got in front of him he exited. I missed the exit ramp cause I was in front of him. I don't know what happened after that. I hope, for his sake and those around him that it didn't break off. It looked like it wouldn't go 5 more miles though.



- JyRO

 

[CJ Lagos]

Some good points. I tow at 24ft gooseneck with my jeep on it. The jeep blocks me from seeing directly behind me, so if I am in an outside lane i usually stay towards one side so i can see behind me with the mirrors. I just don't see how any mirror would enable you to see directly behind you with how wide our trailers are.



I constantly use my mirrors, I can usually tell who is behind me because I saw them coming.



As far as speed, only thing that scares me is someone slamming on brakes in front of me. My trailer has no sway and is much more heavy duty than my load(12k gross for the trailer, im at about 6-7k).



CJ

 

[rob10858]

one of the questions on the cdl exam is, what stops better, a loaded or empty combination vehicle? the answer is loaded, the reason is friction. im no scientist, and i still dont understand the logic, but if you have good, and i mean good, trailer brakes youd be surprised how fast you can whoa down your rig. i had the misfortune to have to haul a heavy trailer with poor brakes with a silverado with poorer brakes and i got to experience first hand how dangerous it can be. once, in a construction zone, everything was on the floor as i tried to guide a sliding 50 ft of truck and trailer to the shoulder. if your tralier weighs the same or two or three times your truck it better have the same stopping power or youre just along for the slide..... e brakes slow your momentum but service brakes do the stopping.

 

[MidwestMotorman]

friction...

An empty rig or trailer will lock up the brakes and skid. The load on a trailer or rig will keep the tires clinging to the surface and prevent the tires from locking up.



WHOOHOOO... post number 100!!!