Surge Brake locking up

[Bad Habit]

 I have a 2001 Load Rite, double axle trailer with surge brakes (Drum)on one axle. One wheel keeps locking up going forward. I opened the bleeder screw thinking it might be a bad master cylinder but that doesn't free it. If i rotate it backwards by hand it works fine but when i switch to forward again it will go a couple of turns and lock up again. Bad actuator? I haven't had much experience with surge breaks so I thought I would look for a little info before I take off the drum so I might have an idea what to look for. Thanks, Rick

[Gill-T]

If you have ever had a bearing go bad so the hub heated up you may have a hub get out of round deformed.  Look at the spindle also.

[skipper19]

Your brake shoes/linings must be dragging on the drum for it to lock in forward motion. Reversing will unlock it, but when you move forward, the shoes are designed to wedge in the drum when applied. If the shoes are not fully retracted by the return springs, the shoes drag and rotate into the drum making the wedge.

Pull the drum, check the return springs for broken or unhooked. While you have it apart, be sure to check the wheel cylinder pistons that they are also retracting into the bores. Check that the linings have not broken, cracked, or separated form the shoes. Lube the backing plate where the shoes contact with lithium or sil glide brake grease.

It's not likely the actuator if only one side is doing it.

Also be sure your wheel bearings are adjusted right. If the hub runs out of center due to bad spindle or bearing adjustments the brake drum will also be out of center with the shoes and cause drag which will initially cause the brake to wedge also.

Reversing the wheel will unlock the wedge of the brake. That's how they are designed, but the return springs on the shoes are there to retract the linings from the drum.

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[Xxx]

I had the same issue 2 years ago they worked flawlessly from Pa. to camp, unloaded boat and pulled away the back tire on the left siting in the truck drug in the stones, wtf? So I backed up and no problem, fished that day loaded the boat and I needed 4low to pull the boat out of the water, back tire dragging? So I backed the lining off went back to camp, jacked er up same shyt, so pulled the hub "just put new bearings in all 4 axcels before I left" but what I noticed was the front shoe at the bottom the lining was all cracked like by the rivet that holds the lining to the shoe, so I swapped the shoes from front to back and issue went away. Over the winter I took noticed that the shoes were like sloppy on the hub. I replaced the pins and the springs and the keepers on all 4 axcels and never had an issue since. The cylinders were all new, so there was a issue before I bought this heap of shyt. Part I couldn't figure out is why just 1 axcel? all new lines cylinders but the original shoe keepers and springs. I don't know if it was those pins and keepers but they were rusted bad and the keeper hats were wore bad almost to the point they just barely held together. What sucks is you need to pull the hub to access this stuff, l would check the play in the bearings first for slop in them before you pull the hub, like Skipper mentioned!!! I also had the hubs turned and all 4 were a little out of round but the back left was the worse, that hub was out of round the others just cleaned up with very little amount of metal removed to clean up nice. Always something with this boating activity. LOL hope this helps. PAP

[Bad Habit]

 Thanks guys, I did pull the hub and it looks like the bearings have quite a bit of play in them. Shoes look fine and all springs are in place. A couple of years ago I did have an issue with a master cylinder so I may have over heated the hub and/or spindle. Is there an easy check for this? I would like to check that out before I replace the bearings.

[Xxx]

If it looks blue/purple, take the new bearing there should be two differant sizes bigger for the back and a smaller one, the bearing itself should just slide over the spindle with just a tad of resistance, it shouldn't be sloppy on the shaft, this goes for either size bearing if it's sloppy on the shaft then you might need to replace the spindle. With the amount of play you have I would bet that's your issue!! It doesn't take much to cock the hub then one or the other shoe catches the drum and lock up the wheel.

[Xxx]

. PS the slop I mean isn't the entire bearing they are loose naturally I mean the inner part that seats on the shaft. Im sure you know that but just making sure so you don't make yourself a lot of work for nothing. Don't be offended if you already know that!!! Also if the shaft is just a tad sloppy you can knurle the shaft so the bearing fit to OE specs. again.

Edited September 19, 2016 by pap

[jimski2]

A sloppy wheel bearing shaft was cured by using Lock Tite compound on the inner race. It worked for me but you will need heat to remove it in the future.

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[Xxx]

A sloppy wheel bearing shaft was cured by using Lock Tite compound on the inner race. It worked for me but you will need heat to remove it in the future.

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Did you use the green sleeve locker? That stuff works great and they claim it will make up to 0010 great stuff, we used that in alternators, housings that a bearing spun in the houseing!!!

[Bad Habit]

I replaced the bearings. Wheel cylinder and star adjuster that were both rusted and not working. It seems to be working while its up on the Jack. True test will be when I get it on the road. Thanks for the suggestions. Rick

[skipper19]

Glad we could help, and that it seems ok now! Best part is you saved time and money by doing it yourself!..

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