Well, Tami and I had to complete another repair on the road. Four years of fulltiming without a roadside problem and now 2 this year. OK<OK I"'ll admit the leaf spring failure was partly my fault. I didn't retorque the Ubolts soon enough! You happy now?
This time it was the right front brake on the trailer. Our TPMS saved us.
When we left Carthage Texas in the morning, traveling south toward Galveston, the tire pressures started out at 105 psi and it was 35*.
By the time we got to Houston the pressures had gone up @ 119-120 psi and running @ 80-85*. This is pretty much normal as the further south we went the ambient temps had gone up around 73*.
Then we got a TPMS high pressure warning on the trailer right front tire. It was up to 126 psi and the tire air temp had gone up to 90 and climbing. That is not normal. I kept a watch on it and it kept going up in temp. By the time I got the rig off the road to check things out and into a Buc'ees parking lot, the tire air temp was 100*. I used my temp laser gun on the rim and it read 200*, but no smoke. CRAP!
The back side of the brake backing plate was very hot to the touch. I waited a little bit to lets things cool off, went into Buc'ees and told the manager what was up. I had parked the RV way out back, out of the way, let things cool before tearing into it to find out what was wrong, bearings / brakes?
Got the tire up on a jack and the tire was hard to turn. Once I got the tire off and tried to turn the drum, I heard a twang, like the brake released! The drum was very hot. Got the drum off and the adjuster, star wheel and lower spring fell out on the ground. You can see the damaged brake assembly. The drum brake shoe surface was normal but the inside face surface where the brake magnet contacts the drum was chewed up pretty good.
I checked the bearings and they were hot but not scored and no signs of pitting and were fine. Fortunately I carry a right and left complete brake assembly. I've carried these spare brake assemblies for a couple years, now I needed it.
Five nuts, cut the brake wires and off with the old and on with the new and reconnected the brake wires. Cleaned up a lot of brake dust and stuff, repacked the bearings, installed a new rear seal, by this time the bearings were cool. Got it all done and tested, Tami hit the truck brakes while spinning the drum, all was ok. Took about 2.5 hours to get-er-done! I took a couple breaks to rest my knees and back.
I put the old drum back on to get us where we are going. Safely arrived at our destination and in the RV site hole. Kept checking the TPMS and it was now running normal.
Now I have to get a new drum and spare replacement brake assembly. Our RV TST-507 saved our back-side from a real, maybe even worse event. They do their job no matter what TPMS you use. Keep an eye on it!
This time it was the right front brake on the trailer. Our TPMS saved us.
When we left Carthage Texas in the morning, traveling south toward Galveston, the tire pressures started out at 105 psi and it was 35*.
By the time we got to Houston the pressures had gone up @ 119-120 psi and running @ 80-85*. This is pretty much normal as the further south we went the ambient temps had gone up around 73*.
Then we got a TPMS high pressure warning on the trailer right front tire. It was up to 126 psi and the tire air temp had gone up to 90 and climbing. That is not normal. I kept a watch on it and it kept going up in temp. By the time I got the rig off the road to check things out and into a Buc'ees parking lot, the tire air temp was 100*. I used my temp laser gun on the rim and it read 200*, but no smoke. CRAP!
The back side of the brake backing plate was very hot to the touch. I waited a little bit to lets things cool off, went into Buc'ees and told the manager what was up. I had parked the RV way out back, out of the way, let things cool before tearing into it to find out what was wrong, bearings / brakes?
Got the tire up on a jack and the tire was hard to turn. Once I got the tire off and tried to turn the drum, I heard a twang, like the brake released! The drum was very hot. Got the drum off and the adjuster, star wheel and lower spring fell out on the ground. You can see the damaged brake assembly. The drum brake shoe surface was normal but the inside face surface where the brake magnet contacts the drum was chewed up pretty good.
I checked the bearings and they were hot but not scored and no signs of pitting and were fine. Fortunately I carry a right and left complete brake assembly. I've carried these spare brake assemblies for a couple years, now I needed it.
Five nuts, cut the brake wires and off with the old and on with the new and reconnected the brake wires. Cleaned up a lot of brake dust and stuff, repacked the bearings, installed a new rear seal, by this time the bearings were cool. Got it all done and tested, Tami hit the truck brakes while spinning the drum, all was ok. Took about 2.5 hours to get-er-done! I took a couple breaks to rest my knees and back.
I put the old drum back on to get us where we are going. Safely arrived at our destination and in the RV site hole. Kept checking the TPMS and it was now running normal.
Now I have to get a new drum and spare replacement brake assembly. Our RV TST-507 saved our back-side from a real, maybe even worse event. They do their job no matter what TPMS you use. Keep an eye on it!
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