Brake issues on trailer

[suladas]

Using my 25 ton tag for the first time in 6-7 months today and had an issue.

Brakes all came off fine initially and the 30ish miles empty no issues at all. Loaded trailer and was fine for probably 15 miles on highway and few miles after using brakes at a light 1 brake was smoking. Pulled over and it didn't seem like s-cam was rotating fully but a little tap and it released fine, hub didn't really seem hotter then others. Went a little further and seemed ok but at higher speed starting smoking again so returned back to yard and parked it, hub was noticeably hotter then others. I greased the trailer last summer and it was only used 2-3 times but wondering if that's my issue? Greased it and seems to be releasing fine.

Was thinking of greasing entire trailer lifting that wheel off the ground and applying brakes a bunch to make sure it releases fine before using again. Or should I be pulling a wheel to look further?

Trailer has very little use since full brake job but that was 8 years ago and I know sitting so much isn't good for it. Had to replace a set of shoes 2 years ago because they were delaminated, I was told from sitting.

Is there anything I can do prevent these sort of things happening when the trailer is rarely used?

 

[JEDiag]

Ive seen s cams get dry and cause similar problems and ive seen slack adjuster pins seize and cause similar problems. Sometimes it can be a little hard to catch on the slack adjuster pins but either of those are likely your issue. On pins coat in anti sieze before you put them in.

 

[Tenwheeler]

Have had that problem with fertilizer trailers many times. They are parked over the winter and the pins at the brake clevises seize. Cam bushings are also a problem. Have sometimes pulled drums and shoes. If the bushings take grease put a air ratchet on the slack adjuster. Grease them while spinning the shaft. Have had good success that way.

 

[JEDiag]

Tiger tool makes a set of slack adjuster pin removers. You dont even have to fight with cotter pin, it shears it off. Pop them over the pin and i put a 3/8 cordless impact on and boom out comes the pin. Wrench even works. I was a little unsure at first but after trying them out id never do those pins again with out those tools.

 

[92U 3406]

Definitely check the clevis pins. Years ago we pulled an old truck out of the back 40 and all 8 clevis pins were seized to some degree and all the brakes were dragging to some degree.

 

[Truck Shop]

Only if it has 3030 type parking brake cans-remove airline at service side of air brake chamber
and listen for very slight air coming out of that air chamber port, not the hose. use some soapy
water to see if it will form a bubble. A very slight air leak between park side and service side
can happen at internal stem seal just from setting. which will cause brake to set very slowly.
worth checking.

 

[trucker1]

Good advice on making sure the clevis pins aren't seized up.
Another thing that needs a good coat of never seize when you do a brake job is the rollers and pins between the end of the brake shoe and the S cam. When they get all rusted up and don't roll anymore the shoe will catch and won't retract. People look at them when new and they are cadmium plated, all nice and shiny, but within a year or so they get rusted up and seize. If you don't have backing plates on your axles, you can spray some penetrant in there for a quick fix, but the never seize works a lot better.
George

 

[HarleyHappy]

I keep a can of spray never seize in my truck. Doesn’t work to good on much, sprays way to much but I spray the cams and rod on my trailers after every use.
Damn stuff gets everywhere and it never fails, when I use Never Sieze, it gets on me.
When I use the spray on the trailers, is the only time it doesn’t get on me.
Kneel down, reach under each side and spray the cams and rods and pins and backing plates.

 

[Truck Shop]

Truth is those slack pins will seize with daily use, during winter months and running through
de-icer fluid covered roads or de-icer/salt mix. Only has to set 24 hours. It's about the only
good aspect of air disc.

 

[DMiller]

First thought was Pins, Second was Displaced DRY Grease on S Cam, last was Spring Can cross leak. Usually QR exhaust will give that away.

 

[heymccall]

On every air brake equipped "tag" trailer I've been around, with brake issues, has had a problem with the inner brake camshaft support bushings.
The welded on bracket has a given bore for the golf ball looking bushing. Over time, the bracket swells, crushing the bushing, and seizing or heavily binding the camshaft.
Here, I flipped one over to show.

 

[heymccall]

#20 gets squeezed by #25 as it rusts.

 

[Truck Shop]

That is true in rust belt climate, I have rapped the s-cam next to bracket sprayed with
nocker-lose, and had them free up. Or removed the 4 bolts holding them and nocked
the rust out plus spun them once greased and returned them to workable condition.

 

[Truck Shop]

For some think about it as rust jacking on a double frame, powerful.

 

[mike holcomb]

Make sure valve at back of trailer didn't spiders nest, bees, mud wasps from hoses when u hooked up to the truck and aired it up. Seems everytime our tag hung brakes up it was the valve at rear of trailer full of junk. Cleaned out and everything worked good, till it sat for a month or 2. Definitely grease up the s cams. If all that checks out, might have frozen rollers or lazy brake can. But id check valve going to that brake can first

 

[Truck Shop]

That's why they make serrated glad hand rubbers and or a screened glad hand. Or duct tape.
Grain company we did work for came in with two 40' lead trailers with brake issues. Drivers
kept backing trailers into grain piles for loaders. With open glad hand valves not using supplied
covers hanging from chains the glad hands filled with grain. Every time they hooked up pup
tailer {A Train} it would blow grain down the airlines right to relay valves. smart.

 

[suladas]

Thanks for the help, I totally forgot about this as my brother just had someone else haul the dozer the rest of the way and haven't needed the trailer again. Had a close look at things you guys mentioned and everything looked good (didn't pull the line off the brake pod though) greased it all again and hooked up, locked up the brakes a half dozen or so times each one released perfectly and no issues after loading hoe and coming back, hub was same temp as other wheels. I always attach the glad hands on the trailer after unhooking to keep dirt out.