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| My trailer "clunks"! https://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8193 |
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| Author: | usje141 [ Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:21 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: My trailer "clunks"! |
Thanks for the feedback! I'll investigate further this weekend when we head back North to the cottage. I store my boat in a garage and there is nothing on the concrete floor to indicate a leak and I wipe the boat & trailer down after pulling it out of the water each time we use it and haven't noticed any film or brake fluid. I guess some clunking is normal but after four years of hauling this boat around Michigan the clunking seems to have become very noticable and even somewhat embarrasing at the boat launch. My tow vehicle is only a few years old and came with a manufacturer installed hitch so I don't think that is the source of my "problem". I'll take the suggestions given in this tread and apply them this weekend and let you know what I find out! |
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| Author: | Wet Doggg [ Thu Aug 11, 2011 12:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: My trailer "clunks"! |
Mine is more of the muffled "clunk"...what I mean as there is not harsh metal to metal stoppage/slamming sound or feeling. Of course, when I stop at a light or stop sign I always let off the brake for a foot or so to return it to the towing position. So when the light turns green and I hot the gas there is zero movement from the actuator. |
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| Author: | usje141 [ Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: My trailer "clunks"! |
Based upon some of the comments in this thread I checked my brake reservoir and it was empty (much to my surprise!), apparently causing the trailer to "clunk". Fortunately, it was an easy fix but I'm a bit concerned as to where all the fluid went in the first place as I can find no sign of leaks. I guess I'm hoping that it didn't get properly filled at the factory or am I kidding myself? |
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| Author: | Aussie_Horizon_190 [ Mon Oct 17, 2011 6:09 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: My trailer "clunks"! |
What I found on my trailer at one stage was that one of the unions on the brake lines was not tightened fully at the factory. I spotted it by chance when I was parked on a downhill (so constant pressure on the master cylinder), and I saw a tiny pool of brake fluid form on the road after a couple of minutes. I store mine in the garage, and never a drop on the floor in there. So maybe try that to find your leak. BTW, the fix was simple - tightened the union up and checked every other one on the trailer for tightness. Not a problem since. |
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| Author: | Walt [ Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:01 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: My trailer "clunks"! |
Make sure you have a tight fit, and check your balls!  Mine also clunked a little when stopping/starting; First I checked the brakes, and to make sure the ball was tightly secured. In this case it wasn't the brakes, but the reciever had some slop. I fixed it by wrapping a layer of duct tape around the male portion of the reciever so it fits tighter, and thus no clunking. |
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| Author: | Aussie_Horizon_190 [ Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: My trailer "clunks"! |
Walt, my receiver has a bolt in the bottom of it with a lock nut that you tighten up to get rid of the receiver slop. Works really well. As they say, tight is right! 
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| Author: | LVChris [ Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: My trailer "clunks"! |
Just found out my cylinder is empty as well...funny story I told my mechanic I opened it and it was full. He opened it and I said "See, it's full!" he replied "yes, the rubber boot is full..of water!" he removed that to reveal the entirely empty resevoir beneath it! DOH! So do I simply fill this with normal brake fluid? I know it's going to need bled. But he is coming back and I'd like to have fluid so we can take care of the problem. TIA |
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| Author: | rpengr [ Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: My trailer "clunks"! |
Normal Dot-3 brake fluid is fine. |
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| Author: | LouC [ Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:59 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: My trailer "clunks"! |
If you are getting a lot of clunking you need to investigate why. Some is normal, but a lot means that something is wrong. It can be low fluid level or drum brakes that are out of adjustment. Most of you have disc brakes so thats probably not going to be the cause. I have drum brakes and a Tie Down model 66 actuator. It does not clunk at all when the brakes are adjusted correctly. You can feel a little nudge when you take off and stop but no clunks. If you got water in your actuator and lines you have problems. You need to flush that out pronto and bleed the brakes before it all gets corroded and then you will have to replace everything and that gets expensive, actuators are anywhere from $110-150 and up, to replace lines is a lot of labor and replacing disc brake calipers ain't cheap either. The best thing to do is get a big bottle of brake fluid, some brake flare fitting wrenches (they are needed to open the bleed fitting on the caliper or wheel cylinder without stripping the fitting) and a one man brake bleeder (made by Lisle). You need to find out how to manually actuate the master cylinder on your actuator, usually the manufacturer has instructions on how to do that. The idea is to fill it up with fluid, fill the cup on the one man brake bleeder about 1/2 full with brake fluid, then put the clear plastic line from the bleeder on the fitting on the caliper, open the bleeder, and then pump the actuator, you will see fluid in the line and it will have bubbles most likely. You pump it and keep filling the master so it does not run dry. Eventually it will fill the cup of the one man bleeder but it is made to allow the excess to overflow. You need to to this until you are getting only clean brake fluid out and no bubbles, it may take a while. You have to do this for both calipers/wheel cylinders. After you get clean fluid close the bleeder. Keep topping off the master cylinder. If you can't find the one man brake bleeder you can do it with a water bottle (like a clean dry Poland Spring bottle). Here is how we did it back in the 70s, get clear plastic hose that fits the bleeder. Then cut a length of so it is long enough to reach the calipers and goes down to almost the bottom of the bottle. Tape the top of the bottle to keep the hose in there. Then fill it enough with clean brake fluid to cover the bottom of the hose. This is to allow the air bubbles to escape but not to pull in air. If you do it that way it helps to have a helper to keep an eye on the fluid and tell you when the bubbles stop. The bleeding works better if you have the bottle or one man bleeder higher than the caliper because air bubbles travel up (Doh!) I've done this many times on older cars and I usually flush out the brake fluid on my trailer when I replace the wheel cylinders, which is about every 4 seasons. If this is not clear enough go over to http://www.championtrailers.com look in tech articles, they are very good and will make it clear with pix, etc. here you go...... http://www.championtrailers.com/techsup ... eed_brakes |
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