surge brakes on four winns trailer

rem9607 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:26 pm

I just finished a 500mi trip, pulling our 268 vista. After one blow out and four new tires the trip went well. I really never feel the trailer surge brakes working!!! I even unplugged the power connector to the trailer, backed up with no trailer brakes applying! I did this a couple months ago and the trailer would lock up (as it should, unplugged). Any suggestions on bleeding air out of a system like this. Im looking into the brake fluid level today.

TFD2001 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:08 pm

Make sure you have the necessary fluid, and figure out a way to manually move the actuator, then bleeding the brakes works like any other vehicle brake system.. May require two people to do it, depending on what equipment you have..

pickledboater · **Posted:** Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:25 am

Here is how I do it.
Two mason jars with about an inch of brake fluid in each. Two pieces of clear tubing.
Open both bleeder valves on the wheel cylinders, put a piece of tubing on each of them and put the other end into the fluid in the jars.
Fill the master cylinder with fluid and manually pump the actuator (look for the part that moves and move it back and forth).
Watch the jars and when air bubbles quit coming close the bleeders and you are done.
Be sure to keep the master cylinder full or you will just pump in more air.
BUT: before you start, find out why there is air in the system. I had a leaky wheel cylinder that needed to be replaced.

pet575 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 11, 2013 1:40 pm

Have you inspected the brake pads to verify that they have not been worn to nothing by sticking and/or are engaging the rotors when they are supposed to?

schoolsOut · **Posted:** Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:31 pm

I've had my share of brake problems (leaky master cylinder, broken brake line, blown brake hose), so I have gotten pretty good at bleeding the brakes. I always start with a gravity bleed. To do this, raise the tongue as far as possible. I even put a car jack under the tongue and lift it as far as I can. Then open the bleeder farthest from the master cylinder. Wait until you get good flow coming from that bleeder. Takes a couple of minutes. Then close it up and begin traditional bleeding. My master cylinder (Tie Down LP7000) has a dampening cylinder that you prime by slowly compressing the actuator and releasing three times before you begin bleeding. This prevents the actuator from "clunking" when you slow the truck. Unlike a car, you start with the closest brake caliper. I use a large screwdriver to pump the actuator. If you pull past 90 degrees, you might lock the "emergency" brake, so try to stop pumping when the screw driver is perpendicular to the actuator. Have a helper open the bleeder while you hold the actuator in the compressed position. If you get any air at the bleeder, repeat. Then work your way from closest caliper to farthest. When properly bled, you should feel the trailer slowing the truck. Certainly, you should not be able to back-up with the brakes engaged.

rem9607 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:35 pm

Thank you,

Im back working on the bearings and see that I may need breaks also. Anyone know what to ask for at the parts store to replace the disk breaks or are they special order?

thanks

ric · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2014 9:09 pm

Surge brakes are a pain in the $$$$. You can convert to electric for under $500, when I sell my 26ft freebee trailer that's what I'm doing to my personal trailer. New rims/tires/springs/electric brake conversion.

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2014 9:20 pm

You have to find out who made the disc brakes. I have never seen a FW trailer around here so I don't know who makes em. Look on the calipers, it usually says the manufacturer's name on em. Could be Tie Down, Titan, UPF, or Kodiak.
If you have a non applying brake issue, then either you have a leak, or a worn seal in the master cylinder.

My trailer hardly gets used, just to put the boat in, take it out and that's it. But its salt water. In 10 years since I put the brakes on it, I've changed the wheel cylinders 2x, and bled the brakes each time I changed them. I also changed the adjusters once. I do cycle the brakes when its not being used at least 1x a month that helps the wheel cylinders not to seize up.
I have done some minor mods like greasing the piston under the dust boot in the cylinder and sealing the dust boot to the cylinder with hi temp rtv to keep out salt water. They last much longer that way. I know most people think disc brakes are a lot better but they seize up here in salt too.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:20 am

If you have Tie Down brakes, and if you're only talking about the pads, they're probably:

Champion Trailers #1365 -or- NAPA #TS-7192-M (1990 Chevy Cavalier)

But it sounds like time to pull the calipers, flush the system, re-bleed, grease caliper pins, etc. Basic maintenance that none of us like doing.

rem9607 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:25 pm

Thanks, It was the 1990 cavalier breaks.

That was one hell of a job!!! Im currently about to pass out from todays work. Repacked all 4 tires bearings and new brakes on all 4 tires. I also had to fix the equalizer that holds both leaf springs on a double axle trailer. one spring was up and the other below the middle equalizer, this was on both sides. used two jacks and jack stands to do this. I think Ill be really hurting tomorrow, but its done!!!!

Think ill go two years before doing this again, no easy when you have to remove the disk brakes to check the bearings. Ill post a link to photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/112575679@ ... 2198768256

pain killers and bed...

230 Mike · **Posted:** Tue Jan 28, 2014 10:59 pm

Well, at least you had a nice clean enclosed place to do the work. Brake work isn't all that bad if you keep up with it, and get right on them as soon as you detect something isn't right. Not only that, but when they aren't working right, your boat will beat the hell out of your tow vehicle, in addition to just being unsafe.

www.iFourWinns.com

surge brakes on four winns trailer

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