Axle repaired!

[RussGW270]

Okay, found the parts to repair but cheaper to just buy a new brake line.

Will just order the new line again. The flare tool for the stainless line would be 80 with shipping. New brake line is 70. Heh

this is what is broken, one line of threads



R

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

I admire your tenacity here Russ. I just don't have the patience for what you have endured over the year on this boat. I have been fixing a lot on my 228 these past few weekends and have gotten frustrated replacing fuel fill lines and vent hoses. It was a bigger getting the hydraulic lines put on the helm. This weekend I am hopefully going to put new scupper hoses in and the fancy new stainless deck drains too.

Three years ago I put new brakes, axles (spindles on torsion axles) and bearings and hubs on the trailer. Boat was in a slip so it was easy peasy. You my friend though win the award for tenacity and patience. I would have taken the trailer to a trailer guy and said, hey please fix it. Come back in a few weeks and be done with it all.

You also win because honestly there is no way I buy a new used boat and a year later still not being able to splash it. I have to hand it to you, you have seem to take it all in stride. I would be stark raving lunatic mad and then my wife would have to had put me down for humane reasons . Lol. I got patience brother, I have a 21 year old special needs son and I have the utmost patience with him. If boat repairs don't go well, I start to look at my time and money and just have somebody else do it all.. lol.

 

[RussGW270]

Here is the leak. Yes, the head is messed up. My friend used a pair of pliers the first time the trailer broke as I was in the boat.

 

[RussGW270]

Thanks @SmokyMtnGrady ...I fake it is all. I am almost to the point of wishing I had never bought the boat. Spent so much on it this month, now I cannot afford to take it out even if I get the part in, till after the 1st.

Well, I “could” but my wife would be glaring at me for months lol

Again, is what it is...but, will order the new hoses in a day or so...have it ready eventually. Was hoping to shake her down before snapper season but, hell...may end up taking another day off on the 1st just to get it done, who knows.

People have bigger problems than this trailer, but if this does not fix it, honestly just not going to touch it for at least a month or I may drop it off a damn cliff lol.

I went thru 6 free months of sirius xm offshore weather, a year of insurance, and just bought 6 months of sirius coastal...
Like I said, faking it heh...but, eh...I have beer.

No way, though, was this trailer properly rebuilt or 2600 spent on it prior to me getting it. No clue wtf they spent 2600 on in repairs.

R

 

[Paul_A]

I feel your pain. Little compensation but you did the right thing just ordering a new line.

I once tried flaring a brake line. For hours. I could never get it right. I bet there's guys that could do it in a second but I ain't one of them. Stay on it. You will get there and when you boat that first keeper it will all be worth it.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Three years ago I spent maybe $1,400 on stainless Kodiak brakes and such. Every season running to Florida down I-95 I would face some kind of trailer failure. I got quite good at being a roadside mechanic. After I put on the new brakes, rotors, load range D tires , bearing and such I didn't have any more trailer issues.

I spent 4-5 hours at Loves in SC at the junction of US 301 and I -26. I had a bearing failure and hung up caliper. It destroyed the spindle and had to run into Orangeburg to find a trailer place and get the right spindle. It was July and it was like 150 degrees out and just miserable fixing the damn trailer. The following season I dropped the money on something better than Tie Down and it was worth every penny. My kids were patient and I took a shower at a truck stop. The truck stop shower was a bucket list item for me, so it was two-fer .

 

[wrxhoon]

Here is the leak. Yes, the head is messed up. My friend used a pair of pliers the first time the trailer broke as I was in the boat.

Russ, good idea to change the brake line, I assume she is braided rubber line , not steel. They don't last forever.
I don't know if the leak is due to the missing bit on the fitting though. the threaded fitting doesn't seal on the female tread that it screws in the master cylinder. The flared tube is what seals and screwing the fitting puts pressure so the nipple fitting seals with the flared tube .Have a look to make sure that is not damaged inside there before you screw in the new tube.
Good luck with it.

 

[wrxhoon]

Three years ago I spent maybe $1,400 on stainless Kodiak brakes and such.

In my opinion they are the only brakes to use in a salt water trailer for long term trouble free trailering. Tree times the price to buy but much cheaper in the long term . I believe S/S Demax are good as well.

 

[RussGW270]

That is what I have, Kodiak Brakes. It's all good. New day, new challenges.. new coffee.. lol

I'll find someone local willing to repair the brake line.. and we will be good to go

R

 

[RussGW270]

Russ, good idea to change the brake line, I assume she is braided rubber line , not steel. They don't last forever.
I don't know if the leak is due to the missing bit on the fitting though. the threaded fitting doesn't seal on the female tread that it screws in the master cylinder. The flared tube is what seals and screwing the fitting puts pressure so the nipple fitting seals with the flared tube .Have a look to make sure that is not damaged inside there before you screw in the new tube.
Good luck with it.

That line is brand new.. well, 9 months old and never touched saltwater.. lol

Will either get her repaired today, or order a whole new line. All good!

R

 

[RussGW270]

Contacted Kodiak, sent them photos. They are sending a free replacement 30’ brake line Monday. So, some good out of this.

R

 

[Greyduk]

Good man. Excellent news. Now go drink a beer and make some gumbo.

 

[RussGW270]

I had some frozen...ya made me remember it so thawing it out

 

[RussGW270]

Okay, bled the brakes. Drove about 4-6 miles. Temps did not get above 105. Got home, 135. I think that may be due to using and holding the brakes a lot while backing it into the driveway....takes some twists and turns due to cul de sac.

Thoughts?

 

[Parthery]

Okay, bled the brakes. Drove about 4-6 miles. Temps did not get above 105. Got home, 135. I think that may be due to using and holding the brakes a lot while backing it into the driveway....takes some twists and turns due to cul de sac.

Thoughts?

135 is not awful. I think you are good to go.

 

[RussGW270]

I think it is fine, however, I am still going take a really close look at how the trailer brakes are connected to this ford. I realize it is probably connected fine, but need to confirm.

Will also take a nice drive tomorrow in the morning and see how she handles on a little longer drive.

R

 

[wrxhoon]

Do you have surge brakes? If so the brakes are not connected to the truck. They only go on when you apply the brakes on the truck.
135 degrees F is very normal if the brakes were used. I assume you took the temp on the rotors, were they all the same? I never check the temp on mine but if suburban driving you con't touch the rotors, if you do you will burn.
When I launch the boat in the morning I wait a little so they cool down before I submerge, if they are very hot the rotors can warp and if hubs are very hot they could suck water in.

 

[RussGW270]

Okay, then I feel better. Not sure who, but someone went on and on when I said they were around 110 at one point, said they should be below 100....so have been doing all this based on that.

So, looks like I am taking her to Port Aransas Saturday.

Not installing the weight distribution hitch this trip. It works....the trailer....so not tempting fate.

R

 

[Parthery]

You are running a model 10 actuator. Your brakes are surge. Only connection to the truck is through the 5 flat plug that has a reverse output to the blocking solenoid.
Measure the bottom of the I Beam to flat ground at the front of the trailer and at the back. As long as you have less than an inch difference front to back you are good. If the difference is more, raise or lower your ball mount to level it out. That way the surge brakes work properly.

 

[Ky Grady]

4-6 miles??? Highway speeds 65-75 mph or piddling around on neighborhood streets 10-20 mph??? Big difference on heat generated.