How Do You Know When to Replace Shoes on Drum Trailer Brakes

Question

Question:

Im getting ready to repack the wheel bearings on my RV which has 7k axles with 12 x 2 electric drum brakes. How do I know when it is time to replace the shoes?

asked by: Todd

0

Expert Reply:

On many drum brakes there are wear indicators at the pad material on the shoes. If the pad material is riveted on and you have reached the rivets then it is time to replace them. If you have the brakes adjusted out all the way and the braking is still weak then it is likely time to replace them.

If you are having any specific braking issues let me know and I can determine what the likely cause is.

expert reply by: Michael H

0

Brian

7/17/2024

does one replace shoes on trailers, or the whole assembly?

Reply

Jesse M.

7/17/2024

@Brian it is possible to replace just the shoes. Generally, I recommend that you replace the whole assembly. Replacing shoes can be trick and time consuming. In most cases, the cost of brake shoes is not far from the cost of the whole assembly. So, you can save a lot of time and headache by replacing the whole assembly and it won't cost you too much more.

Reply

Answer 1

On Dexter 12" Nev-R-Adjust Electric Brake Assembly #23-458 the shoe pad thickness is 3/16 of an inch. Dexter says that you should replace the shoes if the material gets down to 1/16 of an inch thick or less.

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Answer 2

Weight ratings are a little weird when it comes to hub/drum assemblies but as long as the bearings and the inner diameter of the seal (2.250") that comes with the Dexter Trailer Hub and Drum Assembly - 6,000 lb E-Z Lube Axles #K08-201-9B matches…

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Answer 3

No, you would definitely need to upgrade the entire axle, to include the axle beam and spindles, not just all of the other components to get a 5,200 lbs axle. If you could send me a measurement of your Hub-face-to-hub-face length and your…

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Answer 4

You cannot really go by miles when determining when brakes should be replaced. You would know to replace them the same way you would know with a vehicle. If performance is suffering and adjusting the brakes does not help and there are no other issues…

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Answer 5

We have exactly what you need, so long as your current hub uses an #L68149 inner bearing and #L44649 outer bearing, which you will be able to tell when you remove your current hub assembly as the bearing numbers should be printed on the bearing…

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Answer 6

You would know to replace brake shoes the same way you would know with a vehicle. If performance is suffering and adjusting the brakes does not help and there are no other issues causing the poor performance it is probably time to change the brake…

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Answer 7

As long as your existing hub drums are in good condition (no grooves worn in the armature surface that the brake magnet rides on or the surface that the pads grab). For a lot of trailer hub/drums there is a minimum thickness for that to be turned…

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Answer 8

You would know to replace brake shoes the same way you would know with a vehicle. If performance is suffering and adjusting the brakes does not help and there are no other issues causing the poor performance it is probably time to change the brake…

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Answer 9

If the drums look like they are in good shape you don't have to turn them when replacing the assemblies. Take a look at the inside of the drum and if you don't see any grooving or obvious signs of wear they don't have to be replaced.…

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Answer 10

The shorter brake shoe should always be facing the front of the trailer. As well as the "C" shaped arm on the inside of the assembly. See the diagram that shows the different sized shoes and the arm. If the brake is installed correctly I…

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Answer 11

If there is visible signs of wear then it is a good idea to replace the hub/drum with the brake assemblies. If the armature surface where the brake magnet is damaged, or if the area where the bearings ride is showing wear or is damaged it would be…

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Answer 12

Sounds like your brakes aren't working when you use the breakaway kit or when your tow vehicle applies the brakes which leads me to believe the problem isn't the breakaway and it's most likely electrical. I attached a link to a page that…

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How Do You Know When to Replace Shoes on Drum Trailer Brakes

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