Boat trailer slotted rotors? Heat dissipation?
Hi everyone,
just wanted to get people's thoughts and suggestions in preventing excessive heat build up of disc brake rotors?
has anyone gone go the trouble of fitting cross drilled or slotted rotors to their boat trailer? In a bid to reduce heat build up and rotors warping ect.
the reason I ask is another fellow forum member whom I fish with very often (I am sure you can all work it out) has had issues of brake pad material coming away when the hot pads hit the cold / salt water. Therefore this leaves the pad material nearly non existent and metal on metal with the brake disc rotors.
if the pads and rotors were far cooler prior to reversing the trailer into the salt water, it may prevent such occurrences? Also by fitting slotted rotors, will it help to prevent brake shudder (much the same as race cars ect)
just wanted to enquire if others are having similar issues of brake pads and their material suddenly giving way prematurely due to being hot and then dunked into the salt water? And if so what they have done to help combat that?
scano
Ian S
Posts: 71
Date Joined: 20/01/14
I've had the pad lift off
But that was caused by rust between the pad and backing plate which is just unprotected mild steel, but that was after 8 years.
I wouldn't have expected the brakes to get hot unless you have to do a lot of heavy braking just prior to launching, are you sure they aren't dragging.
Ian
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
I have never experianced
I can't say that I have ever experienced brake pads and rotors being heated up to any extent worth noting on the trailer.
I think you would have to do some very hard prolonged braking to get to a state where backing the braking system into the water causes pads to come away from the steel backing plate. Just think how hot the pads and rotors get on your car when you drive it and then get water thrown up on them when driving in the rain.
If this is happening I'd be looking for some other cause than excessive heat.
dano83
Posts: 790
Date Joined: 25/05/12
do you think the break pads
do you think the break pads could just touching the disks slightly and heating up?
And has he tried different brands of pads ?
You probs checked all this but putting it out there
scano
Posts: 1247
Date Joined: 31/05/07
Happened to a few sets of pads now
So not just an isolated incident. Second new set of pads and they seem to have done much the same where they suddenly have the braking material come away from the backing plate, and then go metal on metal with the rotors. The brakes aren't doing anything more excessive than any other large boat trailer, so it may be a case of them dragging as suggested above.
In in any case, time to pull them all off and review the brakes and replace as necessary.
cheers, Scano
jng
Posts: 488
Date Joined: 03/08/07
i had the same issue with my
i had the same issue with my pads coming away from the metal. figured i had a buggered piston/caliper causing to much heat because the pads were sticking to the disc.
i replaced the lot and now it gets no where near as hot as before. looks to me as your mates brakes are sticking
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Sticky piston. Running
Sticky piston. Running controller to high. Badly positioned caliper mounts. Afew things it could be.
Jack trailer up one side spin wheels activate brakes then release them and spin wheels. Check for free spin. If the pistons are sticking you wont have good free spin. New pads will always be tighter till worn in alittle.
See it at work regularly.
Starbug
Posts: 563
Date Joined: 27/08/09
Sounds like sticky calipers
Sounds like sticky calipers to be heating up that much.
Vented disks are really only effective while the wheel is rotating as this draws the air through. Slotted and drilled disks are to vent the gas off from between face of the pad and the disk when braking to improve brake performance.
Wether you run electro/hydraulic or mechanical brakes, just make sure your brakes are locked out before you reverse down the ramp to avoid any heat buildup. This will also help reduce the occurence of water drawn into your bearings due to sudden temp changes as it hits the water
JohnF
Posts: 2837
Date Joined: 07/07/10
Scano Why not upgrade to
Scano
Why not upgrade to DOT5 brake fluid and add Mintex competition brake pads and a pedal box, much better for when your braking hard into COLB corner at Barbegello with the boat and trailer in tow......
You peanut!
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
JohnF
Posts: 2837
Date Joined: 07/07/10
:)
:)
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
bellony
Posts: 94
Date Joined: 27/01/10
As already said sounds like
As already said sounds like sticky pistons to create that much heat. Twice I have heard my brakes hiss when reversing into the water to launch, and we drive about 4km. Both times had a sticky piston creating drag. Relatively easy to pop the piston out and clean the gum off, after driving home with the brake controller turned off.
I now clean all 8 pistons on the trailer brakes every year when I check the bearings.
Scano If the brakes are getting that hot I would be checking the bearings. Hot hubs love sucking water in when dunked in cold water.
scano
Posts: 1247
Date Joined: 31/05/07
I tell you what john
I am sure there are people that have pimped their trailer brakes in the USA. Wouldn't surprise me at all. Hahaha
soinds as though investigation for sticking callipers is the first point, and reskim and new pads as well.
Scotte
Posts: 1145
Date Joined: 07/12/06
I reckon a fair few people
I reckon a fair few people run thier trailer brakes to high on the controller. Almost unintentially asking 75%stopping power from the trailer brakes alone . make sure its adjusted nicely.
If its not overly high on the controller id check slides, clips (if you put them in )and pistons.also check brake lines arent squezzed up somewhere.
Also if your getting bad shutter it will most likely be run out rotors-skim or replace.
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Yeh i just had a issue with
Yeh i just had a issue with all my pistons not releasing for ages.Had to pull them all out and replace/clean and all good ever since.
FYI Mine would be too hot to touch after 5 mins of driving.
Compared to the sticky pistons the the heated created buy the brake controller running high was minimal.
Sounds like a sign of issues to come
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
So obviously it's my boat /
So it's my boat / trailer Scano is talking about
bit the bullet and have replaced the rotors with new slip over disc's, new hubs, all new bearings and seals, new brake pads obviously, new seals for the caliper pistons and now all looks good. One issue I identified is the brake pads are wearing quicker from the bottom and at closer inspection I've noticed that the mounting bracket for the caliper is closer to the disc, couple of mm closer at the bottom compared to the top. So effectively the brake pad touches the disc first at the bottom
this seems to consistent on all 4 mounting brackets. I can't really see how but the only explanation for this is they may have bent slightly due to sharp turning over time (not that I do this much) I don't think it's from warping due to heat as they are all consistent in terms of the difference in gap between the mounting bracket and the disc.
also does not look like there is much I can do to repair it. So will have to see how it goes on the brake pads this time round
the original rotors are a complete set (not slip overs) and the steel they were made out of looks like rubbish steel and only lasted 2 1/2 years. They were heavily pitted causing the shuddering.
atleast with slip over discs I can replace the discs only if it happens again and only be a $200 exercise instead of replacing the lot!
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
A good hit with a mallet
A good hit with a mallet will straighten them. They may have been welded badly from new. When we weld up caliper mounts you have to watch for pulling when welding across the top.
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
not really possible without
not really possible without removing the axle assembley from the trailer itself, they are torsion axles and the top of the mount is only about 200mm from the chassis. No room to hit it.
The Saint
Posts: 473
Date Joined: 30/01/13
Bodie,Not sure what "slip
Bodie,
Not sure what "slip over discs" are, can you enlighten me, please.
Cheers
dodgy
Posts: 4578
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Floating discs I reckon. Disc
Floating discs I reckon. Disc slides over the hub instead of being one piece hub and disc.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
fisherman54
Posts: 26
Date Joined: 21/05/14
Jack up any axle and spin the
Jack up any axle and spin the wheel - if it don't spin easy/sounds tight - it's the new pads that are too thick, particularily the outside pad - it rubs on the rotor.
I just got the angle grinder and removed a mill or so from the pad - wear a mask to do this,and presto no probs again. By the way I have Demax slotted ventilated rotor/hubs and ceramic pads.
a big tip on how to have a stress free life...
"Keep away from anything with tits or a motor"