The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: chrismahon on September 04, 2016, 07:52:16 am
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We have an Ifor Williams 4 wheel box van trailer. It's been standing outside for three years (with the brakes off) but I know from experience the brake drums will be badly rusted and will need cleaning up before use. Problem is I need to do the work before Winter and it won't be used until late Spring, so potentially the drums will rust again.
Is there any product that can be applied to the steel drum braking surface to protect it, but which won't need removal and will not affect the shoe linings?
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I have just been doing our Bateson horse trailers end or summer maintenance and wash and wax and.....
If the mechanism is free and actuates the brake shoes against the drum the I would tap the drums to loosen off any flakes of rust, blow out the debris and then with a bit of weight on (secured down ) go for a run with some "firm" braking included . When back home spray some brake cleaner spray in the drums the spray will evaporate quickly and there will be a small deposit left behind this seems to slows any more rust forming .
And of course while you are doing that check the hubs for grease .
When you Finnish put trailer on blocks and a bin liner over the tyres , helps reduce degradation. also means that you can give the wheels a turn every now and then .
I know it seems a bit of faffing about now but if I need the trailer I know its ready to go.
Ps Spray brake cleaner is a good pain killer and EP2 grease is not a good sunblock
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Thanks for that Rupert. Just need to work out what the French is for 'Spray Brake Cleaner' is. Good point to leave it on blocks- I have to raise it up anyway to reset the brakes, so I'll just leave it there with bags on the wheels.
Taking the hubs off is a big job according to the manual. The nuts are a huge 46mm (1 13/16") A/F and the torque setting is a whopping 350Nm so we've had to buy a new torque wrench and socket. Unfortunately, because of the backplate design, you couldn't get any spray into the drums without removing them first.
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is there not a rubber inspection plug in the back ? used to check linings and adjust brakes , if there is a good dose should do it
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Dont forget to put loads of grease over any of the exposed braking cables - cos thats normally where things stick for me ;)
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Dont forget to put loads of grease over any of the exposed braking cables - cos thats normally where things stick for me ;)
Very good point
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I'll be setting it on blocks next week, but at the moment it is too hot and then we are due for thunderstorms. Found the rubber bungs Rupert but have to get the wheels off and then need a mirror to see inside. In the meantime the 350Nm torque wrench and the 46mm socket have arrived! Not done a lot of work really as getting here in two stages was all good straight and fairly flat.
I intend to give the whole thing a proper clean, grease everything necessary and set the brakes, but leave it on the blocks. Looks like next year we are moving and it will need 15 loads to shift everything along some pretty difficult roads.
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A 5 foot bar with an 11 stone guy on the end is about the torque needed ;)