Need advice about HOT tires

PugMom · 06-14-2012, 09:44 AM

When we brought our new camper home from our first outing, we noticed the hubs were really hot! (a 20 min. Drive) We've made an appt. to take it back in to have it checked, but they can't see us till June 22.

I just found out I'm not working for the next 10 days and would like to camp!

We are new to using electric brakes and wonder if we just haven't found the right adjustment yet. We certainly haven't towed very far. Could that be the problem?

Any advice? Should we not tow till we have it checked, or is there something we can do ourselves?

I wanna camp!!

jal0710 · 06-14-2012, 10:28 AM

Could be your brakes locked up somehow or other when you left the dealer. Do you have tandem wheels and were both sets of hubs hot?

PugMom · 06-14-2012, 10:42 AM

Anything is possible--especially since this part is new to us. We have single axle and both sides were hot.

rwilley · 06-14-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PugMom

When we brought our new camper home from our first outing, we noticed the hubs were really hot! (a 20 min. Drive) We've made an appt. to take it back in to have it checked, but they can't see us till June 22.

I just found out I'm not working for the next 10 days and would like to camp!

We are new to using electric brakes and wonder if we just haven't found the right adjustment yet. We certainly haven't towed very far. Could that be the problem?

Any advice? Should we not tow till we have it checked, or is there something we can do ourselves?

I wanna camp!!

It depends on what you mean by too hot. Every time you step on the breaks the drums get hot and if you do a lot of braking then you will not be able to touch them without getting burned.

It could possibly be your brakes are adjusted a little to tight and you need to back them off a little.

It could also be wheel bearing but I wouldnt think a new tt would bad wheel bearing on both sides.

I would have it checked out by someone before you travel very far.

3'senough · 06-14-2012, 11:48 AM

Did you check your emergency breakaway switch?

If you can jack up a tire, see if you can spin it without the TV plugged in first. You should hear minor dragging and metal on metal sounds if properly adjusted. If you cannot spin it then your brakes are adjusted too tightly. There should be a rubber plug on the lower inside portion of the drum for inserting an adjustment tool. It might require pulling the drum to go backwards on the adjustment since it is held in place by a catch making it harder to go backwards on sometimes.

If you pass the first test now plug in the TV and see if something changes when you spin the wheel. If not then it is most likely bearings. If it does your controller is not working properly and putting out current when it should not, resulting in brake drag. You could also just put a volt meter across the brake control wire and ground to see if this is happening as well.

Either way you should not really do too much with it until corrected.

There's always camp driveway

RVhiker · 06-14-2012, 01:09 PM

I don't know if anything is or is not wrong with your brakes, tires or bearings. One factor to keep in mind as you evaluate this situation is that tires and hubs will get noticeably hot just sitting in direct sunlight, especially if the air temperature is also hot.

Is the air pressure of your tires correct? Significantly low air pressure will make your tires get too hot, and possibly damage them.

It really sounds like a qualified evaluation of your situation is called for.

PugMom · 06-14-2012, 02:44 PM

Thanks for all the help! We'll check everything out that you've mentioned.

Wish I could do Camp Driveway, but we live in one of those dang neighborhoods with the "no no" covenants and that's one of them"!

Jagiven · 06-14-2012, 10:17 PM

Do you have a laser thermometer? If so, check the temperatures of all your break hubs (both TT & TV). I have not checked mine yet. But I would fully expect the trailer brake drums will be about 190 deg F, about the same as your front brakes on your TV.

Jagiven · 06-14-2012, 10:37 PM

To answer your other question about going camping. GO, the hubs and brakes are under warranty. I place my hands on each hub when I stop to check for potential issues. All four hubs are clearly warm (by my standards), but they are equally warm so I am not concerned. But if one hub feels much warmer or cooler than the others then I would want to get it checked. Even the hubs on my light weight canoe trailer get warm.

BlueBrick · 06-15-2012, 05:45 AM

Since the trailer sat for a while on the dealer's lot before you drove it home, there may have been a build up of rust on the inside of your drum brakes. Wearing that off during the drive home, and if there was a lot of stop and go traffic, will cause the brakes to be hot. A drive up the highway without using the brakes will cool them down. Try to stop by coasting to a stop(where safe to do so) after driving for a few miles to cool the brakes and check them. Also make sure your brake controller is set up properly. You may have too much power being sent to the trailer brakes. Your braking should feel almost normal as if you were not towing a trailer, just a slight increase in braking effort. If you feel the trailer slowing the tow vehicle, then you have too much power going to the trailer brakes.
I don't know how much experience you have towing, so this is not meant to sound condesending. When towing give yourself lots of extra space for braking and try to be easy on the brakes. No hard braking, unless required for emergency reasons. Just smooth steady stops. Oh, and don't ride the brakes down long hills. Try to slow yourself with the transmission, and intermittant use of the brakes.
Hope this helps.

RickAE · 06-15-2012, 06:23 PM

I think I would call the dealer and ask if you could take it to the local brake shop to have it checked out. Also ask if they will cover the cost under warranty if anything was wrong and had to be fixed. If they say no--then call Jayco explain the situation and ask them the same Questions about covering the cost if anything is wrong.

Jagiven · 06-19-2012, 08:43 AM

This past weekend I checked my brakes twice. Once at a wayside rest stop, and again once when we stopped for fuel, both times we had just pulled off the freeway. The brakes were slightly warm to the touch. I measured about 90 deg F. Only one truck brake was elevated to 111 deg F. All the other wheels were within a few degrees of each other. I will leave the laser thermometer in the truck. The next time I do a lot of city driving (I live in the heart of the Twin Cities) I will take another measurement. But as stated above when I put my hands on the hubs the last time I pulled the trailer home from the dealer the hubs where hot, but that was all city driving, during rush hour.

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