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11-23-2021, 08:56 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Bourne
Posts: 27
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2017 321rsts Brake Job
When I picked up the new to me 5er, the 'help' at the dealer hooked up the emergency break disconnect and did so in a way that when I turned out of the driveway, it yanked out.
Very first time hauling it, after I turn out of the lot, I've got a long uphill grade. No context as to how it should handle, I'm chugging up the hill with my 2020 F350 gasser. I'm thinking it's somewhat sluggish but I'm concentrating on deciding if I should work the gears a bit.
Get to the crest of the hill and things are running better. About 1.5 in, I noticed smoke. Can't really pull over for another mile. By the time I get out, all 4 wheels are smoking and I realize the disconnect is out.
Let it cool down for a while and continued the 150 miles home. Brakes seemed okay but figured I did some damage and know I'll need to replace.
When we left on our current round the world tour 4 weeks ago, I greased the wheels up thinking the greasers worked like the Buddy bearings on my boat trailer and didn't raise and spin the wheels. Guessing I got some grease mess now as the braking has decreased and time to change them.
Going to order up the parts and do them in the CG we're in.
Looks like a pretty simple process. I'll do the full replace with backplate and magnets from eTrailer.
Any gotchas to this task?
Seems like the 4 bolts holding on the backplate are fairly small so maybe concerns for breaking them?
Issues getting drums off?
Is replacing the drums at this time typical?
I read somewhere about providing a solid ground wire to the magnet beyond what it comes with?
Maybe replace some of the wiring due to the heat generated?
Was going to bring it to an RV place down the street here in Sarasota. They said minimum 2 hours/wheel on 4 wheels at $160/hr plus parts. $1280 before parts seems high. They're 3 weeks out which means we'd need to come back through here after heading to the Keys for a couple of weeks on our way out west.
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11-23-2021, 09:33 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Bakersfield
Posts: 253
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As long as the seals are holding you shouldn’t have a mess, I would pull the drums and take a look at the shoes and the drums to determine if the need to be replaced. Same with the wiring. If you are comfortable with it the breaks are fairly easy to do. Good luck take your time and go enjoy your rig.
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11-23-2021, 06:32 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Bourne
Posts: 27
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Thanks for the feedback @poppyof5. Got a hold of another place here that gave me a labor cost of $450 based on their rate at 1.5 hrs/axle.
That's worth not losing a weekend day off.
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11-23-2021, 09:42 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Port Huron, Mi
Posts: 1,737
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I tell ya something, you buy me a same day round trip plane ticket from Detroit to the airport of your choice where you pick me up, take me to your campground, I'll do the entire job in 2 hrs, give me $250, we'll have an adult beverage and then you take me back to the airport and you'd still be WAY cheaper than the nearly $1300+parts quote they gave you.
They must be stoned!
__________________
2017 North Point 375BHFS
2015 Silverado 3500HD Crew Dually Dmax 4x4
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11-23-2021, 11:34 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Rock Island
Posts: 1,073
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2017 321rsts Brake Job
Here is my story, might be the same as yours.
I have a 2017 291rsts, with Lippert 5200 axels. Lippert did not finish smooth the surface that the seals run on. You can actually run your finger nail on the surface and feel the groves on the surface. My seals failed, I’m guessing, after only about 3000 miles. Since I picked it up I never thought I had good braking. At about 10,000 miles I pulled the drums to repack the bearings and the brakes were all full of grease. From the beginning I had my Chevy brake controller set to 9.5, I didn’t know any better.
So, I decided to repack the bearing, discovered the grease and the poor seal surface on the axel. Decided to replace all the bearing with US made Timkens, replaced all four brake assemblies, and new seals. I then smoothed out the bearing surface until I couldn’t feel the lathe cuts anymore and reassembled.
I now have the brake controller set to 4.5 and that even seems a bit strong, rig stops in nearly half the distance.
I heard that there is now a class action lawsuit on the axels based on the saftey issues against Lippert of 2017 Jayco’s. Don’t know what models are involved.
Long story short, make sure the seal surface is smooth before putting it all together.
Many people recommend not pumping grease into those bearings unless you really know what your doing. Hand packing is in my opinion a better option, doing it every year.
Your pulling the emergency brakes may have nothing to do with your issue, except for maybe cooking some grease on the shoes and creating a little extra smoke. Recently My emergency cable got hung up around a corner at a slow speed, that 5r pulled me to a dead stop in 20 feet with no lock up of the tires. Had to get out and reconnect before moving again.
__________________
2017 Eagle 291RSTS
2017 Chevy Silverado Duramax 2500
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11-24-2021, 06:51 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Litchfield, CT
Posts: 476
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There was likely an issue with your brakes before you left the dealer's lot that day. When the break-away cable pulls out, the switch puts full battery power to the brakes. That should have locked up your wheels and brought you to a stop! (When you adjust your brake controller for normal travel, it applies variably reduced voltage to the brakes.) If you were able to pull the trailer after the break-away was pulled, it could have been for a number of reasons.
At any rate, it is probably advisable for you to replace the brakes now regardless of grease contamination. You are on the right track to replace the entire backing plate; it actually costs less than buying major components, and you get all new parts. Be prepared for the possibility that you may need to replace your drums as well. If they are severely grooved where the brake shoes contact or where the magnet drags, your new components will not last as long. It is cheaper to buy new drums than to find a shop to turn them and resurface the magnet contact surface. Replacing the drums also takes care of the bearing races. If you replace everything, install good seals carefully, pack the bearings before installing, and apply new grease through the hub zerk very slowly while spinning the wheels, you should be fine. You will take more time than any dealer service tech will, and you'll be much better off. When I apply grease through the zerk on my Dexter EZ-Lube axles, I literally take about 5 - 8 seconds per pump of the grease gun while constantly spinning the wheel.
(Another tip: I always scoop out the excess grease that comes out of the hub before installing the plug. I do that to allow for grease to expand when it gets hot going down the highway in summer. I know of cases where that rubber plug either popped out or was expanded so much that grease escaped there; or worse, it put pressure on the seal which caused grease to escape and get on the brakes.
__________________
2020 Eagle HT 30.5 CKTS Modern Farmhouse (16" wheels, spring shackles set on lower hole of frame, SumoSprings TSS-107-40, standard kingpin, B&W Companion slider, TST-507 TPMS, Progressive Industries hardwired 50A EMS HW-50C)
2019 F250 SRW SuperCab 4X4 SB 6.2 (10,000# GVW) 3.73 Axle 18" wheels
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