Joining the disc brake club finally

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

2017 Eagle 321rsts. It's time to check the electric drum brakes and bearings. I'm not thrilled with the drum brake stopping power.
Soooo
I have all the pieces parts now for the disc conversion.
Not going with all the bling Lake Huron put on his North point.
Bought the kit from a local trailer parts place which resells off the Canadian distributor for Kodiak and Dexter brakerite. Using 1/4inch nicopp lines with stainless steel flex lines.
Already Swapped out the bathroom faucet. Wife and I got sick of the squacking on the plastic original. Put a Moen in.
The other mod is 5 gallon drinking water system.
We have our first outing planned for Late May

RoadrunnerII

 

[Bookemdanno]

Disk brakes is the #1 upgrade I’ve ever made on my 5er! It’ll be the 1st thing I do from here on out if it’s not offered as a factory option.

 

[Lake Huron]

Post up lots of pics on your progress!
Take your time because once you're done you're gonna LOVE your new found stopping power

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

So I got a little side tracked on a small job inside trailer that wife and I thought was a good idea. We don't drink water a most campgrounds. Don't like sulphur or salt in our coffee or ice cubes so...
We decided to put a 12 volt pump and a small drinking water faucet for 5 gallon filtered water inside the island. Wired up to the tank heater slot on the switch panel. Blacked out heater and added 5 Gal.
Had to build up the mount off floor to give extra clearance at back of pump to inside of island wall. It's behind a false partition so never see it again. Worse part fishing the wire from island to basement. Grey tank for kitchen.... You guessed it right under the wiring access hole.

Now onto the disc brakes!

RoadrunnerII

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

Got going on the wiring this morning
Pulled the embilical and labelled wires
The new embilical has a sealed watertight plug. So needing to cut and patch into existing wiring
The brakerite pump is likely going in back of basement on side of the step stringer. The brakerite controller SD is going up above battery storage in front compartment. Close to battery out of weather. The GM / Ford 2006 and newer adapter (little black box) is likely going in front compartment too

RoadrunnerII

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

Got going on the wiring this morning
Pulled the embilical and labelled wires
The new embilical has a sealed watertight plug. So needing to cut and patch into existing wiring
The brakerite pump is likely going in back of basement on side of the step stringer. The brakerite controller SD is going up above battery storage in front compartment. Close to battery out of weather. The GM / Ford 2006 and newer adapter (little black box) is likely going in front compartment too

RoadrunnerII

Dang didn't upload the pics

RoadrunnerII

 

[Lake Huron]

Nice job!!!

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

Well got the new embilical wired in.
That required fishing 3 wires thru the fifth area. Pain the butt. They strung the original wires across to drivers side then 90 degree turn to the propane tank.
The breakaway switch wiring goes direct to controller as well
So bunch of time tearing the trim off the drivers side so I could string the proper wires for embilical to controller and the breakaway wires.
Got the controller mounted as well as the Chevy/Ford module
Still have some soldering to do and shrink wrap tubing.
Pictures tomorrow
Decided the pump will go in front compartment as well. Won't need to extend the wires if it stays in front compartment.

RoadrunnerII

 

[Lake Huron]

I know one thing, wires are a lot more easy to make into a harness and extend that making a Niccop line run longer. Lol!
I took all my wires, each a different color, that go to the pump and module, both mounted next to each other, put them all in a drill chuck, anchored the other ends in a vise and pulled the trigger on the drill and that made a nice barber pole twist of a harness

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

Didn't get much done today... Grocery day, oil change on car... Finished up the wiring connections tonight other than controller to 12 volt trailer battery.
Had to pull the trim off on drivers side under 5th for wire routing.
Next outing is off to local rv dealer for some new butyl tape and proflex clear sealant so I can put the trim back

Pics attached

RoadrunnerII

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

So it don't seem like much today.
Got the bottom trim back on drivers side of 5th.
Got a piece of aluminum bar stock, drilled and pump mounted to it. Bar stock is mounted to back wall.

RoadrunnerII

 

[Lake Huron]

Looking good!!
How are you gonna run the brake hose off the pump?
Drill a hole thru the floor and connect it to the brake line underneath?

Add...
Did you make those wiring connectors or did they come that way??

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

My plan is to drill the floor and do a tee dead centre of trailer. One down each side of I-beam frame. Another tee at the first tandem on each side and short piece to second tandem each side.
No cross line at the axles.

The brakerite SD II kit comes with the connectors.
Its great BUT... The new embilical to truck comes with a 7 pin socket standard setup AND a 3 pin PLUG... #12 gauge 12 volt + #12 gauge 12 volt - and the blue brake signal that connect to the SD controller
The breakaway switch comes with its own 2 pin PLUG that connects to the controller
Its nice and sounds plug and play BUT
The lines are not long enough to reach into the front storage
So you have to cut and splice in the right length.
Given the wire path under my 5th it was extra work. Could not fish the wires! I soldered all the splices shrink tubed and put wire loom on as well.
I removed my original embilical and removed the socket from the new embilical and wired up the new embilical to the trailer wires... Left, right, stop, and backup lights and ground. All soldered and shrink tubing. I know a terminal box would have been simpler.
So other than the trailer battery connection to the controller the wiring is done. Of course the wire is too short on it as well.
I think the SD II Controller kit is good but maybe for some other type trailer. I couldn't figure out a place to install it without fishing wires.

I needed a refresher on splicing wires and soldering and shrink tubing anyway!
I'm going to need a pipe thread to AN4 elbow at the pump to tuck that flex brake line in a little tighter.
Another trip to town at some point.
Planning on starting old electric brake removal next so I can get the visual of where the hard lines need to be at the tandems
Been nice working in the shed this week. Warm temps for March this year.

RoadrunnerII

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

So got at removing the drums and backer plate today.... Door side bearings magnet and brakes looked like I would expect for the miles I have on trailer... Still quite usable except the rear magnet was grooved up a bit..
Drivers side whole different store
From bearing had zero grease in cap Nada nothing and the grease looked hardly used. Magnet and shoes looked good.. Rear tandem covered drum, magnet shoes are all covered in grease. Dang what a mess. Explains why it didn't seem as good when braking. Missing out 25% of brake power.
Got the spindles cleaned up and door side caliper brackets mounted.

RoadrunnerII

 

[Lake Huron]

You're getting closer!
You'll be glad you dont have to worry about the mess of grease all over your brakes and not having stopping power.

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

Here's pics of the dirty mess
Yes I am some glad we decided to do this now...

RoadrunnerII

 

[Magnolia Tom]

Looking good so far! Best upgrade anyone can do to their trailer by far.

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

Thanks Tom and Lake Huron
I followed both of your upgrades.
So I got the caliper mounts done tonight. Tomorrow either pack bearings and rear seals and mount rotors pads and caliphers or start running the hard break lines. Might be a little of both.

RoadrunnerII

 

[RoadrunnerII-JAY]

So got busy today... Loaded the bearings with grease cleaned spindles and mounted the rotors. They spin nice and have a little click space. Next loaded caliphers with brake pads and mounted those. I put the flex lines on before mounting calipers.
Next will be hard lines.
Used up about 1 1/2 tubes of red Rotella grease.


RoadrunnerII

 

[Lake Huron]

Looks good!
I think I used about the same, 1 1/2 - 2 tubes of grease.
You're in the home stretch now.
I think i used 1 big bottle of brake fluid on mine to fill the reservoir and bleed the lines and calipers.