Trailer Brake Failure

[rheimb1]

I thought I would share my brake failure experience this summer. What have is R25SC on an EZloader trailer originally built for Cutwater 28, modified for the R25. The trailer is a 2014 and I just put a new set of tires on it prior to our trip to Anacortes coming from Spokane. We had nice couple of weeks in the Gulf and San Juan Islands. We pulled the boat out at Cap Sante. And no more than a couple of miles from the marina, I hear the brakes squeaking like there was dirt in the brakes. I really didn’t think much of it at all. Further down the road on my way to Kirkland I hit my brakes a little harder than normal as traffic started slowing down rapidly. That’s when it started to make a lot of noise and then went away. Since the traffic was so bad and the noise went away I chose to push another 6 miles to the off ramp.

I was a few cars back from the stop sign when one of the brakes locked up and I came to a complete stop and would not release, with cars behind me I just drug that thing to the side of the road to allow cars to pass. It’s amazing what a diesel truck can pull! Once to the side I got out to look and see what was going on, again being on the traffic side I did a quick look and everything look normal. Thinking it’s merely a small issue I backed up just a bit to see if would release and it did, but in forward motion it made a lot of noise for a block and then quit, I’m 4 blocks from my buddies place so I finished the drive parked and crawled under both sides.

WOW, what I found was the front left and right rear calipers were completely torn from its mount and were just riding the disc with only the hydraulic hose holding it on. Calling around to various marinas trying to find someone that might be able to help was futile. So I put a call into Ranger Tugs and Andrew just happen to overhear and said let me do some checking. About two hours later we connected with EZloader in Woodinville who normally don’t do repairs stepped up and got it done the next day. They didn’t have the parts to do all four so they just did the two that were ripped off and told me to get the other two done ASAP back in Spokane. Which I did. How much did that cost me? $200 for the new tire, that’s it. Neither EZloader location charged me a dime. Now here is the part that everyone needs to check. Look at your brakes and determine if they have this C bracket on their trailers, if so it needs to come off and a complete circle or O plate needs to be put on. At EZloader they didn’t say it was a recall but did indicate that they haven’t used them in the last 3 or so years. I was lucky. Pics below or just check my album.
[http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=70010][http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=70007

 

[scross]

Having one or more of your trailer brakes lock up on the freeway is no fun! Glad everything turned out ok after EZLoader got involved!
Went out and checked my TuffTrailer and the caliper mounting brackets are thick U channel so the problem could be limited to the older EZLoader trailers. Worth the time to check though....
One more thing to check on all trailers is the emergency breakaway box. If you see rust coming out of it you should replace it. I’m on my third one in five years now. Can’t find any breakaway box that is waterproof. Even with rinsing after saltwater use they will rust. When rusted enough they short out and lock up all wheels as if the trailer had broken away from the truck. It’s not fun when that happens on the freeway.