Trailer Surge Brakes

[jmako]

How do you guys maintain your trailer brakes? My boat is in a lift behind my house and the trailer is in "storage" for months at a time. The only time the trailer gets used is pulling the boat out (1) when there is a hurricane threat, (2) engine maintenance, and (3) occasional boat maintenance. Every time I get the trailer out of storage, the brakes drag. Sometimes it is so bad the wheels get hot and boil the bearing grease during a short trip.

I hose the brakes (disc brakes) down everytime after I use the trailer and hit them with Corrosion Block but the long time between uses seems to still cause them to drag. Any suggestions?

[paxfish]

Jump over to the trailer forum - bottom line they are a PITA, and I constantly disassemble, corrosionX, grease them.

And they still run hot.

[Surface Tension]

For as little as you use them, and if you tow with a decent sized vehicle, I would consider pulling the rotors. You can leave the calipers on there and you will of course be without trailer beaks, so you'll have to drive accordingly for the short amount you tow.

[LouC]

I would not spray corrosion block on any kind of trailer brakes, it should not be sprayed on friction surfaces! I have used suge galvanized drum brakes with zinc plated drums and they have held up reasonable well, using the brake flush every time they go in salt water. You may need to change to stainless rotors to minimze the corrosion problem, and make sure the caliper slides are greased well. Trailer brakes are a pain esp in salt water, but getting into an accident and having additional liabiliby because you took them off could be a bigger pain!

[seaclusion]

Stainless disc's. They will discolor a little but not corrode. I have the Kodiak version on my Wesco trailer and I have never had an issue.