m4i2k2e2

hey guys, i have an 08 venture trailer for my boat. i purchased the boat and trailer together.
now, i dont much about brake types for trailer. each brake has a hose to flush them out with, and at the front of the trailer is has a safety chain that pulls a latch forward im assuming so if the trailer brakes free it would apply the brakes. can anyone explain to me what this system is? how to maintain them and what should i do to keep them from freezing, and when to flush them? thanks for all the help guys.

p.s. i just have a regular 4 pin connector for the wiring harness so its not electric brakes.

-mike.

rbeitz

You have drum brakes. You should flush them every time they get dunked in salt water. It won't stop them from rusting out but it may prolong their life a little. I got about 5 years out of my last set of drum brakes.

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Rob in PA

m4i2k2e2

thanks for the help. the trailer is an 08 so i should be good to go for a while.

-mike.

reelapeelin

One guy on another brake thread sprayed his with CRC after each dunking...they looked pretty good to me...

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V20/BF150

saltfever

Need to apply CRC corrosion preventative. This really works. Flush after each use as well. We have had drum brakes for just over 5 years and have only replaced once due to not using the boat for over a year.

LouC

I have the Tie Down Galvax drums on my old 94 Load Rite....they don't get dunked in salt that much because our boat is kept on a mooring...the first set lasted 5 years then a wheel cyl leaked so I replaced the whole unit...the problem with them is not so much corrosion per se but the fact that salt crystals will get under the rubber dust cover for the wheel cyl and cause the piston to freeze up...so what you do is take the dust cover off when new...pack the area with a water proof grease like OMC triple guard and also grease up the threads of the adjuster well...and use the flush system...
I stuck with drums because I live in a very hilly area and the extra drag from discs seemed likely to cause trouble but if I was a trailer boater in salt water I'd probably have switched to Kodiak silver cads by now...I'm still concerned that the lack of return springs with disc brakes (on a hydraulic surge system) can cause over-heating and dragging...

The other thing that helps...and I got this from a Load Rite person who has a forum over at nor'east.com is to flush out the brake system yearly or at least every couple of years...that helps keep moisture out of the system....

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1988 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
4.0/NV 242 Selectrac

2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited
5.7 HEMI/Quadradrive II