View Full Version : Trailer Disc brake challnge
Hi all
I have a Tricker trailer for a 22' boat with tandem axels and finally decided to upgrade my drum brakes to disc brakes, since everybody has been raving about disc I went to Century Tire & Wheel and bought a new disc Titan brand, actuator with back up solonoid, complete disc install kit, and made the switch two weeks ago.
The install went extremely smooth. Once I completed the project I found I have no brakes. I can tell I have no brakes because I put paint on the discs as an indicator and I still have black on the discs. I called Century Tire & Wheel and he let me know he gave me some wrong information where the bleeder valve goes. I originally installed them on the bottom, today I moved them on the top. While moving them to the top I twisted off the brakes lines to all four wheels. I went back to Century Tire & Wheel to buy all new brake lines. I finished installing them this evening, bled the system again, and I still have no brakes. By the way each time i have bled the brakes I have used a hand vacume bleeder.
Is there a trick to the disc brake install?
I really would appreciate any assistance and am offering a reward to the person that gives me the correct solution... a case of Fat Tire and $50.
jet:pray:
Mooch
06-11-2009, 07:30 PM
Are you keeping the master cylinder full as you're bleeding the brakes? If not you aren't getting all the air out.
I used a vacuum bleeder and it didn't work as well as just pumping the actuator by hand.
goatram
06-11-2009, 08:34 PM
Take the stinger off the truck, stick it in the hitch and get a buddy to pump it for you if you don't have a wife or kid to do it. Keep the master cylinder topped off every couple of pumps and you will feel it get hard to actuate the stinger. work the caliper the with the most brake line first and them the oppesite wheel. 10 minutes your done and drinking the fat tire.:flowered:
Master cylinder full all the time with my assistant keeping track of it. I will try to manually bleed it without the hand vacume bleeder and try it again.
The system is so straight forward it is just baffling.
More ideas guys? Which ever idea solves the problem gets the reward.
Jet
namu mac
06-11-2009, 09:14 PM
Reverse lock out solonid wired wrong and not letting fluid pressure through?
Namu, I was thinking that but there is only 2 wires the same color comming off the solonoid. I was told that it did not matter which one you use for hot off the back up lights. the other went to ground which seemed odd since they were the same color.
More...?
pwrline
06-12-2009, 09:10 AM
Does the master cyl. need to be bled first to prime ?
Even with a bad bleeding job, you should still get some braking as shown by your paint job on the rotor, so my guess is no fluid pressure in the line.
I assume they sold you a disc brake actuator. Did it have a sticker on it saying for disc bakes only? A drum actuator has a smaller orifice vs a disc actuator. Drum actuators don't make as much fluid pressure.
Most actuators have a lockout mechanism - does this happen to be engaged? Although I don't see this on the Titan actuator. Anyway, you will find out if there is a lockout when you do the last item below.
You can touch the backing solenoid while pluggng in the trailer wiring connector. If you feel (and hear) it click, then it is blocking the fluid flow.
Last, perform the manual bleed recomendation for the actuator and verify that bubble free fluid comes out the furthest bleed scew, and that no bubbles are rising in the resevoir. If bubbles are coming up in the actuator, then there is air in the master cyl. and you will need to pump all that air out and re bleed all calipers (see 3D in the manual). The procedure is on page 3 and 4 here - http://www.titan-intl.com/content/media/MODEL60_ii.pdf . You can also do the field test shown there. If you can't manually pump the actuator, then the manual lock-out must be in place or activated.
1pump
06-12-2009, 05:34 PM
Master cylinder full all the time with my assistant keeping track of it. I will try to manually bleed it without the hand vacume bleeder and try it again.
I'm assuming the fluid level dropped as you were bleeding. If it did, it sounds like your lockout solenoid isn't blocking it.
If you're gonna bleed it all over again, you can speed things up by gravity bleeding. That'll get most of the air out before you start pumping it. BTW, vac bleeders work OK as long as air isn't getting sucked back in around the threads on the bleeder screws. Most vac bleeder kits have silicone grease in them to seal the threads, but you probably don't need it if you're careful.
Pwrline mentioned bench bleeding the master cylinder in his post. I've never tried it on a trailer, but it could be an issue.
Great ideas guys, the solonoid does not go click when I connect it (possibly it is so quiet i can not hear it) by the way it has a sticker on it that notes disc brack application. There is plenty of fluid going through the system the manual way and with the hand vacume unit at the bleeder valves.
The mechanical backup lock out is not engaged since I am able to fully depress the ball connect portion of the actuator. I'll take a bette look at the links and add the information to my ever growing base of tools for the bleeding.
My bleeder buddy is fishing this weekend so i may have to wait to tackle this challenge when he gets back.
Thanks all
Jet