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SUPPORT If boat trailers weren't dumped into water every time they go on the road, less money spent and more time to enjoy being on the water instead of waiting for maintenance to be completed at the trailer shop or in your own backyard. But it has never worked this way and although the forecasters like to talk about a day when a no-hassle trailer will be available, don't hold your breath. Instead, try to understand some brake basics from those who have made a career out of fixing what water does to metal. Dustin Hoover, who along with his partner Christopher Grimm owns Legendary Trailer Repair in Annapolis, Maryland says he's been called by BoatU.S.Roadside Assistance to fix a broken down boat trailer on the side of the road too many times because the owner just didn't pay attention to the way water will corrode a brake system or master cylinder. And too many times he's seen the face of the family standing on the side of the road eager to visit a vacation spot on the Chesapeake or the ocean when they are told "this is going to take a while." Brakes cause heartaches. But if not cared for properly, they can cause something a lot worse. Jim Haley, National Sales Manager for Tie Down Engineering which makes trailer brake systems says anytime a trailer is put into the water, there is a potential for trouble. The key, he observes, is to pay attention to the trailer after it's been in the water. "Salt water is the most corrosive atmosphere a boat trailer can be in, so the owner has to pay attention to the very real fact rust will go to work every chance it's given." How it works Trailers, like their tow vehicles, use disc or drum brakes. Drum brakes have more moving parts and remain the most popular system. The most common servicingis changing the brake shoes and when this is done, you should insist all springs and fasteners be replaced as well. Every time you step on the brake pedal, a piston presses against the brake shoe, pushing it against the brake drum. Friction goes to work and the boat trailer slows down. Disc brakes have been compared to the center-pull brakes on a bicycle. Changing brake pads is the most common servicing for they require. Usually, disc brakes will let you know when new pads are needed by squealing when pressure is applied to the brake pedal. This is the result of an appropriately-named "wear indicator" coming into contact with the disc after enough material on the pad is worn away. Hoover issues this warning however: "Remember the trailer is always behind you. So there's always the chance you won't hear the squealing of a bad brake pad." The other common service required on disc brakes is rotors becoming worn. You'll know it right away because you'll feel a shuddering or vibration when applying the brakes. Is there a preference? It depends on who is doing the talking. Dustin Hoover sees advantages to both. "I don't think disc brakes have been out long enough to say they are better or worse than drum brakes. Disc have incredible braking power. But when drum are properly installed, they work faster and harder. If I were putting brakes on a trailer for me, I'd use drum. I know the system and I know how important it is to use stainless steel or galvanized parts rather than something less expensive that has been painted." "Disc are more expensive," says Tie Down's Jim Haley, "but I'm seeing a lot of folks using our products because they want to convert from drum to disc. They are sick of changing out drum brakes every two years. They are harder to service. If you know what you're doing, it will take about 90 minutes an axle to make the conversion. Drum brakes require a flush kit to get the salt water out and it's practically impossible to get all the salt water out. The salt residue is tough to rinse out of a drum brake." Both Hoover and Haley agree it is a wise decision to have brakes checked at the beginning of every season (especially after a trailer has sat outside in rain and snow and wind) and periodically during the season. "Anytime anyone asks me about a concern they are having about their brakes," says Jim Haley, "I tell them to take it in and have someone look it over. The other option is to do nothing and it just isn't worth it." Hoover says a trailer boater doesn't have to know a darn thing about brakes in order to see some warning signs that something isn't working properly:
Here's one more example of how brakes can bring heartache, colorful language and wasted time because someone wasn't paying attention. Hoover recalls a summer nights when he was contacted by BoatU.S. Roadside Assistance to help a boater broken down en route to Pennsylvania because his left wheel brake cylinder had frozen up. He made the repair, made sure the boater was okay and drove back tohis office. At 11p.m. BoatUS Roadside Assistance called him again. The same boater was broken down 11 miles from where Hoover had left him.This time his right wheel brake cylinder had locked up. BoatU.S. Director of Technical Services Bob Adriance says the more you use your trailer (and brakes), the fewer the problems you are likely to have. Sitting for long periods of time is an invitation for corrosion to make a home. Having a routine for brakes (either in your backyard or in your trailer service center) is as good a guarantee as you're going to get that the home corrosions elects isn't going to be in your trailer. When Something Goes Wrong Three stories from the front lines of Trailer Assist and Tow You are driving down the highway with the boat in tow and thinking about the next few hours (or days or weeks) and what you'll be doing. It's the stuff of dreams. Then you hear that sound. The dreams stop. Flat tires and seized bearings can do that. Of the many benefits enjoyed by BoatU.S. Trailering Club Members, Trailer Assist and Tow is a service without equal. This 24-hour-a day-7-days-a-week benefit provides on the road assistance to members who find themselves pulled off along the side of the road when something goes wrong. And as we know all too well, Murphy's Law applies to boat trailers-if something can go wrong, it will. That's why Trailer Assist and Tow has been so well received by TraileringClub Members since its inception seven years ago. Tires More than 100 calls a month were made by Members who were face to face with Murphy during the past year. Almost half (43%) of the calls for assistance were for flat tires. "Since we began the Trailer Assist and Tow service for BoatU.S. Members, says BoatU.S. Vice President of Towing services Jerry Cardarelli, "flat tires have always been the #1 reason for a request to be assisted on the road. You can take good care of your tires but you can't always take good care of the road surfaces those tires will be traveling over." Story #1 A BoatU.S. Member called the Dispatch Center in November of last year saying he had a flat tire on his trailer near Manchester, New Hampshire. A nearby BoatU.S. service provider (Sullivan Tire Company) brought a new tire to the stranded Member and, within an hour of the call being made, he was back on the road. The Member mentioned to the Dispatch center that he wouldn't have had to make the call if he had carried a spare tire on the trailer. Conclusion #1 If you have the ability to change an automobile tire, obviously you can change a boat trailer tire. Unfortunately, many boat trailer manufacturers don't include a spare tire and carrier as standard on all models (it usually attaches to the winch post or lies flat on the trailer frame in front of the wheels) so recreational boaters have to make the effort to buy a mounting bracket as well as the appropriate spare tire (BoatU.S. and West Marine stores offer spare tire carriers for as little as $13.99 and as much as $56.99). When changing a tire, tandem axle trailers can be driven up on a curb (if it's safe and there's no traffic) so that the flat tire is off the pavement. Be sure to chock the tires so the trailer and tow vehicle doesn't roll during the procedure. Bearings The second most-common call to the BoatU.S. Dispatch center is for bearing problems (20% of all calls made in 2003 were the result of bad bearings). The procedure takes 30-45 minutes per axle when a professional is doing the job. Many boat trailer dealers offer an annual maintenance package which includes an inspection of wheel bearings. "I am always asked, how often should the bearings on the trailer be changed<" says Cardarelli, "and the answer I always give them is 'well, how often do you use the trailer?' Now if the trailer is only used one time every year, the bearings are going to require replacement just as much as a trailer that is used every day. Bearings go bad because of lack of use as much as they go bad because of a lot of use. Some people check them every 1,000 miles. Others check them every 5,000 miles. I think the answer is change the bearing grease or at least inspect the bearings at the same time you change the oil in your tow vehicle." Story#2 In October of 2003, a BoatU.S. Trailering Club Member was stopped along a highway in Venice, Florida. He called the dispatch center to say his boat trailer had a bearing problem. On-Site Truck Repair was called by the dispatch center and the bearings were replaced on the trailer. Annual preventative maintenance could have prohibited this problem from occurring when it did. Conclusion#2 Remember the saying "the squeaky wheel gets the grease."? Well, chances are good that squeaky wheel had bad bearings. BoatU.S. Service provider Dustin Hoover who owns Legendary Trailer repairs in Annapolis, Maryland says 'the trailer is always behind the tow vehicle, so people don't think about it. But when bearings go bad, you will know right away there's something behind you that is in need of service." Bad bearings will provide warning signs however. Usually, there will be grease on the inside of the tire or on the bottom of the boat, the hub will feel warmer than usual when checked at a rest stop or the hint will be more than obvious: the axle will smoke when on the road or the tire will make noise when it turns. If you haven't the ability or the knowledge or the interest to make a bearing inspection, take the time and take your trailer to a professional who does. Tow vehicle The third most-common problem that is phoned into the Dispatch Center doesn't involve the trailer at all, but the vehicle that is towing the trailer. 15% of all calls are based on running out of fuel, being locked out of the vehicle, a flat tire or the need for a jump start. The important key to using this benefit however is that the tow vehicle must be pulling the trailer at the time of the mishap. Story #3 A BoatU.S. Member had been driving all day en route from Arkansas to Michigan and stopped at an interstate fast food place for a quick dinner. When he came out after his meal, the member felt for his keys in his jacket and had that all-too familiar feeling with which we're all familiar. And then he looked in the window and saw the keys in the ignition. He called the BoatU.S. Dispatch Center and a locksmith was on the scene less than 30 minutes later. The Member arrived in Michigan later that evening with his boat in tow. And when he reached his destination, he took his keys with him. Conclusion #3 Security experts always advise against finding a "secret" hiding place on your tow vehicle for a key. They use the logic that if you can find it, anyone with a motivation to steal your vehicle can find it. The safer way is to carry a spare in your purse or wallet. The other most common claims for Trailer Assist and Tow are as follows: Axles 8% Suspension 5% Wheels/rims 5% Stuck on the ramp 4% John Condon Asst. Manager of Dispatch Services says "BoatU.S. now has 2 different time zone dispatch centers (California and Virginia) that are able to handle your call 24/7 in time of need with access to over 40,000 tow truck companies specializing in boat trailers. Your motor club may know how to handle your truck, but your boat may be left stranded if you don't have a specialist." The Trailer Assist and Tow Benefit is in use every day by BoatU.S. Trailering Club Members. Murphy may have a law but the rest of us have BoatU.S. Facts about Trailer Assist and Tow *The tow vehicle must be pulling the trailer in order for this benefit to become operative. *This can not be used if the tow vehicle and trailer are parked on your property. *BoatU.S. covers the first $150 of the total cost of repairs. You are responsible for the difference. *When roadside assistance is required, call the 800 dispatch center. They will find the appropriate service provider to come and get you back on the road. | ||||