Brake washdown kits, do they make a difference?

Status
Not open for further replies.
caguy

caguy

.
Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
I have put a lot of work and money into replacing the brakes and backing plates and would like to keep them in good condition. I am primarily launching in salt water.
While surfing for parts I came across a boat brake wash system that runs fresh water through the brakes to rinse them off.
Has anyone here installed or used one of these systems? Did they make a difference in preserving your brakes?
http://www.championtrailers.com/brkparts.html
Before After
 

Attachments

Sumner

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Frank the new brakes look good. I think if I was launching in and out of salt water on a regular basis I'd try the wash down kit or make one. I can't see where they would be bad.

Just curious about one thing. Since you were putting money into the old brakes did you consider switching over to disc brakes? That is something else I would want if going in and out of salt water or any water for that matter. I'm in the process right now of adding a second axle with the discs.

c ya and post boat pictures as you work on it also,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links
 
caguy

caguy

.
Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
Sum, since I got these sets for $30 a piece converting to disc would have been too expensive. There are also load limits to disc brakes from what I understand. This boat and trailer weigh in close to 9k.
 
Sumner

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
caguy said:
Sum, since I got these sets for $30 a piece converting to disc would have been too expensive...
Click to expand
Yep the discs would of been more than that :). Do you have any idea when you will be putting the boat in the water? I'm pretty intrigued by the design and I'm interested in how you like it. Looks like it might have a lot of possibilities.

c ya,

Sum
 
sailingdog

sailingdog

.
Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
Damn, that's a heavy trailer. I hope it is a tandem axle and has brakes on all the wheels.
 
caguy

caguy

.
Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
Sail, its a 3 axle trailer with brakes on all three.
Finding parts like the hub seals is a real pita. Even with the National part #, I would have to buy a hundred of them. Its a special order and they can't tell me what vendors they've sold some to.
The guy at S&L Brake is certain he can match one up to the old one. I'll mic the spindle and see what fits. I figure about .005 under should do it.
I've got Pacific Trailers working on it too. They feature a dozen seals some differing by only .003''.
Sum I'll be launching out of MDR as usual. The ramp is about 6:1. I figure I may need a 12' extension. The trailer already has a 10' tongue.
Sum, I got to sail on a Catalina 27 this weekend, like the one I'm picking up in PA, what a sweet ride. It points way better that my Mac. Feels heavy but got her momentarilly up to 7.0 kts in a 15 mph wind.
 
P

PeteK

.
Nov 3, 2008
30
Clipper CM4/c Nordland, WA
I installed brake wash plumbing on my two axle, four drum brake, trailer 8 years ago when I replace the brakes. Everything including the lines were gone 'cause the PO didn't wash 'em I guess.

Anyway, when I pull the drums for inspection and re-pack each year they still look great! Not new of course but not rusty either.

Pete
 
timebandit

timebandit

.
Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
Ya got a PM


Finding parts like the hub seals is a real pita. Even with the National part #, I would have to buy a hundred of them. Its a special order and they can't tell me what vendors they've sold some to.
The guy at S&L Brake is certain he can match one up to the old one. I'll mic the spindle and see what fits. I figure about .005 under should do it.
I've got Pacific Trailers working on it too. They feature a dozen seals some differing by only .003''.
 
timebandit

timebandit

.
Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
I was think of making a compleat wash down system using that plastic watering tubing and spray heads to wash down the trailer and all. I could use brake line clipe to hold it in place. It would save alot of time and be dryer on cold windy days.
 
caguy

caguy

.
Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
timebandit said:
I was think of making a complete wash down system using that plastic watering tubing and spray heads to wash down the trailer and all. I could use brake line clip to hold it in place. It would save a lot of time and be dryer on cold windy days.
Click to expand
That's not a bad idea. Flushing out the inside of the square tubing on the trailer automatically would be nice too. The tongue on my trailer completely rotted out. It looked ok from the outside except for a small hole. When I started picking at it with a screw driver I didn't finish untill all that was left were the corners of the tubing. It had rotted from the inside out because the inside never got rinsed.
The wash stations at MDR are really lousy. They changed the timer now so they only take 1 quarter at a time. Supposed to give you 1 minute but I've timed it at 40 seconds.
I have a 2500 psi washer that I was going to hook up to a 30 gallon tank. That will give me about 12 min of constant spray, and should last 20 mins intermittently.
 
timebandit

timebandit

.
Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
i was thinking that if I ran the trailer by the rack both in and out it wouldn't take but a short time to rinse the the trailer inside and out since the saltwater would not have time to dry.

Maybe aim some nozzles up inside keel slot too.
 
dscribner

dscribner

.
Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
Brake washdown kit

They sound like a good idea. I looked them up and found one for $23 plus shipping. I don't get it though. Where does the water go to? Is it sprayed into the drum some how? Al I saw was some clear tubing, a hose bib, a plastice tee and a couple of straight fittings, presumably nozzles. There was some extraneous hardware too. So . . . where does the water go? Right now, I spray the drums as best as I can reach them, from behind and through the wheel.
 
caguy

caguy

.
Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
dscribner said:
They sound like a good idea. I looked them up and found one for $23 plus shipping. I don't get it though. Where does the water go to? Is it sprayed into the drum some how? Al I saw was some clear tubing, a hose bib, a plastice tee and a couple of straight fittings, presumably nozzles. There was some extraneous hardware too. So . . . where does the water go? Right now, I spray the drums as best as I can reach them, from behind and through the wheel.
Click to expand
I am assuming that you have to drill a hole through the backing plates.
 
P

PeteK

.
Nov 3, 2008
30
Clipper CM4/c Nordland, WA
Most drum brake backing plates that I've seen have an 'extra' hole. The wash down kits are designed to go in that hole.

You need to pull off the drums to attach the retainer for the spray fitting.

I ran mine up to the tongue, one hose for the right and one for the left (two axle trailer). Each hose has a female hose couple on it.

Salt-A-Way is always run thru the system (never rinse!) for about a minute each side. Then the whole trailer, including all the tubes, is washed with SAW. Then the boat.

So far so good!

Pete
 
Sumner

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
PeteK said:
...........Salt-A-Way is always run thru the system (never rinse!) for about a minute each side. Then the whole trailer, including all the tubes, is washed with SAW. Then the boat........So far so good!
....Pete
Click to expand
Sounds like you like the Salt-A-Way :). I race on the salt flats and some of the guys use it on their trailers and tow vehicles that go out on the salt, but I haven't tried it.

Do you use as per the instructions? Any other suggestions on using it?

Thanks,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links
 
P

PeteK

.
Nov 3, 2008
30
Clipper CM4/c Nordland, WA
Nothing special, just use it per instructions.

I started using it about 8 years ago in my power boat after replacing the exhaust manifold and generally overhauling the engine. PO took reasonable care of it but what the heck.

I had been told by others that SAW actually built up a corrosion resistant 'coating' (?) after a half dozen uses. Yeah right, says I.

8 years later that manifold only looks about 6 months old in the raw water passages!

And the trailer brakes about the same.

Now, I'm a believer!!

Pete
 
P

PeteK

.
Nov 3, 2008
30
Clipper CM4/c Nordland, WA
SAW works on everything. Folks around here keep spray bottles of it on their boats to spray down fishing reels, downriggers and just about everything else. Works well on dock lines also.

As for aluminum, when you're making things from aluminum use 5086 alloy. That's what the boat builders use. No paint needed. We're talkin' 160' pilot boats here.

Pete
 
Sumner

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
PeteK said:
......use 5086 alloy..Pete
Click to expand
Thanks Pete! On the 5086 I'd like to, but use what I can find here in the middle of nowhere or at scrap yards and such. I'll see if I can find the 5086 on line as I have some more items to build,

Sum
 
P

PeteK

.
Nov 3, 2008
30
Clipper CM4/c Nordland, WA
Well, I guess there aren't too many boat builders where you are.:D We have two or three'
here locally and more over on the Seattle side. Scraps aren't too hard to come by at times.

Happy building!!

Pete
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom