Surge brake problem

[gcarter]

with my new aluminum trailer with surge disk brakes. It won't back up. There has to be some sort of adjustment with the bias spring/surge mechanism.
Can someone explain this to me? :bawling:

[joel3078]

New surge brakes have a reverse lockout pin you have to install or a lever you have to flip when you want to backup. Have not seen this yet myself but I keep reading about it here and there on the internet. Ask your salesperson that sold you the trailer for details. If you got an owners manual with the trailer, read it.

[gold-n-rod]

Do you have a flat 5 plug? If so, you need to have your backup lights wired from the truck into the female connector. This light circuit triggers the brake release through the 5th pin on the connector. A tester will show if your backup lights are wired into the female end.

[BUIZILLA]

Do you have a flat 5 plug? If so, you need to have your backup lights wired from the truck into the female connector. This light circuit triggers the brake release through the 5th pin on the connector. A tester will show if your backup lights are wired into the female end.that will only work if he has a backup solenoid...some surge systems do not have this solenoid, and a pin must be used.

JH

[catch 22]

Do you have a flat 5 plug? If so, you need to have your backup lights wired from the truck into the female connector. This light circuit triggers the brake release through the 5th pin on the connector. A tester will show if your backup lights are wired into the female end.
George, This is the way mine is set up.

[RickSE]

My trailer has the solenoid but came with a 4-wire plug; the reverse wire was seperate and tucked up in the wire protector. Until I figured this out I stuck a bolt in the brake cylinder slide to kill the brakes for backing up.

[gcarter]

and the Explorers plug is only four pin. So I will wire in a jumper and tie it to the existing wires. At this point I don't feel like re-wiring the wiring harness of two vehicles. It was a frustrating experience. :bawling:
You know with all the discussion of trailers on this site (and I read them all), I don't think I remember any discussion of this particular subject. :bonk:

[gcarter]

The brand of trailer I obtained was also purchased by another board member, who warned me not to get one because of excessive tire wear he experienced. I couldn't pass up this deal because it was something I bartered for.
The first thing I did was to set an appointment at the front end shop that deoes all my truck work. The good news is that the trailer was built very precisely. As far as the positioning of the axles on the frame, it is exactly right. But, the toe measurements on the Torsion axles themselves are barely within the Torsion axle specs (1/4" front to rear of the tire). The front end shop wants to reduce it to less than 1/8".
We reached a compromise, instead of removing th fore and aft crossmembers, fenders, wiring, etc to be able to bend the axles now, we will wait till I get back from Kentucky and read the tire wear. At that point we will make a decision as what to do.

[BUIZILLA]

GC, 2 things

1) your coupler is already set to use a pin which goes in the holes directly behind the latch arm. Use the same style pin as you would for the hitch insert
2) under your Exploder is a connector that the 4 wire harness plugs into... go to your local Ford store (Key Scales Ford, I bought my 1999 dually from them) and get the 5 wire flat harness that plugs into the factory underchassis connector for the trailer wiring. Very simple plug n play. I had a 1997 Exploder and that's exactly what I did, it was less than $10 at the time. Every Exploder is set up that way, trailer package or not.

JH

[gcarter]

I really appreciate everyones help but, can someone tell me about the bearing protectors on the hubs (second picture) it consists of a rubber diaphram type type thingie. How do I add grease? :confused:

[gcarter]

You will just have to get a wire and connector and tap into your reverse lights circuit then.. Not a big deal :) :)

Single or dual axle brakes??
Single

[gcarter]

Pop the rubber cap off. EZ lube axle,there is a grease fitting under the cap...
Thanks Scott.

[BUIZILLA]

GC, you pop out the little rubber thingies and the zerk fitting is visible on the end of the axle. My suggestion is to call the trailer builder and find out what grease they used when they built it...don't mix grease brands, especially don't mix synthetic with soap or petro based greases.

if the trailer is where I think it's from, it's prolly the absolute cheapest Kmart or WalMart grease.

JH

[RickR]

gcarter
When renewing grease in posilube hubs I jack the wheel off the ground and rotate while adding grease. Gets more of the old grease out.

It's best not to fill the cap completely, you need room for expansion.

[2biguns]

The trailer for our Z-29 (still for sale, by the way) has the solenoid for backing. In a tight, you can always turn a 4 pin plug on your truck sideways and plug the 5th pin of the trailer (reverse connection) into the parking lamp pin on the truck and turn on the parking lamps. This will activate the solenoid long enough to back where you're going.

Learned this the hard way when trying to back the boat up a gravel drive. After digging holes with all 4 tires on my F-250, I knew something was wrong and figured out the deal on the reverse.

[DJ13]

It looks like my Loadmaster sans disc brakes and torsion axles. I've been wondering if it's worth converting my recently replaced drum brakes to the torsion/disc setup. I like the aluminum I-beam design but the damn thing floats! That's the only beef I have with it. I feel like an idiot at the launch with a floating trailer. Lowered my air pressure in the tires, must be the bunkers and I need to add ballast! Never experienced a backing up problem though.

[gcarter]

Catch 22's trailer floated after he put on aluminum wheels. He fixed that by adding disk brakes. No more floating! :) :yippie:

[DJ13]

Catch 22's trailer floated after he put on aluminum wheels. He fixed that by adding disk brakes. No more floating! :) :yippie:

Well that explains it! I had aluminum wheels put on when I had the drum brakes replaced. Mystery solved. There are so many things I'd like to replace on my trailer...I'm wondering if I shouldn't just get a new one with disc brakes and torsion axles. At least it wouldn't float! :redface: