Disc brake pad failure.

D

Danjenni

New member
When we got our 22 Cruiser it had drum brakes on a Road Runner trailer that of course were inoperable. The first upgrade to that trailer was new 14 inch wheels with new tires and then installed new disc brakes. They were Kodiak brakes with Dacromet coating designed for marine use. While checking the bearings about a year later I discovered that one of the pads had come off the backing/mounting plate. (Oddly enough I had found a intact , hardly worn, brake pad on the street in front of the house a month or so earlier. Yep, it was off my trailer.) I replaced that pad with a new shoe in the offending location with the replacement parts specified in the brake owners manual. 1990s Skylark. Since then I have found that all the other wheels have thrown at least 1 brake pad. What is the likely cause? None of the wheels have shown any sign of bearing wear and are all running smoothly. My usual launch site is a 34 mile round trip from home. I have done it appropriately 50 times on these brakes. Anybody else seen similar problems? I always rinse trailer with salt away when I pull it out of the Puget Sound. Is that a no no?
 
I have experienced the same thing. A few years ago I had a local shop replace the brake calipers and pads because I was recovering from some surgery. When I recently serviced the bearings I found that a pad was missing. when I inspected the other pads I found a couple more that separated by merely banging on them. It was obvious that they were de laminating due to corrosion. I rinse mine with fresh water after every launch, but corrosion happens anyways. I am not sure what type of pads the shop that replaced them used, but I suspect that they were not stainless steel backings. I replaced them with the Stainless variety with hopes that they will last longer, but I will be keeping a close eye on them.
 
When putting new brakes on one of my trailers, I found defective holding brackets on some calipers. I did have them replaced by the vender. These are manufactured in China, and unfortunately there can be errors in casting and machining. So, double check to be sure that the pads are holding secure when you replace them.
 
Trailers suck. I love them and hate them. Running them in salt just exacerbates the problems. I don't think you'll ever get rid of the corrosion problem, but I thoroughly check everything on mine each year as there is always a rusted something, a bearing needing repacked, or a stuck brake. I suspect what is actually happening is your brake pad rusts itself to the disc and then separates from it's backing when you try to pull it somewhere, but that was just a theory we had when I worked in the RV industry forever ago. The heat cycle they go through isn't pretty either. It's a good idea to spray everything down as you said. And, I'd take everything apart each season to make sure it hasn't all glued itself together and lube as needed. I dread doing it, but it's something that has to be done.
 
Thanks for all your responses. I guess i will just keep on doing what I have been doing, just be checking more often. Thankful that there was no rotor damage.
 
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