Fabrication of Trailer Brake Fresh Water Rinse System

colbysmith

colbysmith

Active member
Something I've wanted for a while is some kind of fresh water rinse system for my trailer brakes. I didn't like the products I saw on the market, nor their price, so finally came up with a fabrication that looks like it should work. I found some agriculture spray tips and associated hardware/plumbing at our local Farm and Fleet store. I chose to use 1/2" ID hose, stepped down to 3/8" ID hose for each side of the trailer. Below is a photo of all the associated hardware for this fabrication. I don't believe I spent more than $42 for this hardware. (Does not include the cost of brakes! Those are about $35-40 each) Colby


01_Parts.jpg
 
Next step was drilling the holes in the brake backing plates to accept the rinse hardware. The first photo shows just the holes, the second photo shows the hardware inserted on the back of the brake backing plates, the third photo shows the inside of the brakes. And the last photo just shows the brake installed on the axle.

02_Hole_drilled_in_Brake_backing_plate.jpg
The new hole as seen from both sides of the Brake backing plate.


03_Backside_of_Plate_with_fitting.jpg
View from the back side of the brake.

04_RH_Brake_Inside_with_spraytip.jpg
View inside the brake. The spray tip is on the left side of the brake in this photo.

05_RH_Brake_installed.jpg
Here the brake is installed on the axle. Again the spray tip is on the left side of the brake in the photo.

06_LH_Brake_Installed.jpg
This is a brake on the left side of the trailer. Spray tip is on the right side of the brake in the photo.
 
After drilling the holes, installing the hardware, and installing the finished brakes onto the axles, the next step was running the hosing to supply the fresh water. The garden hose attachment goes into 1/2" ID line. That line is then "Tee'd" off to some more 1/2" line to go to both sides of the trailer. The line is then stepped down to 3/8" on each side of the trailer to go to the individual wheels. In my case, since I have the garden hose attachment towards the front of the axles, I have a "T" in the two front wheels where the respective 3/8" line attaches, and then another 3/8" line goes from the back of the T to the back axle's brake rinse fitting. The fittings in the brake backing plates are barbed fittings that have a threaded end fitted into the brake backing plate that the spray tip and nut fit on to. The fitting in the brake backing plate is held in place with a nut on it. That can be seen closer in the earlier photos. The next two photos are just the hosing under the trailer.


07_Plumbing_under_trailer.jpg

08_Plumbing_under_trailer.jpg
 
Hook a garden hose up, and we have a brake fresh water rinse system. It'll be next spring before I get a chance to try it out with the hubs back on and won't really know how well it works until I pull the hubs again.

09_FreshWaterRinse.jpg

10_FreshWaterRinse.jpg
 
Nicely done...on the "to do list". I was thinking that black polymer landscape sprinkler stuff.
Click to expand...

That was my initial plans, but I couldn't find the parts locally. (I have used those small landscape spray tips on a small sprayer I use on my little tractor). When I looked at Farm and Fleet, they had the more sturdy agricultural stuff, which looked perfect to use for this project. There were various tips available, but the ones I bought appeared to "flood" the most. After taking the photos, I did adjust the spray direction a bit more. There were some areas the spray did not hit with the hubs off, but I suspect with the hubs on, the spray will be reflected pretty much everywhere inside the brake drum. Colby
 
After dunking or rinsing brakes care should be taken as they will not be working at their optimum until they have dried out. Getting them heated up a bit before going too far on the road will help.

Regards, Rob
 
How wll you rinse at the ramp? Most ramps do not have water the few that do do not have a hose with both ends. They are always cut off. I was thinking a pressure tank on the truck? Or maybe installed on the tongue of the trailer?
 
If I had to, I could just throw a small agricultural tank and pump system I have into my pickup. However, seems there has always been fresh water access nearby to where I've launched. And if not, usually within an hour's drive. I could always use my potable water hose I carry in the boat as a last resort. Even a hose with a cut off end can be held to my rinse system's fitting to get water into it, although it might get a little messy with too much pressure. :mrgreen: In any case, I definitely wouldn't want to add any more weight to my trailer by mounting a water tank on it. Colby
 
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