stacker trailer

[Joe Camper]

What is the reasonable service interval for packing wheel bearings on trailers with 2 5000lb axles. This would be most car trailers.

10,000 miles? 20,000miles??

[BadFitter]

Dexter EZ Lube Axles makes life simple. I did ours annually along with adjusting the electric brakes.

[Joe Camper]

Ez lube axles can make a mess i would prefer keeping them as they r. How r electric brakes adjusted Les?

[JCarrollJr]

I pull a 2008 model King Cobra 24 ft. stacker and love it. It goes almost every time the bus goes. The empty weight is 4680 with a 14,000 lb. GVW. It has no floor level cabinets so I have a full 24ft. of floor length. I built a loft in front of the elevator lift. I can carry two motorcycles, or one motorcycle and a golf cart, and a Jeep Cherokee Sport on the lower level and an E-Type Jag and one or two motorcycles on the upper level. I use a pintle hook type hitch. I wouldn't under any circumstances use a ball type. Obviously, when you hit the mountains pulling a load, even a toad, you're going to pay a price but under my normal towing conditions, in the Southeast, I never know the trailer is there except that it does get into the fuel mileage somewhat. It has brakes on all three axles and I can stop it and the bus together in less distance than I can stop the bus alone. I've been towing trailers all of my driving life and this is maybe the best overall handling rig that I've ever had.
Once again, just my two cents worth.

[Joe Camper]

How r electric trailer brakes adjusted? They r not auto adjusted?

[truxton]

On the back plate or inside of the brake assembly plate is a star wheel that you need a brake spoon to turn the star to expand the brake assembly so the brake pads are closer to the drums.

You can buy new bolt on brake assemblys with self adjusters for a 100 dollars an axle.

You can use a screwdriver in a pinch to turn that star if you had to. This is all related to Dexter axles but probably the same on most electric brakes. All you will see when your looking for the star is a few of the teeth, the adjusting star wheel is about the size of a quarter. There might be a black rubber oblong plug covering the star wheel.

Later
bv

[Joe Camper]

Thanks Bernie I am amazed they aren't all auto adjusting decades ago. Whats your opinion on bearng service intervals.

[truxton]

Once a year or 20k miles. More important is to just take the drums off to check the brake plates. Springs are known to break or loosen and they can come apart from bumpy roads and push out the pads and lock up the brakes.

It happened to me many moons ago, that's when I changed my old trl to auto adjust.

Yes the star adjust is very primitive.

Larer
bv

[Joe Camper]

Many trailer owners I enquired with either didnt know or never did it yet. Newer vehicles with the sealed hub assemblies they go a long way whats the difference? They spindle nuts r set in a more exact way. That's it. So if they r set right????

I think i need to get some spares before too many miles get racked up. Some bearings and some return springs maybe. Its got about another 3500 miles to go before ill get to it. Pulling a trailer like this is new to me. Question, would it be unnecessary to carry a spare set of drums and shoes for 1 axle? that dont take up a great deal of space. One of those deals where if I got it il never need them, right?

I'll inspect the brakes anually prob get auto adjusters and if there is no jiggle on the hub run it another year and do it again. Ill install a new set of bearings and races every 100000 weather they need it or not.

Thanks everyone