Boat Trailer Brakes

[joeduke]

Trailer Brakes!! where will I start? every time I try to move the trailer after its been in sea water the brakes stick and I have to drive forwards and backwards few times to free them up. This is not good for the damper, the trailer will move perfectly after its freed and can be left for weeks and still no problem, so its the salt water making the brakes stick, I have tried flushing them with fresh water after use but its still the same, driving through a river is not an option so any ideas...

[JimC]

The worst thing is that one of these days you'll pull the linings off your shoes.
I take it you are not leaving the handbrake on? If not you should also look at how you park the trailer. Make sure the brakes are disengaged after you unhitch - a slight move forward after unhitching.

[MAC]

As Jim mentioned, don't use the handbrake. Chock the wheels.

Kev

[Peter Kinsella]

Do not leave handbrake on. Hose down the hubs / drums. Also, if you reverse the boat into the parking position, pull it forwards a little before unhitching.
Should the shoes be bound 'on', a smart tap with a lump hammer on the wheels will often solve the problem. That's my experience, anyway.

[MAC]

It is amazing how quickly the pads can bind... Fishing in Kerry a couple of years ago a buddy put the handbrake on before we choked the wheels.... He forgot to take it off and in the morning I was tapping both hubs with a hammer as Peter mentioned.... No damage done, but I would not advise rocking the boat to hard to relase the brakes. As Jim mentioned, you are likely to pull the pads off the shoes.

Let us know how you get on.

Kevin

[hugo]

I even had the brakes bind on me when the lever was off! Trailer was parked out in the open over a week or two of torrential rain and i guess something eventually rusted up. As said above, lump hammer to the rescue....

I never use the parking brake at all now, it never worked when the pads were wet - ie just when you need it, coming up the slip out of the water. Good chocks are less hassle.

[seamus b]

have same problem is it a snipe trailer tryed everthing