Routine brake/shock inspection, how?

[rvshrinker]

Trailer is 2.5 years old and has ~ 10,000 miles. How do I check brakes and shocks? WIll have a shop do it if too complicated.

[profdant139]

I'm a serious do it yourselfer for most things, but I take my trailer to my local mechanic for brakes and bearings, once a year. It does not need to be a dealer, but the mechanic should be someone familiar with trailers.

[Lynnmor]

rvshrinker wrote:


But I have a question. Why do trailer wheel bearings need replaced every 1 year or 10,000 miles, but vehicle (car, truck) wheels don’t? I’ve owned cars for 15+ years and this has never come up.

Because they have poorly designed & manufactured spindles, often run at maximum load, made in countries known for producing junk and installed by drug users. Then buyers take the mess to dealers where the grade school dropout services them.

[deltabravo]

rvshrinker wrote:
... get grease on the brakes,.

Just don't squirt grease in the zerk fitting over and over like some people do. Here's a video Showing the innards of the EZ Lube hub and spindle system

The guy I bought a big cargo trailer from wrecked the brakes by continually shooting grease in the hubs and never properly servicing the bearings.

[deltabravo]

rvshrinker wrote:
I’d rather hire a pro.

Take it to the dealer you bought it from, and have them do it.
Les Schwab Tires can probably do it as well.

[deltabravo]

rvshrinker wrote:
But I have a question. Why do trailer wheel bearings need replaced every 1 year or 10,000 miles, but vehicle (car, truck) wheels don’t? I’ve owned cars for 15+ years and this has never come up.

Cars and trucks have sealed bearings, or bearings lubed by differential oil on solid axles vehicles (like your truck's rear axle)

[Grit_dog]

They don't need replaced every year or 10k miles.

Too much time believing some of the folks on here and rv-dealers.

Like my inlaws. They were going to buy their first camper last week, made a deal on one etc.
They bailed, because they (don't know it, my FIL is or was extremely handy and mechanically inclined, but now is too old to remember how to do stuff)
were going to get ripped off by the RV dealer. Dealer wanted appox $5500 for tax/license/wdh and brake controller for a little trailer behind a Grand Cherokee.
At least they were smart enough to back out, but they did it because of the expense. They didn't know they were about to get ripped off.

[rvshrinker]

I don’t have the tools or the time and given it’s a fundamental safety system, I’d rather hire a pro. Knowing me I’ll repack the grease wrong, forget to put something back, get grease on the brakes, mismeasure something, etc., and end up in an unsafe situation. This is not worth it to me.

But I have a question. Why do trailer wheel bearings need replaced every 1 year or 10,000 miles, but vehicle (car, truck) wheels don’t? I’ve owned cars for 15+ years and this has never come up.

Yes, I have a 2018 ORV with Monroe shocks, MoRyde suspension, and ‘greasable shackle kits’, whatever that means.

[Mike134]

Lynnmor wrote:
This is just very basic mechanical work, any auto or truck repair shop should have a guy that knows what to do. The last place I would take it is a RV dealer where the rates will be higher and the quality of work probably lower. Best if you can learn to do these simple tasks yourself so that you aren't dependent on others when on a trip.

X2

[Lynnmor]

This is just very basic mechanical work, any auto or truck repair shop should have a guy that knows what to do. The last place I would take it is a RV dealer where the rates will be higher and the quality of work probably lower. Best if you can learn to do these simple tasks yourself so that you aren't dependent on others when on a trip.

[Grit_dog]

Newish RV, honestly if the brakes are working good not a dire need to have them inspected. You don’t take your car in every 10k for brake inspection.
Shocks? Most trailers don’t even have shocks so, there’s that.

If it’s above your head to remove the wheels and drums and see if they’re adjusted up and magnets not wore out or brakes greasy, then yeah go to a shop.

[deltabravo]

rvshrinker wrote:
All of this is way over my head. Take to a shop for inspection? have a 2 week trip coming up.

Where are you located in the PNW?

Most RV dealers can do it, but they might be booked out after your trip starts.

[rvshrinker]

All of this is way over my head. Take to a shop for inspection? have a 2 week trip coming up.

thank you all

[deltabravo]

goducks10 wrote:
His profile says he has an Outdoors RV TT. Shocks are part of a package along with 16" tires.
The shocks are not high quality but still should last more than 10,000 miles.

ORV was using Monroe shocks and is now using KYB Shocks.
Both are quality brands.

[goducks10]

His profile says he has an Outdoors RV TT. Shocks are part of a package along with 16" tires.
The shocks are not high quality but still should last more than 10,000 miles. Best way to check the shocks is to take them off and manually push on them. If they push real easy or even fairly easy then they're shot. You should have a hard time trying to compress them when they're good.
As for the brakes you have to remove the brake drum. Personally I wouldn't worry about the brakes after 10,000 miles. But I would be looking at doing a bearing repack after 2 years and 10,000 miles. Mainly because you don't know how well the factory packed them.
If you have the EZ lube axles and pumped in grease through them you may have blown a bearing seal which would spray grease on the brakes.
Time for a complete tear down and inspection.