TT WHEEL VERY HOT

PITBOX · 08-30-2009, 11:46 AM

1979 17.5 2 AXLE SUNLINE.TOOK HER OUT FOR A RIDE TODAY(GETTING READY FOR A TRIP IN 2 WEEKS).ONLY WENT ABOUT 5 MILES AND PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT TO CHECK THINGS OUT,AND SMELLED A WEIRD BURNING SMELL.SNIFFED AROUND THE WHEELS AND FOUND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL TO BE EXTREMELY HOT.

UNPLUGGED THE 7 WAY,DROVE BACK HOME,PULLED THE GREASE CUP OFFF,BUT DIDN'T GET MUCH FURTHER,AS THE WHEEL IS STILL TOO HOT TO WORK AT THIS TIME.
ANY IDEAS WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET ME STARTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THANKS,,,
BILL.

Steve Collins · 08-30-2009, 12:54 PM

Bill,

Has to be either bearings or brakes.

If it's bearings, you'll need to completely disassemble the hub and inspect both the inner and outer bearings. If they are dry and/or roughed up, that's a problem. Inspect the hub's two bearing seats to see if they are damaged. Usually, you can fry the bearings without damaging the hubs if you catch it in time. It's also possible to damage the axle spindle.

If it's brakes, it could be a stuck shoe or badly misadjusted shoes. Also, if the magnet didn't release properly, it could have rubbed against the drum. Only way to tell for sure is to open it up and look at things.

Even if the bearings are OK and the cause was in the brakes, you'll want to completely clean and repack the bearings. The high temps of the situation will affect the grease, and not in a good way. If you repack the bearings, replace all the seals, too. They're cheap and easy to replace.

If you have a problem with one wheel, it's certain that the other three will need to be looked, too. For example, if you haven't repacked the bearings in a while, and one of the wheels develops bearing problems due to not enough grease, it follows that the other three are likely in the same condition. Same for a brake problem. Whatever happens in one wheel may well occur in another.

Even if you don't have Dexter axles, go to dexteraxle.com, click on Products and Literature, go to the Trailer Axles (Service Information) box, pick the very first dropdown 600-8K Capacities and then select Complete Service Manual. Download and save it. That manual contains everything you'd likely need to know to service and maintain your axles and brakes regardless of manufacturer.

If you have the original manual for the TT, it may contain a build sheet that gives the brand and model number of the axles. That's very helpful info. When I bought my '99, they only used Dexters. Newer rigs have Alko's and other brands. If memory serves, they may have used exclusively Dexter's on units older than mine.

The really good news is that repair parts are readily available. Replacement bearings and seals are stock items at RV shops and trailer shops. Many auto parts stores carry them, too.

Don't buy cheap grease. The best quality high-temp grease is only pennies more.

A trailer of that age needs the brakes and bearings looked over annually. More often if it gets a lot of mileage each year.

There are also a number of discussion threads on axle and brake maintenance here. These topics have been thoroughly discussed. Look back and read them over.

EMD_Driver · 08-30-2009, 12:55 PM

Another thing to check, is the brakes on that wheel. If there's a problem with them, it would cause the wheel to get very hot too.

When we got the 320, I pulled over and checked the wheels on it. I was checking to make sure all four brakes were working. I had two wheels that were warmer than the other two, so I know I need to adjust them.

I had been waiting, to ask JohnB or some of the other knowledgeable people on here how to do it....

BTW: If the brake shoes are stuck, you may have a problem getting the drum off.

Gary

henryj · 08-30-2009, 12:59 PM

Bill, only a dragging brake or a seized bearing can cause a wheel to heat up like yours. Be prepared to replace some parts for sure.

Here are two links to other members' similar experiences.

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/ph...pic.php?t=2863

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/ph...pic.php?t=1017

Hope this helps.

Henry

Steve Collins · 08-30-2009, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMD_Driver

Another thing to check, is the brakes on that wheel. If there's a problem with them, it would cause the wheel to get very hot too.

When we got the 320, I pulled over and checked the wheels on it. I was checking to make sure all four brakes were working. I had two wheels that were warmer than the other two, so I know I need to adjust them.

I had been waiting, to ask JohnB or some of the other knowledgeable people on here how to do it....

BTW: If the brake shoes are stuck, you may have a problem getting the drum off.

Gary

Gary, the brakes on our TT's are mostly the old fashioned drums and shoes. Very few of them are self-adjusters and there's not many disc brakes either. So it's dig out the old rusty brake adjuster tool, pry off the dust cap on the back of the brakes, and spin the old star wheel.

Specific brake adjustment procedures are in the dexter axle manual I mentioned in my last post.

Helpful hint: When doing an annual bearing re-pack, also do the brake maintenance recommended in the dexter manual. Basically you'll be oiling or lightly greasing several locations in the brake mechanism. I like to make sure the star wheel is properly oiled and easy to turn. If it is rusty and/or packed with dirt, it's hard to spin with the adjuster tool.

Galaxiedriver · 08-30-2009, 03:06 PM

There is another potential cause.

If the brake shoes wear and are not adjusted, the adjusting spacer, the little rod containing the star wheel can fall out allowing the whole brake system to fall apart and self destruct all the drum contents.

That happened to us once. When we stopped the pretty white wheel paint was scorched brown and the plastic lug nut covers had all melted off. I thought it was a bearing until I pulled the drum off and saw all the destruction. Had to replace the drum and everything in it.

To get home, I took all the junk out of that drum and disconnected the brake wire to that wheel and the opposite one. We came home with brakes on two wheels. We drove very safely and slowly.

I now adjust my brakes every 1K miles and inspect them every spring.

I forgot to say we were on a bumpy interstate in Nebraska and when we came down the off ramp at Grand Island I could hear the wheel squeeling like a banshee.

PITBOX · 08-30-2009, 03:27 PM

Whew,you guys certainly are thorough!I jacked the TT up,PRIED the drum off,and inspected everything.
The drum was indeed dragging,I adjusted the star wheel,did some lubrication,reinstalled drum and wheel,and now its raining,drat!!!!!
Wheel seems to spin more freely than it did before,that's a plus.The wheel magnet looks to be fine.I need to read up some more on electric brakes I believe!
Heading to New Hampshire in 2 weeks for a Nascar race,and this brake problem is the last in a long line of repairs to this neat little Sunline and I just want it to be right.
Thank you for all the input,and will effect more repairs when the rain stops.
Bill

**JohnB** · 08-30-2009, 08:44 PM

Hi Bill

I see you are in good hands. See this link of mine.

Annual Brake Inspection and Axle Re - Lube (Pic's)

One of these days I will post that over here plus add in the 12 x 2 larger brakes and the new Dexter foward self adjusting brakes.

In the end of my post on the 1st page it talks about getting all 4 brakes close to equal in adjustment. If not, then the wheel that is tighter will be doing more stopping and it will heat fast to over 200F.

Good luck, let us know how it goes and come back if you need more help. We have several here in the club that have been thru this before.

Thanks

John

Steve Collins · 08-30-2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

Annual Brake Inspection and Axle Re - Lube (Pic's)

Great discussion thread!!!!!! Lots of good info, tips, and tricks in there. That thread plus the Dexter manual cover just about any possible question one might have about bearing and brake maintenance.

I will have to remember the ziplock bag method of packing the bearings as it sounds like it might eliminate a lot of the mess of hand packing.

PITBOX · 08-31-2009, 04:34 PM

Upon further investigation I found the top yellow return spring was broken,therefore adding to my misery!

A quick fix with a new spring and off I went.Came back and pulled the other side wheels off,replaced both bearings on both axles,cleaned and adjusted brakes and off I went again.No problems this time,but I am curious as too how much heat is acceptable coming off the brakes.

When my problems started,I could not touch the drum(too hot).Now,the wheel is as warm as it would be with the sun beating on it.Does this sound strange,or is it me?
Thanks,
Bill.

Galaxiedriver · 08-31-2009, 05:39 PM

I touch my drums nearly every time I stop. They are usually very warm, about like you described.

Any time you use the brakes, the drums heat up and it takes a while for them to cool.

In May we drove from Durango to Ouray Colorado. Coming down the mountains into Ouray my TV brakes smelled hot so I geared way down. When we got to the bottom and stopped in Ouray I could not touch the TT brakes.

Durango to Ouray, a beautiful drive but a real test of TV and TT both stopping and going.

**JohnB** · 08-31-2009, 09:07 PM

Here are some generic rules of thumb on touch heat.

80F Can touch, feels like room temperature.

100F Can touch feels warm. Sun heat may be in this range.

120F Very warm, you are not going to hang on long.

130F Getting hot. Fingers going to move away quick

140F Hot. One touch and that’s it.

160F, Very hot to touch, You may have just left a finger print on there.

180 to 200F. Don’t touch it. Feel for radiant heat. Burn big time bad.

300F Grease is now getting in trouble, can even change consistency and ooze, smell

600F. Dexter bonding of shoe to metal can start to come loose. (Dexter just told me that 2 weeks ago when I called for another reason.)

Normal stopping (highway to rest stop) the drum OD can be in the 100 to 120 range.

City stop and go with lots of stops, the drum OD can get up in the 180 to 200 range. That is pure brake heat.

I brake tighter then the rest, it does a lot more stopping then the others can get in the 200 range quick.

Glad you found the problems and thanks for reporting back in.

John