Rear trailer brakes overheating

[Ole Orange]

Here is what I have and what I have done so far.

I have a 7000 lb equipment trailer with dual axels
the axels are Dexter with fairly new brakes, bearings, and new wiring.
I have tried this on a few short trips one empty, 2 loaded with my 40 hp Kubota.

I have deduced that the rear hubs are getting very hot and that it is coming from the outside of the hub not from the bearing area.
the front axels are ice cold. both axels have electric brakes wired to my brake controller.
I pulled all 4 wheel hubs and cleaned them, I have jacked each side and adjusted brakes as instructed and now have even backed off the brakes a little on the rear.
I also hooked my truck to the trailer and hooked up brakes and tested wiring, etc.
At wits end as even a short trip 10 miles or so causes them to overheat. both sides???
if I had too much weight on the rear(loaded wrong) could this cause this? although this happened unloaded as well.


ANY HELP!!!!

 

[oldballs]

It sounds like you know what you are doing. But did you "back off" the rear by turning the star wheel in the wrong direction which sounds like something that I would mistakenly do. And hang on, there are guys here who know much more than I.

 

[mikehaugen]

The loading shouldn't matter if it has leaf springs, they will have an equalizer to distribute weight evenly.

Are you sure everything moves freely? Maybe they are not releasing correctly. Jack up the trailer and spin the wheel and have someone hit the brakes in the truck then let go. The brakes should release nearly immediately and you should be able to spin the wheel easily by hand. If not then you have a problem.

 

[mikehaugen]

Just another thought, perhaps the brakes are installed backwards on that axle? I don't think the brakes release the same going forward and reverse, brake kits come as left and right. Not sure it would cause what you are describing, but it might be worth looking into.

 

[Ole Orange]

Do you know how to tell if they are correct
someone said the actuating levers should be on the front side, how about right and left how can I tell? are they marked.
Thanks for any help

Just another thought, perhaps the brakes are installed backwards on that axle? I don't think the brakes release the same going forward and reverse, brake kits come as left and right. Not sure it would cause what you are describing, but it might be worth looking into.

 

[Ole Orange]

Nope, I tightened then backed them off till I had no drag
Thanks

It sounds like you know what you are doing. But did you "back off" the rear by turning the star wheel in the wrong direction which sounds li
ke something that I would mistakenly do. And hang on, there are guys here who know much more than I.

 

[cockeyedMFer]

Are the tires wearing the same all around? Are your leaf spring pivots moving freely? I'm thinking that in the past someone overloaded the rear axle and damaged spindles, or maybe the equalizers are frozen and not allowing the front axle to take its share of the load. (also, what's the angle of the trailer when its hooked to your truck? Nose high, or level with the ground?)

Are the bearings the same between front and rear? You might try swapping either the entire drums, or just the bearing sets between front and rear. Maybe there was some sort of mismatch and the rear axle received incorrect spindles or hubs.

 

[oldballs]

The "Backing Plate" should be marked as to Left or Right....just as if you are sitting in the drivers seat looking forward, the magnet always goes on the bottom and the "arm" to the front.

 

[Ole Orange]

Are the tires wearing the same all around? Are your leaf spring pivots moving freely? I'm thinking that in the past someone overloaded the rear axle and damaged spindles, or maybe the equalizers are frozen and not allowing the front axle to take its share of the load. (also, what's the angle of the trailer when its hooked to your truck? Nose high, or level with the ground?)

Are the bearings the same between front and rear? You might try swapping either the entire drums, or just the bearing sets between front and rear. Maybe there was some sort of mismatch and the rear axle received incorrect spindles or hubs.

trailer is new to me but used, tires all seem to be worn the same.
The pivots are moving freely and go up and down.
I did not mention it but between test drives I changed hitches on my truck and it is setting level when towed and hitch change did not help.
As far a bearings go I did a road test today loaded and stopped every couple of miles and the heat build up starts on the out side of the drum so I am thing brake problem.
Thanks for the input and I will keep trying fixes.

 

[Ole Orange]

The "Backing Plate" should be marked as to Left or Right....just as if you are sitting in the drivers seat looking forward, the magnet always goes on the bottom and the "arm" to the front.

I do recall L and R on a stud on the back just not sure if they were correct.
For the life of me I can't remember those levers being front or back I will look tomorrow at the front ones and see if they match the back.
Hate to pull the hubs again but will do what I need to do
I have thoughts of cutting the wires to rears only and see what happens
Thanks