No Brakes No Help.

[jbeliveau]

On my way from Minnesota to Ca.Blew out a tire in Nebraska so replaced all four.They told me my pads were wore out on the disk brakes.I have been trying to find new ones and someone to replace them from there to the Utah border with no luck(even called the new Suites Dealer in Salt Lake who told me to call Camping World.So will limp the rest of the way with no trailer brakes.i will be trading this off as soon as i can for a different brand.
Jut had to vent.Thanks :evil:

[wingnut60]

If they are Kodiak, call them--they are said to be very responsive.
Joe

[jbeliveau]

i thought they were Dexter?

[Walt]

If you're going over the Sierra mountains into CA you better have good trailer brakes!

[netjam]

Went from Ontario to Knoxville, TN without brakes on our 07 Elite when the actuator let go. Not pleasant but it is doable. Just take it easy. Not sure what kind of pads we had but had them replaced without any problem at an RV dealer I was passing. It wasn't cheap (over $1000) but the rv place didn't seem to have a problem getting pads.

[David Schwertner]

As posted before, the kodiak brake pads come with a life time warranty.
Enclosed is the information that I got from Kodiak out of Ft.Worth,Tx.

[wingnut60]

Whether Dexter or Kodiak, a call to the Mfg will get the number of the pads/rotors/calipers to make repairs--make sense? Do you have any literature on the brakes in your owners papers?
Joe

[porkchop]

That sounds strange. I can easily find 12+ places between Omaha and Cheyenne that have and will install brake pads on a trailer.

Bill

[jbeliveau]

And how did you find those places?I called every rv dealer on the way and nothing.How about Nevada?Any places there?We are in Alco headed for Reno

[netjam]

Not sure where in Nevada but I had good success getting my Elite Suite repaired at Johnny Walker RV in Vegas. (not brakes but hydraulics and slides). The brake pads were done in London, Ontario at Can-Am. The J Walker guys appeared to be able to handle anything.
Edit: on re-read I see you are north in Nevada. Disregard this response.

[wingnut60]

You probably don't need an RV dealer if you know who makes the brakes and can get some part numbers from DRV.
Joe

[rvguy2]

On my way from Minnesota to Ca.Blew out a tire in Nebraska so replaced all four.They told me my pads were wore out on the disk brakes.I have been trying to find new ones and someone to replace them from there to the Utah border with no luck(even called the new Suites Dealer in Salt Lake who told me to call Camping World.So will limp the rest of the way with no trailer brakes.i will be trading this off as soon as i can for a different brand.
Jut had to vent.Thanks :evil:

quit moaning and blaming the manufacture because you dont check out your brakes BEFORE you hit the road on your huge long trip. Pre plan next time.

[billr]

A few things in this thread really bothers me. One, that someone is "Limping" along with NO brakes a great distance. Not knowing that they are bad or weak is one thing but knowingly going on and on without brakes on a heavy trailer on any roads is just plain negligent. In the event of an emergency stop, you will not! Unless you are towing with a very large truck.....OP never mentions what TV is used.

I can imagine what an accident investigator would do when they discover the brakes are in poor condition or failed from lack of inspection, testing or plain maintenance.

Second thing was another poster's comments that they towed through a trip with no brakes and recommended basically "Just take it easy and you will be OK" (not the direct quote) is plain hogwash.

We all have to take responsibility for our units and maintain them properly. Even if there is a failure that is premature, or a fault of DRV, component mfg etc. Don't take these risks for yourself and also those around you on the road.

Get off the road and get the parts sent to you and fix it. What ever it takes. Is this risk worth keeping a travel schedule? Really??

I think plenty of folks have answered how to find the parts, contact Kodiak and DRV etc. I truly hope you are able to get the parts and continue your trip safely.

OK, my 2 cents. FWIW.

[jbeliveau]

Nothing like kicking someone when their down.Hope you feel better.

[Stripit]

Nothing like kicking someone when their down.Hope you feel better.

Sorry Bill is 100% correct. This is not a convenience issue like the awning is broken and won't go out, this is a major safety issue that could effect not only the rv owner and his family, but the other families on the road. Your talking a rolling bullet with little control of where it might go without braking power needed to stop it. That is my 2 cents worth.

[wingnut60]

jbeliveau,
Have you even determined what brand of brakes are on your trailer? Do you know if only the pads are worn, or that the pistons aren't applying the brakes?
From other threads with hydraulic disc brake problems, if you pull it long enough like it is, you will trash the entire system and it will probably disable you somewhere on the road at the worst possible time/place.
Your call--pay them now or pay them later.
Joe

[billr]

Nothing like kicking someone when their down.Hope you feel better.

Nope, not at all actually. I avoided saying anything for a while, thought that even if it wakes one person up to not do this then its worth it.

Sorry to hear you took it as kicking you while you were down. I would hope you would see it as possibly saving your life or someone else.

We all can understand what its like to have issues while on a trip, maybe even a trip of a lifetime. It can be very disappointing to be delayed, adding cost etc. But being safe is worth it. Period.

Let hope you can get your parts and brake issues sorted and enjoy the rest of your trip. I do mean that!

Bill

[Motor31]

Driving a rig like that is not a matter of convenience it's a matter of negligence and would be viewed that way in court should something happen in route to the destination. Knowingly operating a vehicle in that condition would easily fit that situation. It is far far different than driving a vehicle with a light out. Even if you have a vehicle that is equal to the weight of the trailer, like I do, you are still not likely to be able to stop in time and should you brake hard enough likely to jacknife the rig and lose total control of it.

This is a situation that requires getting the thing fixed before you get on the road for a trip.

[netjam]

As the one who drove without trailer brakes from Ontario to TN, I agree with the comments of billr and motor31. I do however feel that some explanation of my situation is in order. In May of 07 I picked up my first rv or trailer, the Elite Suite. I took a 5thwheel driving course and set out. For 2 years I never felt that the trailer brakes worked properly and visted numerous rv dealers (while warranty) and truck trailer places (often paying $100/hr) for brake system inspection. They all told me the trailer brakes were operating as designed. I believed them, this was my first trailer experience, but it never felt right. I visited at least a dozen shops during this time. In 09 I left western Canada for Mor-ryde in Goshen to have my IS suspension looked at and I asked them to look at the disk brakes relaying my concerns. They indicated all was fine. I went down the road to Indiana Interstate for a few repairs and asked them to check the brakes...Paul told me all was good. While going over the bridge from Port Huron to Sarnia the trailer brakes quit. I went to Can-Am in London where they told me I needed pads. I paid $1300 for pads and a new brake controller in the truck thinking maybe the controller was the problem. I spent a month traveling Ontario and all seemed good. When leaving Ontario, the brakes again seemed iffy. By the time I got to Knoxville I knew something was amiss. I told Butch at RVs for Less to fix it or remove the disks and put drum brakes on the trailer. Butch indicated that the problem was the Actibrake actuator and that DRV was well aware of it. He got DRV to supply a new (different brand) actuator and pay his labor. After that everything was fine. I certainly do not suggest driving without trailer brakes but as a first timer towing and countless places telling me "everything is fine". I drove on thinking it must be me, the equipment is fine.

[bstark]

There's just too much missing from the O/P's information to go at this with any success from remote keyboards.

Examples:

Kodiac or Dexter.
Worn pads in one post but brakes gone in another.

Why are the pads worn out? relying upon the trailer brakes too much? If so then towing without them is even more dangerous if you were over reliant on them before.

These things are the simplest units to work on and gotta say it; I found changing out the pads of the Dexter system to be far easier than all of the bumph you go through to change out a set of electric pads.

In all the miles we put on our unit I only changed them once and they weren't that bad even then.

Any trailer service place and a good deal of the tire service shops would likely be able to perform this chore in an hours time given they have the parts in their mitts and you haven't scored the disks to scrap in the process of towing without material left on the pad backing plates.

The O/P would find the info for service he would likely need at the very first RV park he pulled into. Just ask the front desk or canvass the owners of any larger trailers sitting in there and bets are they'll know where you can get it done.

To the O/P do anything you have to do to prevent towing with poor trailer brakes up to and including throwing youself on the mercy of a local chapter member of Good Sams club.

If you were anywhere near me way up here in Ontario, Canada I'd do it for you in a heartbeat.

Good luck.

[jbeliveau]

It's going to be taken care of in Reno today.They were Kodiak brakes.So everone please relax.

[99roush2]

It's going to be taken care of in Reno today.They were Kodiak brakes.So everone please relax.

Glad you're getting it taken care of. Would be nice to report what was the cause of the problem.

[jbeliveau]

One of the pads wore out and then the calliber wore out the rotor and the system lost all the fluid.To get it fixed they come in pairs only will be shipped overnight here to Reno for $1,400.00 per pair and labor.Plus going to put new pads on the other two and don't know the cost of that yet. :D

[bstark]

Would these be them?

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brakes/Kodiak/K2HR858D.html

[anijet]

Would these be them?

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brakes/Kodiak/K2HR858D.html

Don't think so. He probably has Never-Lube bearings. Hub/rotors come with bearings installed.

[wingnut60]

So, are you still going to trade it off? Plus it sounds to me like WAY overpriced...
How about a little info on your year/model DRV?
Joe

[Motor31]

The more I read about these disk brakes the happier I am that I got the drum brakes on my rig.

[bstark]

Mike; I don't get it with some of these posts. I had the hydraulic discs and if ordering again would go for them in a hearbeat.

The maintenance issues with them is virtually nil as they're almost too easy to inspect by eye by simply sticking your head under there and taking a close look to observe the remaining pad thickness.

One only need look through the holes in the aluminum wheel to view the state of the disc for scoring or view across to the other side of the rig to check the inside of the rotors. Easy Peasy; as is any work to be done on them.

I'm also nonplussed to explain how folks are burning off their pads so fast as in 6 years of snowbirding down to the southwest and touring around down there with returning to Canada in the spring of the year along with a couple of cross Canada trips I only changed out the pads once towards the end of our ownership of the rig.

I'm thinking the only explanation for this weird wear pattern described with one pad going away and the rest in varying states of wear is simply due to air in the sytem and also too much bias being placed upon the trailer brakes.

Bleeding these things could not be easier with someone on hand to engage the over-ride when asked to. That 1600psi pump will move a lot of fluid in a hurry so if there is air in the system it ain't gonna be there for long if you keep an eye on reservoir level while pushing out the old stuff.

Changing out the pads is also FAR easier and faster with none of the aggro associated with pre-setting the shoes then checking again after some run in with the only way to do that correctly being with the tire off the ground.

I cannot tell you how happy I was to throw that adjusting spade into the toolbox for the very last time.

I would make it a routine when pulling into rest stops to get out my infra-red gun and shoot the discs firstly right after using the brakes to slw down and stop to see if one was markedly hotter or COOLER than any other and by the time I had done that along with hubs and tires, D/W had returned form her biffy trip and we'd be off again.

My trailer was an 05 and I never had an issue with the pump or any other part of the sytem at all. I replaced the hoses to the caliper after a tire shed a tread and the crossover tubes under the calipers when new because back in those days Doubletree assemblers were rollling the axles around, prior to them being installed on frames, on their discs alone without wheels and tires being installed so those crossover tubes were often crushed from that stupid behaviour.

[Cheif 2]

I had a pad fall out and tear up a rotor and caliper on my unit. I called Kodiak and they sent me a new caliper, pads and rotor for free. DRV wanted to charge me close to $800.00 for it. At the same time I purchased the pads from Kodiak for the other three wheels and changed them out. The people at Kodiak were great to deal with.

[billr]

We never hear about Dexter disc brakes, just Kodiaks. Bruce we have Dexters. Same like you, except we are still on original pads on an 05! We have a lot of miles on them too.

I agree, one pad has to be wearing badly causing the rest of the failures.

I sure hope when the time comes we have a choice on brakes, but I doubt it.

Bill

[bstark]

Bill: Spot on. I changed them out because I was selling the trailer and simply thought they should be changed out. There was sure enough pad left to satisfy any safety concerns the new owner might have had.

I'm funny like that though, with background in preventative maintenance keeping me awake nights if I get focused on the new owner having a brake problem I could have prevented for him.

All in all, those Dexter brakes were one of the best features of the trailer.