Brake Replacement

I replaced my brakes this weekend and it turned out to be easier than I thought it would be. I was just going to replace the shoes, magnet and turn the drums but it turned out to be cheaper to replace the brakes as a complete assembly and buy new brake drums. At a local machine shop the charge for turning the drum was $17 and to turn the face where the magnet rubs was $54. I have a Lippert axle so I used Lippert parts. If I had the Dexter axle it would have been a lot cheaper. Lippert Components (#296650) 10" x 2.25" Right-Hand Electric Brake Assembly was $69 and Lippert Components (#296649) 10'' x 2.25" Left-Hand Electric Brake Assembly was $72, I purchased these from Amazon. The drums I got from Trailer Parts Superstore, Lippert Components (#122460) 10" x 2-1/4" Brake Drum & Hub, 5 studs on 4.5” bolt circle, [Includes wheel bearings 1-1/16" (L44649) x 1-3/8" (L68149), and grease seal (I.D. = 1.719"). Drums are pre-greased]. With shipping the drums were $81 each, they weigh 20.5 pounds each. I had to buy a new set of lip seals [Lippert Components #333960 double lip grease seals] because the drums came pre-greased and it was not the grease I use. There was nothing wrong with the grease they came with. They grease I like is Valvoline #W615 Multi-Purpose Grease /GM. I like this grease because it exceeds the Lippert requirements, everybody sells it and it’s an opaque red color. Each year when I pull off the drums to inspect the brakes I can see if the grease is dirty by how much of the red color has changed. Before removing the brake assembly you have to remove the closed end crimp wire connector. I do not recommend this connector for exterior crimps; they work great for use inside the trailer. I crimped the wires to the magnet with a Nylon-insulated, double crimp, step down, 12-10/22-18 butt splice with window, AMP (#327639). I used an Ideal Ind (#30-500) Ratchet Crimp Tool for 22-10 Ga. They are other very good manufactures of ratcheting crimp tools for the Red, Blue and Yellow insulated terminals. I have seen the Ideal crimper sell for from $60-$80. I also use an Ideal Ind. 45-091, ($36), Stripmaster Wire Stripper, #10 to #18 AWG. The butt splices were then insulated with adhesive lined heat shrink tubing; make sure you slide the tubing over before crimping the wires together. You could also crimp them with Molex Perma-Seal terminals, they make a step down butt splice with adhesive lined heat shrink on it and it but takes a special crimp tool Molex (#64016-0041) $56 from Waytek Wire. If you use the wrong crimper you will damage the heat shrink tubing. The new assembly bolts right up. You the slide the drum/hub on and install the new outer bearings and cotter pin and you’re done. I used the ezlube fitting to finish the job. I put a few pumps of grease in and then spun the drum and them added a few more pumps of grease till it just start to ooze out past the castle nut. Remounted the wheel and torqued the lug nuts. On the Pod instruction page, under “Axle bearing maintenance” Podster has put together very detailed information about servicing the bearing “My 2015 178 Initial Bearing Service”, this provides a lot more detail information.

What it looks like at the start                                                         New lip seals

Valvoline grease                                                                         new brake assembly                                                                    closed end crimp connectors



step down butt splice 18-22   end                                              step down butt splice 12-10 end


heat shrink installed                                                                              proper crimp                                                                                                  the right tools for the job      


shrinking tubing to seal connectors                                                           new brakes                                                                       EZlube hub


What it looks like finished                                                               torqueing lug nuts

Lippert Components 296649 10'' x 2.25'' Left-Hand Electric Brake Assembly
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C3NAVH4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

Lippert Components 296650 10" x 2.25" Right-Hand Electric Brake Assembly
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C3ZUR8U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01

I admire your mechanical ability. I do have one question. What made you decide to replace the brakes? Were their problems with the existing pair? We have about 15K travel miles on ours and I wouldn't know what to look for to indicate that the brakes needed replacing. They still seem to stop the trailer, just fine. Safe Travels.

I added this to the "manual". Thanks.

I opened the little rubber plug on the back of the brake and found a loose piece of metal inside. Poked it with a little screwdriver, it just flops around. I'm guessing this is not good. As best I can tell the brakes work just fine.

 Does anybody have any idea what it is?










178 pulled with a grand caravan