Broken Record

[fatrap]

Once again my Tracker product has let me down. I'm starting to sound like a broken record. Arriving at the boat ramp Sunday in a cloud of smoke. Port side bearing failed catastrophically. Apparently having bearings serviced annually doesn't exempt me from equipment failure. Second short trip of the year and bam. The good side of the story is the "Ranger at the park said I could leave it with him at his office and he'd call a mechanic to come out and take a look. What's weird is I stopped for a piss stop fifty miles from the ramp and instinctively I put my hands on each hub before getting back in the truck. Nice and cool.
Now for my question. Can drum breaks fail in a way that they'd build friction in the hub melting out the grease? I've had several buddies tell me I should have disc brakes installed and that drum brakes are bad. My brakes kind of make a popping noise when I'm stopping. I checked and seen nothing wrong with them. At first I thought that it was the swing tongue. It failed last fall and needed welding.(the list of bad $#it is now on its third page.) But welding the tongue didn't stop the popping crunching sound. Like metal on metal.
Question two. I quenched the spindle and hub with water. I was afraid a slow cool down would anneal the metal making it soft. Good Idea or bad?
This ominous late start of the season follows last year's disastrous electrical short that left me without a boat from April to Sept. Finally took it to a non tracker boat dealer and they found it in three hours.
I almost traded for a Ranger 1880 last Winter but talked myself out of it as I'm retired and don't have the income for a big boat payment.
Thoughts on what path I should follow would be appreciated. New axle/spindles with disc brakes????
Mike Grandick

 

[cq]

I think I would find a local, reputable trailer dealer and bring these questions to them. I cannot see the failure as described unless the brakes were locked up for some reason. I have seen both large trucks and cars with locked breaks or just partially locked, what a mess.
The point being, when asking personal opinions you will get a large across the board answers.
In conversation with an old high school friend, he just could not find any body that sells good dry gas. He explained that he had to dump his fuel tank and buy new gas. I just had to laugh to myself, if you buy 10 gallons of gas and it is 10% ethanol, you get 9 gallons of gas and 1 gallon of alcohol.
You are going to find old school and new school.
And if you look most cars today have disk brakes, drum are going to the way side.
this might help:http://www.etrailer.com/faq-brake-control-troubleshooting.aspx

 

[fatrap]

cq
The latest word from the mechanic working on my rig. He said both sides where full of water. I wonder where the grease went? Anyway He's replacing both sides of the trailer. He must have read my mind. He just called and said that he didn't like the way the brake springs were retracting and is replacing the port side brake springs. He's been in the brake, tire, and mechanic business for quite a while. What the hell you have to trust someone. So maybe I get it back tonight or tomorrow morning. Makes no difference as were leaving for Tenn. Friday morning. He said the load on the axle is well within the capabilities of the axle and bearings but if was his rig he'd opt for disc brakes. Right now I don't have the funds for a major project with us leaving for a trip.
Mike G

 

[cq]

Did the web site give you any more ideas in what could have caused the problem? A friend locked his breaks by not having them (electrically) connected to the truck.I do not temeremember the full story but he was doing a lot of backing without the connection plugged in. A short or bad connection could be something to keep an eye on. My 2 cents only.

 

[fatrap]

Ok finally finished an got the boat home. The mechanic was a great guy. Said maybe the brake caused the meltdown. It's fixed and as soon as I get back from Tennessee I will be heading for some walleyes in South Dakota. He turned the drums and replaced the starboard side and greased the **** out of things. Good to go. I just wish this rig would stop breaking down.
Mike G

 

[fatrap]

One thing that may have jinxed me is the lack of American flag and Navy stickers on my windows this will be remedied asap.

 

[fatrap]

Well I'm up and running tomorrow is a test run to do some pan fishing or maybe bass. Iowa walleye fishing sucks to that's what's on the table for tomorrow.
Mike G

 

[cq]

Glad you can get out, need to clear the ramp next week. Local dams have been dropping at min of 10000 cfs of water. Enough rain.

 

[fatrap]

So much for my Sunday outing. Got to the ramp and hit the trim button to raise my lower unit off the motor toter and nothing. Master switch was left on and starting battery was toast. Tried to jump start off my trolling motor batteries which I guess doesn't work so hot with a Optimax. Drove home and bought new starting battery as the other one was four years old. Things fired right up. Then checked all pumps, marine radio, and accessories and no live well re-circulation pump. Something I use a lot in South Dakota. Went to Bass Pro to inquire where that pump lives in under the rear deck. Went home pulled pump wires and had juice going to the pump. Pulled pump and cleaned housing and spun the impeller. Can't figure on how some aluminum drill shavings got into the housing. Spun right up when I hooked up the wires so I put it back and now (knock on wood) EVERYTHING works. So hopefully I'll have a successful trip somewhere, but will test out everything on the local mud hole(Lake Manawa) I'm 0 and 3 right now and haven't caught one fish yet this year.,
Mike G

 

[Donald Prater]

Park the boat and go pond fishing. This is what I have done since all our lake ramps are closed on the lakes around me. Got ten bass last Sunday. Nothing to brag about but I now know that I can feel the bite.

 

[fatrap]

Update on my rig. Made two trips with no break downs and caught some fish. Walleyes and largemouth. Last trip I noticed the trailer tongue was cracked and broken on both sides of the pivot pin on the swing away trailer tongue. Took it off and welded the **** out of it. Started with penetrating rod and switched to build up rod. I put a quarter inch of metal on top the cracks and used an air tool to grind out and hone the weld-through inside the pin shaft. Everything is now very tight. I checked the play on new Tracker trailers at the store and mine is now tighter.
On to the next challenge.
Mike G
fatrap