I couldnt believe what happened to my MFI trailer today.

[Ernie]

Today we were coming back from the Lake on the highway going about 55mph I heard and felt something happen to the trailer. I thought for sure I had a flat tire so I pulled over to check things out. To my surprise there was no flat tire so I looked underneath the trailer and found to my disbelief that the brake caliber on the right side had broken loose and was spinning around inside the wheel. Whaaaaaat! One bolt was missing and the other bolt pulled through the axle housing . The last time I had my bearings repacked and new seals installed was about 18 months ago. I decided to continue slowly to the next exit and found a place to take the tire off and remove the brake caliber. The bearings and axle seemed fine so I put the tire back on and made it home. I may half to buy a new axle housing unless it can be welded safely which I doubt.

 

[bronze_10]

WOW.. thats a new one!

 

[Julian]

Yeah....that is a new one! Did you hit a pot hole?

 

[Cambo]

Looks like one bolt backed out the caliper probably rotated and then grabbed hold of the disc and ripped the weakest point . You could possibly lossen and spin the axle and bolt it to the opposite side .

 

[Ronnie]

Glad to hear you were able to resolve the matter yourself and that nobody was hurt.

I agree with Cambo on rotating the axle to get to the remaining good mounting holes. Consider replacing the brake line as well as a preemptive measure in case any kinks or cracks developed when the caliper was floating freely on the rim. I say this because this season years after having a similar experience (see below) my brake line broke at the point where it entered the caliper, may it's coincidence, maybe not, but it broke over 100 miles from home which is a long way to tow a boat without brakes.

This actually happened too me a few years ago. However, I could not get the tire off because one of the bolts on the tire was stripped and spinning free in the rim so I ended up calling tow boat u.s. Which sent a flat bed to tow it home for me. Now I check that the mounting bolts on the calipers are tight at the start of every boating season.

Here is a link to my thread which includes this problem, pics are about halfway down the first page.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/equipment-failures-and-getting-home-on-a-flat-bed-tow-truck.7300/

 

[Jgorm]

Our just mount the caliper on two holes that work and extend the brake line. Make sure the bleed screw points up.

 

[Ernie]

Our just mount the caliper on two holes that work and extend the brake line. Make sure the bleed screw points up.

I didnt know you could do that it sure would save a lot of money.

Yeah....that is a new one! Did you hit a pot hole?

No I didnt hit any potholes or anything. One of the screws must have just backed out somehow.

Looks like one bolt backed out the caliper probably rotated and then grabbed hold of the disc and ripped the weakest point . You could possibly lossen and spin the axle and bolt it to the opposite side .

Thanks that sounds like a plan.

Consider replacing the brake line as well as a preemptive measure in case any kinks or cracks developed when the caliper was floating freely on the rim.

Yes I have to do this because they ripped completely out and broke off.

 

[itsdgm]

Wow, that's a bummer. A few options other than the ones listed above,for repair that come to mind are:

1. I don't think you can rotate the axle for a few reasons. First, I believe there's a plate welded on where it sits on the leaf spring. Also, I believe the axles have a bend/arch in the center which flattens out when loaded.

2. You could swap axles from the front to the rear

3. i wouldn't move the brakes to the front axle because I believe that it could cause unusual braking characteristics due to the dual leaf suspension as well as possibly causing an unbalance while braking.

 

[Ernie]

I don't think you can rotate the axle for a few reasons. First, I believe there's a plate welded on where it sits on the leaf spring. Also, I believe the axles have a bend/arch in the center which flattens out when loaded.

You are correct. Im probably going to have to get a new axle.

 

[Ronnie]

Why not just switch axles front to rear as @itsdgm suggested?

If you are going Jenner axle route and haven't selected a vendor yet consider retailer.com and pacific trailer.

 

[Ernie]

Why not just switch axles front to rear as @itsdgm suggested?

If you are going Jenner axle route and haven't selected a vendor yet consider retailer.com and pacific trailer.

I may end up just switching them but also looking around at prices. They really are not that expensive.

Does anyone know the measurement of the Axles?

 

[Ernie]

Does anyone have a picture of how the axle brake lines run on the passenger side of the trailer or Starboard side of the boat. I can see how the line comes from the front into a bracket and then a hose on the other end of the bracket which goes into the caliber. Now the line that comes across from the other side where does it screw into? I think that part got pulled off because the line got snapped. Thanks for any help.

 

[Ernie]

Decided to take it to the trailer repair. The guy their said this is the third one he has seen this summer with the caliber coming loose. Not sure what the trailer manufacturers were .

 

[Bruce]

Decided to take it to the trailer repair. The guy their said this is the third one he has seen this summer with the caliber coming loose. Not sure what the trailer manufacturers were .

It has happened on other Yamahas as well. I remember one guy had to remove the calipers on the side of the road on the way to Bimini 2014 or 15 due to a similar caliper issue. I do not see this a fault with the trailers, just a wear and tear item.

I had a leaf spring fail this year, you should have those checked as well.

 

[Ernie]

Thanks Bruce the trailer guy said he would check everything out.

 

[biglar155]

Just added this to my spring commissioning document.

@Ernie: Sorry this happened to you but thanks for bringing this to our attention!

 

[Ernie]

Just so you guys know in case this happens to you the trailer repair moved the calibers to the front side of the axle so there was no repair to the axle needed. I did need a new caliber and two new brake lines also.

 

[Ronnie]

That's good news @Ernie .

This part of my response is late but may help others. The brake line runs from the front of the trailer to the right/starbaord brake caliper and splits from there to the left / port. Caliper. The brake line between the two calipers runs / is zip tied to the axle.

 

[biglar155]

That's good news @Ernie .

This part of my response is late but may help others. The brake line runs from the front of the trailer to the right/starbaord brake caliper and splits from there to the left / port. Caliper. The brake line between the two calipers runs / is zip tied to the axle.

And those zip-ties are known to break so keep an eye on them!

 

[Ronnie]

And those zip-ties are known to break so keep an eye on them!

I went with stainless steel zip ties the last time around (after the plastic ones broke which put too much weight on one of the joints into the caliper causing the line to break and me to drive 100 miles home without trailer brakes).