M101A3 Brakes repair and access question

[Metternacht]

Ok, I have searched, read every thread I can find on the Brakes on the M101 series trailers, I have parts numbers for brake parts and bearings. I have also read the manual and I still have a couple questions, probably related to the lack of experience with doing my own brakes.

In the M101A3, to access the brake pads and check them, Do you have to remove the hub from the spindle? Or is it possible to remove the wheel and drum without removing the hub?

If you have to remove the Hub anyway then I assume it is standard procedure to inspect and repack the bearings while you are in there anyway.


Reason for my Questions:

When I returned from my last trip with the trailer I checked the hubs and they seemed hot. I had just driven +/- 30 miles up a 7% grade and down the other side. I wanted to check the hubs before taking it back out to dump the load of scrap that is in it. I have popped the Grease cap off and there appears to be plenty of grease in there. So i was wondering if the brakes could have been dragging and heating up the hubs. The trailer bucks a little when braking but I believe that is just a bad shock and I plan on replacing that as soon as I can. Would the down grade and braking with load have cause the heating because the shock is worn?

I am new to the whole do your own brakes thing so Have plenty of ambition just lacking experience. Any tips you can provide are appreciated.

Thanks,

-M

 

[Terracoma]

In the M101A3, to access the brake pads and check them... Or is it possible to remove the wheel and drum without removing the hub?

There should be two large machine screws attaching the drum to the hub.

Removing them should give you full access to the brakes without removing the hub body.

When I returned from my last trip with the trailer I checked the hubs and they seemed hot. I had just driven +/- 30 miles up a 7% grade and down the other side. I wanted to check the hubs before taking it back out to dump the load of scrap that is in it. I have popped the Grease cap off and there appears to be plenty of grease in there.

Plenty of grease does not rule out old, dry grease causing your heat issue.

I found this out the hard way right before a 700 mile trip...

 

[Metternacht]

I removed those screws and I could not get the drum to come off. Is there some trick to removing the drum? in the manual it says you have to remove the entire assembly to access the brakes. If I am reading the thing correctly.

 

[Terracoma]

I had to remove the rubber plug on the drum backing plate of my problem-child trailer and turn the star-wheel on the wheel cylinder with a screwdriver until the drum was freed up enough to get it off. I found the drum full of sand and the shoes had rusted in place from a handbrake that had been left set for too long.

To be honest, I'm not sure why the TM has you remove the entire assembly, it doesn't make any sense to me unless it's to force the motor pool guys to check the inner wheel bearing condition as part of the service... The brake shoes on my problem-child trailer were dragging on the drum enough that it still would have prevented removal of the entire assembly.

In the few experiences I've had with drum brakes that were dragging heavily, the entire wheel was also very hot to the touch.

 

[harleyhouse]

The shoes are hanging up " they may be tight or scored a lip in the drum "
Pop the rear sight plug and roll the star wheel back to relieve the pressure.
The drum may be gallded to the hub so spray some WD40 on there.

Pry off the drum evenly with two large screw drivers and it should pop odd the hub.