So I'm on my way back from the lake, turn off the exit and begin to
stop - I hear this bang/thump from the back of the and the truck just
kind of lurched forward. I pulled over, stopped and got out to look
around.

Nothing on the road so I didn't kill anything human or animal. Stern
of the boat looks fine - nobody behind me and nothing fell off. Looked
the boat over, no holes in the hull, tire are fine, looked under the
truck, nothing there either.

Hmmm - oh well. Got back into the truck and started to the end of the
ramp - bang/thump, truck lurches again. WTH?

Got out look everything over, nope nothing. Hmmm - look up at the
front of the trailer and notice something dripping from the trailer
tongue - brake fluid. Oh oh.

Got back into the truck, pulled forward a little - bang/thump. Pulled
into the Wal Mart parking lot (more bang/thump), got out and
disconnected the trailer - I can move the actuator by hand. Open the
fluid resorvoir - not a drop - it's all dripping out the bottom. Ok -
got a problem. Locked out the actuator mechanically and got the
trailer hooked up and back home - no bang/thump but the damn trailer
and boat is heavy - 5,000 lbs and the truck takes time to slow the
load down.

Anyway, did the family thing, then took the tongue off the trailer and
much to my surprize..sure enough - theres my sign.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid.JPG

So I took the thing off the mount, but when I tried to take the brake
line off, the whole connector disintegrated into little flakes and I
was left with this.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid+line.JPG

Here's where it mounts.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Tongue%20mount.JPG

It looks like the actuator is ok, no rust or anything.

I guess I should have looked this over every year or so, but with just
under 14K miles on the trailer and it being ten years old with no
major issues other than disc and pad replacements (and one bad
caliper), it never occured to me to check the compnents inside the
tongue.

Lesson learned.

Now I gotta fund a brake release solenoid. And revamp the entire
system inside the trailer tongue system with rubber instead of steel.

Oy...

On Jun 21, 7:39*pm, Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
So I'm on my way back from the lake, turn off the exit and begin to
stop - I hear this bang/thump from the back of the and the truck just
kind of lurched forward. *I pulled over, stopped and got out to look
around.

Nothing on the road so I didn't kill anything human or animal. Stern
of the boat looks fine - nobody behind me and nothing fell off. Looked
the boat over, no holes in the hull, tire are fine, looked under the
truck, nothing there either.

Hmmm - oh well. Got back into the truck and started to the end of the
ramp - bang/thump, truck lurches again. *WTH?

Got out look everything over, nope nothing. *Hmmm - look up at the
front of the trailer and notice something dripping from the trailer
tongue - brake fluid. *Oh oh.

Got back into the truck, pulled forward a little - bang/thump. Pulled
into the Wal Mart parking lot (more bang/thump), got out and
disconnected the trailer - I can move the actuator by hand. Open the
fluid resorvoir - not a drop - it's all dripping out the bottom. *Ok -
got a problem. *Locked out the actuator mechanically and got the
trailer hooked up and back home - no bang/thump but the damn trailer
and boat is heavy - 5,000 lbs and the truck takes time to slow the
load down.

Anyway, did the family thing, then took the tongue off the trailer and
much to my surprize..sure enough - theres my sign.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid.JPG

So I took the thing off the mount, but when I tried to take the brake
line off, the whole connector disintegrated into little flakes and I
was left with this.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid+line.JPG

Here's where it mounts.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Tongue%20mount.JPG

It looks like the actuator is ok, no rust or anything.

I guess I should have looked this over every year or so, but with just
under 14K miles on the trailer and it being ten years old with no
major issues other than disc and pad replacements (and one bad
caliper), it never occured to me to check the compnents inside the
tongue.

Lesson learned.

Now I gotta fund a brake release solenoid. *And revamp the entire
system inside the trailer tongue system with rubber instead of steel.

Oy...

I'm glad it never locked up, while in transit.

Bang-thump is classic surge brake failure-as you found out. Since you
have it apart, after you replace the master cylinder, solonoid, and
brake lines in the tongue area, always store the trailer with a
waterproof cover (I use a rubber door mat) over the tongue. You might
look at the brake lines back to the wheels, theyr'e prolly worse than
you imagine. I had to overhaul the whole brake system on my Express
tandem trailer sfter 10 years; Totally rusted out. I used SS brake
lines.
JR

On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:39:37 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

So I'm on my way back from the lake, turn off the exit and begin to
stop - I hear this bang/thump from the back of the and the truck just
kind of lurched forward. I pulled over, stopped and got out to look
around.

Nothing on the road so I didn't kill anything human or animal. Stern
of the boat looks fine - nobody behind me and nothing fell off. Looked
the boat over, no holes in the hull, tire are fine, looked under the
truck, nothing there either.

Hmmm - oh well. Got back into the truck and started to the end of the
ramp - bang/thump, truck lurches again. WTH?

Got out look everything over, nope nothing. Hmmm - look up at the
front of the trailer and notice something dripping from the trailer
tongue - brake fluid. Oh oh.

Got back into the truck, pulled forward a little - bang/thump. Pulled
into the Wal Mart parking lot (more bang/thump), got out and
disconnected the trailer - I can move the actuator by hand. Open the
fluid resorvoir - not a drop - it's all dripping out the bottom. Ok -
got a problem. Locked out the actuator mechanically and got the
trailer hooked up and back home - no bang/thump but the damn trailer
and boat is heavy - 5,000 lbs and the truck takes time to slow the
load down.

Anyway, did the family thing, then took the tongue off the trailer and
much to my surprize..sure enough - theres my sign.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid.JPG

So I took the thing off the mount, but when I tried to take the brake
line off, the whole connector disintegrated into little flakes and I
was left with this.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid+line.JPG

Here's where it mounts.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Tongue%20mount.JPG

It looks like the actuator is ok, no rust or anything.

I guess I should have looked this over every year or so, but with just
under 14K miles on the trailer and it being ten years old with no
major issues other than disc and pad replacements (and one bad
caliper), it never occured to me to check the compnents inside the
tongue.

Lesson learned.

Now I gotta fund a brake release solenoid. And revamp the entire
system inside the trailer tongue system with rubber instead of steel.

Oy...
HOME PAGE:
http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
--------------------------------------------------

"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
So I'm on my way back from the lake, turn off the exit and begin to
stop - I hear this bang/thump from the back of the and the truck just
kind of lurched forward. I pulled over, stopped and got out to look
around.

Nothing on the road so I didn't kill anything human or animal. Stern
of the boat looks fine - nobody behind me and nothing fell off. Looked
the boat over, no holes in the hull, tire are fine, looked under the
truck, nothing there either.

Hmmm - oh well. Got back into the truck and started to the end of the
ramp - bang/thump, truck lurches again. WTH?

Got out look everything over, nope nothing. Hmmm - look up at the
front of the trailer and notice something dripping from the trailer
tongue - brake fluid. Oh oh.

Got back into the truck, pulled forward a little - bang/thump. Pulled
into the Wal Mart parking lot (more bang/thump), got out and
disconnected the trailer - I can move the actuator by hand. Open the
fluid resorvoir - not a drop - it's all dripping out the bottom. Ok -
got a problem. Locked out the actuator mechanically and got the
trailer hooked up and back home - no bang/thump but the damn trailer
and boat is heavy - 5,000 lbs and the truck takes time to slow the
load down.

Anyway, did the family thing, then took the tongue off the trailer and
much to my surprize..sure enough - theres my sign.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid.JPG

So I took the thing off the mount, but when I tried to take the brake
line off, the whole connector disintegrated into little flakes and I
was left with this.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid+line.JPG

Here's where it mounts.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Tongue%20mount.JPG

It looks like the actuator is ok, no rust or anything.

I guess I should have looked this over every year or so, but with just
under 14K miles on the trailer and it being ten years old with no
major issues other than disc and pad replacements (and one bad
caliper), it never occured to me to check the compnents inside the
tongue.

Lesson learned.

Now I gotta fund a brake release solenoid. And revamp the entire
system inside the trailer tongue system with rubber instead of steel.

Oy...


A little wd-40 and a wire brush will make that thing as good as new. g
Glad it didn't lock up on ya.

--Mike

On Jun 21, 6:39*pm, Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
So I'm on my way back from the lake, turn off the exit and begin to
stop - I hear this bang/thump from the back of the and the truck just
kind of lurched forward. *I pulled over, stopped and got out to look
around.

Nothing on the road so I didn't kill anything human or animal. Stern
of the boat looks fine - nobody behind me and nothing fell off. Looked
the boat over, no holes in the hull, tire are fine, looked under the
truck, nothing there either.

Hmmm - oh well. Got back into the truck and started to the end of the
ramp - bang/thump, truck lurches again. *WTH?

Got out look everything over, nope nothing. *Hmmm - look up at the
front of the trailer and notice something dripping from the trailer
tongue - brake fluid. *Oh oh.

Got back into the truck, pulled forward a little - bang/thump. Pulled
into the Wal Mart parking lot (more bang/thump), got out and
disconnected the trailer - I can move the actuator by hand. Open the
fluid resorvoir - not a drop - it's all dripping out the bottom. *Ok -
got a problem. *Locked out the actuator mechanically and got the
trailer hooked up and back home - no bang/thump but the damn trailer
and boat is heavy - 5,000 lbs and the truck takes time to slow the
load down.

Anyway, did the family thing, then took the tongue off the trailer and
much to my surprize..sure enough - theres my sign.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid.JPG

So I took the thing off the mount, but when I tried to take the brake
line off, the whole connector disintegrated into little flakes and I
was left with this.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Solenoid+line.JPG

Here's where it mounts.

http://www.swsports.org/images/Tongue%20mount.JPG

It looks like the actuator is ok, no rust or anything.

I guess I should have looked this over every year or so, but with just
under 14K miles on the trailer and it being ten years old with no
major issues other than disc and pad replacements (and one bad
caliper), it never occured to me to check the compnents inside the
tongue.

Lesson learned.

Now I gotta fund a brake release solenoid. *And revamp the entire
system inside the trailer tongue system with rubber instead of steel.

Oy...

that looks like a serious dose of the clap, you got there Tom. Too
much exposure to salt in a tight spot.

On my trailer (23' Marquis) it's all exposed and so it has less means
of build up.

The pic of the brake line looks evil too. and it might be a lot of fun
trying to bleed the brakes with them baptized in brine as well.

Good luck.

OH! Isn't Mrs Wave going to be hacked about you laying that junk out
on her bead spread?

On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:15:06 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:


that looks like a serious dose of the clap, you got there Tom. Too
much exposure to salt in a tight spot.

Don't think so - if that were the case, the entire system would be
compromised like this and it's pretty clean up the tube to the brake
actuator - just a dirt.

What I think happened is that the solenoid let go - that's basically
brake fluid corrosion. This has been leaking for sometime - that's
what I'm thinking. I have had to add brake fluid over the years, but
it's a pretty open system so evaporation I figured - apparently not.

No indication it was leaking either until it let go.

On my trailer (23' Marquis) it's all exposed and so it has less means
of build up.

The pic of the brake line looks evil too. and it might be a lot of fun
trying to bleed the brakes with them baptized in brine as well.

I've seen that on an old Escort I had that had a brake line release.
Corrosive stuff brake fluid.

Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:15:06 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

that looks like a serious dose of the clap, you got there Tom. Too
much exposure to salt in a tight spot.

Don't think so - if that were the case, the entire system would be
compromised like this and it's pretty clean up the tube to the brake
actuator - just a dirt.

What I think happened is that the solenoid let go - that's basically
brake fluid corrosion. This has been leaking for sometime - that's
what I'm thinking. I have had to add brake fluid over the years, but
it's a pretty open system so evaporation I figured - apparently not.

No indication it was leaking either until it let go.

On my trailer (23' Marquis) it's all exposed and so it has less means
of build up.

The pic of the brake line looks evil too. and it might be a lot of fun
trying to bleed the brakes with them baptized in brine as well.

I've seen that on an old Escort I had that had a brake line release.
Corrosive stuff brake fluid.

Unless I'm dreaming, I seem to remember reading about a non hygroscopic
synthetic brake fluid. You might consider using it after you replace all
of your brake lines and rebuild, if possible, the calipers and master
cylinder. The solenoid appears to have a steel cover. Can you find one
that doesn't have a ferrous metal cover?
Champions Trailer Parts and Dexter Axle are two good sources of
information on trailers. They both have web sites.

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:38:45 -0400, Jim24242
wrote:

Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:15:06 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

that looks like a serious dose of the clap, you got there Tom. Too
much exposure to salt in a tight spot.

Don't think so - if that were the case, the entire system would be
compromised like this and it's pretty clean up the tube to the brake
actuator - just a dirt.

What I think happened is that the solenoid let go - that's basically
brake fluid corrosion. This has been leaking for sometime - that's
what I'm thinking. I have had to add brake fluid over the years, but
it's a pretty open system so evaporation I figured - apparently not.

No indication it was leaking either until it let go.

On my trailer (23' Marquis) it's all exposed and so it has less means
of build up.

The pic of the brake line looks evil too. and it might be a lot of fun
trying to bleed the brakes with them baptized in brine as well.

I've seen that on an old Escort I had that had a brake line release.
Corrosive stuff brake fluid.

Unless I'm dreaming, I seem to remember reading about a non hygroscopic
synthetic brake fluid.

Not recommended for this system. Apparently silicone based hydraulic
fluids have a tendency to cause aeration in the fluid when forced
through small orifices as they have about 4 times the amount of air in
the fluid as standard glycol based fluids. I know they aren't
recommended for braking systems that use ABS.

You might consider using it after you replace all of your brake lines
and rebuild, if possible, the calipers and master cylinder.

I'm going to wing it with that - I just replaced the calipers, pads
and discs last year. The actuator seems fine - clean, no dirt or
grease - almost sterile. The brake lines from the solenoid back are
fine - no rust and the connectors are clean and disconnected very
easily. What I am thinking about doing is replacing all the steel
lines from the actuator to the solenoid and back again with rubber
brake hose. I'm going to completely remove the quick disconnect system
and just use rubber to connect to the trailer lines.

The solenoid appears to have a steel cover. Can you find one
that doesn't have a ferrous metal cover?

I don't know if that's possible. I'm heading up to Northeast
Industries this morning up in Dudley - they have Loadrite franchise
for this part of the world and talk to them about it. The lines I can
have made up at NAPA.

Champions Trailer Parts and Dexter Axle are two good sources of
information on trailers. They both have web sites.

I spent some time there last night while surfing around for
information - not sure they have what I need, but I'll look again.

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:15:58 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:15:06 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:


that looks like a serious dose of the clap, you got there Tom. Too
much exposure to salt in a tight spot.

Don't think so - if that were the case, the entire system would be
compromised like this and it's pretty clean up the tube to the brake
actuator - just a dirt.

What I think happened is that the solenoid let go - that's basically
brake fluid corrosion. This has been leaking for sometime - that's
what I'm thinking. I have had to add brake fluid over the years, but
it's a pretty open system so evaporation I figured - apparently not.

No indication it was leaking either until it let go.

On my trailer (23' Marquis) it's all exposed and so it has less means
of build up.

The pic of the brake line looks evil too. and it might be a lot of fun
trying to bleed the brakes with them baptized in brine as well.

I've seen that on an old Escort I had that had a brake line release.
Corrosive stuff brake fluid.

About every ten years or so, we need a little reminder like that just
to let us know we don't know everything...yet.

Glad it didn't let go at a worse time, like when everyone on the
freeway was coming to a panic stop for no friggin' reason whatsoever,
like they do on I-95 about every 35 miles or so.

Good luck with it, although I'm sure you'll not need luck to get it
fixed.
--

John H

On Jun 22, 5:15*am, Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:15:06 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:



that looks like a serious dose of the clap, you got *there Tom. Too
much exposure to salt in a tight spot.

Don't think so - if that were the case, the entire system would be
compromised like this and it's pretty clean up the tube to the brake
actuator - just a dirt.

What I think happened is that the solenoid let go - that's basically
brake fluid corrosion. This has been leaking for sometime - that's
what I'm thinking. *I have had to add brake fluid over the years, but
it's a pretty open system so evaporation I figured - apparently not.

No indication it was leaking either until it let go.

On my trailer (23' Marquis) it's all exposed and so it has less means
of build up.

The pic of the brake line looks evil too. and it might be a lot of fun
trying to bleed the brakes with them baptized in brine as well.

I've seen that on an old Escort I had that had a brake line release.
Corrosive stuff brake fluid.

Well, I'm not one to dispute the Wizard, but I've sen many an old car
and/or truck that had a gazillion miles and years on them and no rust
on the cast iron brake reservoir.

I wonder what the difference is? something abotu the heat under the
engine compartment causing something not to rust and corroede?