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TIDALWAVE View Drop Down
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Self-Adjusting Brakes?
    Posted: 18 Sep 2012 at 10:02am
It appears that Lippert and Dexter brakes may or may not be self-adjusting.  It may depend on the year and model of the brakes.  I have gotten comments about both.
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Keith-N-Dar View Drop Down
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Posts: 1447 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Sep 2012 at 4:22pm
It would be hard to believe that FR would accept the potential liability by putting non-self adjusting brakes on their units then not having lots of notice about having to have them adjusted for safety in their literature.  The only thing in my literature says my axle is a Lippert, but it is in the general booklet that also specs other things as being made by different folks that my pod has.  Who knows?
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kymooses View Drop Down
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Posts: 1807 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Sep 2012 at 9:30pm
I have the Dexter axle and my brakes are in fact self adjusting.
 
As others have said maybe it's just on some of the newer models of Pods and they cover both lippert and dexter in some cases.
 
And as mentioned backing up while applying the brakes does put tension on the spring and re-adjusts them quite nicely.
 
I had noticed them braking better on the way home from our last trip but didn't pay it much attention as I still planned to self adjust them as discussed in the other post.
 
Today after having backed the Pod into the driveway from our last trip, I noticed they were as they were before I did the wheel bearings maintenance.
 
While taking the Pod in today to have the fender lights added the Pod was shuddering and bouncing a bit as I applied my TV brakes.  It then occured to me that I had done enough backing around the campground and at home in the driveway to give my brakes the distance they needed to re-adjust on their own.  I pulled over and reset my brake controller on a side road back down to the initial level it was on and the brakes were smooth and comfortable again.
 
So a lot learned from a simple question about two holes in the brake drum!
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Posts: 165 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Sep 2012 at 1:05am
Originally posted by kymooses

I had noticed them braking better on the way home from our last trip

This seems promising, but how do you actually know that they're self-adjusting? Is it written somewhere? Have you taken it apart and seen something different inside? If so, can you share this with us so we can determine if our's are also self-adjusting?
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Posts: 28 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Sep 2012 at 10:08am
Last weekend I noticed my trailer pulling to one side while braking.

I emailed back and forth with Dexter, based on my SN# they told me I have the self adjusting brakes.  The rep there told me they only adjust while braking moving forward.

He told me there is no adjustment I can make and I should take the trailer to a brake shop if I continue to have the problem.

I have been driving lots of dirt roads, he mentioned that my brakes may have gotten gunked up, I blew them out with a compressor  - we will see if that does anything - hard to tell until I am on the highway.
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Sep 2012 at 11:58am
Interesting, I thought all drum brakes adjusted while braking in reverse.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 362 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Sep 2012 at 12:02pm
Originally posted by techntrek

Interesting, I thought all drum brakes adjusted while braking in reverse.

==========================

That's always been my understanding too. Then again    ...it's been a very long time since I've worked on/with drum brakes.

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Joined: 26 Sep 2011
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Posts: 913 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Sep 2012 at 12:04pm
Just spoke to 2 local dealers and I am assuming that the Lippert axle on my Rpod does not have self-adjusting brakes per the instructions that came with my trailer.  That said, I am approaching 6,000 miles on the trailer and that is the recommended mileage to repack the wheel bearings.  Both dealers are quoting between $225-$250 to repack the bearings and adjust the brakes.  Althought some of yous guys can do this yourself, I am not  inclined to.  Is that in the ballpark?  Safe Travels. 
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kymooses View Drop Down
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Posts: 1807 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Sep 2012 at 1:09pm
Originally posted by bhamster

Originally posted by kymooses

I had noticed them braking better on the way home from our last trip

This seems promising, but how do you actually know that they're self-adjusting? Is it written somewhere? Have you taken it apart and seen something different inside? If so, can you share this with us so we can determine if our's are also self-adjusting?
 
I looked on my axle saw the Dexter part number and then looked online for the brake drums that are the same as the ones I have.  I watched a, great as always, etrailer video of that Dexter brake drum part number and the guy explains that they are self adjusting, that this cable thats shown in the video re-adjusts the brakes shoes as you are moving backward and braking.
 
Again, mine are smooth and braking normally again.  Next time that I repack the wheel bearings I'll know to back the pod down the driveway once or twice to get the shoes aligned again properly.
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bhamster View Drop Down
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Posts: 165 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Sep 2012 at 2:05pm
Originally posted by kymooses

I watched a, great as always, etrailer video of that Dexter brake drum part number and the guy explains that they are self adjusting, that this cable thats shown in the video re-adjusts the brakes shoes as you are moving backward and braking.

Can you post the link to this video so we can see what the cable looks like? Thanks
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