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About 1000 miles on my 2020 Tab 400, and got a hot brake drum today

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    warbler_roadwarbler_road Member Posts: 83
    OK, Dexter haas delivered. They basically sent me entirely new brakes!

    The install begins later this week, after I have bought grease and studied a few videos ...


    • Virginia
    • 2020 T@B 400
    • 2018 Tacoma SR V6 3.5L
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    warbler_roadwarbler_road Member Posts: 83
    Was able to finally test my new brake install today, on a 2020 T@B 400, and all is well. Kudos to Dexter for delivering new parts promptly under warranty, and I sure did learn a lot! Can't wait to get her back on the road in two weeks ...
    • Virginia
    • 2020 T@B 400
    • 2018 Tacoma SR V6 3.5L
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    Tundra57Tundra57 Member Posts: 640
    Just an fyi. Any mechanic will tell you that putting grease in via the grease fitting doesnt do anything except push thro the seal if you over pump. You need to disassemble the bearing wash out the contaminated grease and repack by "throwing" the bearing roller section into the little grease bucket container. Wipe out the race inside the drum. Change the seal, they are chump change. Wash out drum and brake area with brake cleaner. Dont blow out, dust is bad for you, check pads,  Then reassemble. Torque up to spec, then back off and retorque.  Spin with wheel on to make sure its not too tight. You can back off a flat if it seens tight. Dont forget lock plate.
    When adjusting brake pads, always operate brake after each adjustment to re-center the pads.

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    sctab320snewbiesctab320snewbie Member Posts: 2
    Bought a 2019 from a nice gentleman who had used the 320S once to drive 3 hours to the beach and back, kept it in the garage, is literally brand new.  Maiden voyage our 26 yo daughter took it 80 miles south of home on the highway, didn't go faster than 60, had no issues, parked it overnight.   Next morning hooked it back up, drove 20 miles again on the highway and the right wheel locked up out of nowhere and started smoking.  Since it had been used so little, we didn't have any maintenance on the bearings or wheels or brakes, and she was driving a brand new Toyota 4 Runner with stock 7 pin wiring plugs.  She took it to a tire shop and they said the drum was broken.   Any ideas what could have caused this and how to best go about getting it fixed?  Normal tire shop or do we need to get a part from T@B?   So frustrating - we thought we had done everything right checking air in the tires and getting a new battery, filled propane, etc. 
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    tabiphiletabiphile Member Posts: 426
    Most tire shops will not work on trailer brakes. Trailer shops are a better bet. They will have the parts and knowledge to make these repairs. An RV dealer is the other logical choice for service. A broken drum and smoking wheel points to a locked wheel. A wheel would lock if the breakaway engaged...what might happen if the 7 pin is not completely seated in the plug. We've all done it at one point or another and with a 4 Runner you could easily use the gas pedal to overcome the locked brake (s). You'll need to get both wheels checked for damage.

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    Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    You could contact Dexter warranty service, they may ship you new brake drum and wheel bearings?  Any good trailer repair facility can check the trailer wheel/axle and give you an idea what is wrong and what needs replacing.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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    ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,443
    tabiphile said:
    ...
    A wheel would lock if the breakaway engaged...what might happen if the 7 pin is not completely seated in the plug. 
    ...
    @tabiphile, are you referring to the single plastic pin that inserts into the breakaway brake switch and connects to the tow vehicle via a steel cable?

    The 7-pin (i.e., electrical pigtail) coming loose should not activate the breakaway brakes.
    2015 T@B S

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    tabiphiletabiphile Member Posts: 426
    So I really mucked that up since pulling the 7 pin won't engage the breakaway, only pulling the pin will. Hopefully she did not do that but there are folks that have done that thinking that locking the brakes helps to keep the trailer in place...and it does. But it will also drain the battery and if (and my reply was super convoluted) your seven pin is not properly connected it would not power the brakes to release, assuming the pin had been put back in. OK, long story short, many years ago before we understood how this all worked we were in the habit of pulling the brake away pin whenever we parked and we did smoke the brakes. For your case, hopefully it's something simple. 
    One further thing....it is not really kosher to buy parts and take them to a different shop for them to install...unless you worked that out in advance and they agree,...and most won't. Shops make some money on the materials. They could not survive on the markup on their labor alone. 
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    Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    FYI, I was not suggesting getting the parts and then finding a shop to put them on.  I was suggesting the opposite, find a shop, find out what parts are needed and coordinate with the shop and Dexter for the parts.  
    Cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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