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  1. #1
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    Default Unusual Seal on Trailer Drum Brakes

    Can anyone shed some light on what is going on here.

    I would normally expect to see a seal similar to this standard setup in the first pic.

    However when I pulled off the drum it looks like the seal is in two parts (or maybe broken, however both drums are the same). These are ALKO brakes, on a horse float.

    So:
    1. Is this normal?
    2. Can I replace with a normal seal?
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Cheers.

    Vernon.
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  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vernonv View Post
    Can anyone shed some light on what is going on here.

    I would normally expect to see a seal similar to this standard setup in the first pic.

    However when I pulled off the drum it looks like the seal is in two parts (or maybe broken, however both drums are the same). These are ALKO brakes, on a horse float.

    So:
    1. Is this normal?
    2. Can I replace with a normal seal?
    That's a marine type seal and they were typically fitted to axles on boat trailers. You can replace them with a standard seal, but I wouldn't as they are a better seal and easily available. More often than not they have been supplied in hub kits that I've bought in recent times.

  3. #3
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    Default

    Thank you for that Karl. Much appreciated.
    Cheers.

    Vernon.
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    Bite off more than you can chew and then chew like crazy.

  4. #4
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    Yonnee is offline Trailer Bloke & Mild Mannered Moderator
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    As Karl said, they're a Marine seal. The retaining ring is Stainless, and the rubber seal is a tight fit on the stub axle. The outer flange of the rubber seal spins against the outer face of the stainless ring and is supposed to keep water out. They're not really designed to be used with drum brakes as it's difficult to get the seal to seat in the stainless ring because you can't access behind the drum as you can with a disc rotor to make sure it's seated. Some manufacturers also machine a step in the seal journal specifically for boat trailer axles to keep the rubber seal in the correct spot when assembling.
    My concern with yours is that it's only looks to be a Holden outer bearing (LM11949), which will rate the axle to 1000Kg, which in conjunction with non-load sharing suspension will give you a Float capacity of 1666.66Kg.
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yonnee View Post
    As Karl said, they're a Marine seal. The retaining ring is Stainless, and the rubber seal is a tight fit on the stub axle. The outer flange of the rubber seal spins against the outer face of the stainless ring and is supposed to keep water out. They're not really designed to be used with drum brakes as it's difficult to get the seal to seat in the stainless ring because you can't access behind the drum as you can with a disc rotor to make sure it's seated. Some manufacturers also machine a step in the seal journal specifically for boat trailer axles to keep the rubber seal in the correct spot when assembling.
    My concern with yours is that it's only looks to be a Holden outer bearing (LM11949), which will rate the axle to 1000Kg, which in conjunction with non-load sharing suspension will give you a Float capacity of 1666.66Kg.
    Little bit off topic but I didn’t think you could have non load sharing suspension on a tandem axle trailer. Am I wrong?

  6. #6
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    Found this article, the quote below was from page 4 of 5
    http://easytow.com.au/wp-content/upl...edTrailers.pdf
    "All axles in a group must be interconnected by a load sharing suspension except in a close-coupled axle
    group (where the two axles in a group have their centres not more than one metre apart, three axles not
    more than 2 metres apart or four or more axles not more than 3.2 metres apart) provided that the load
    carrying capacity of each axle in the group and the wheels and tyres fitted to it is:
    at least 120% of the load on that axle with the trailer at its ATM; and
    at least equal to the load on that axle with the trailer at its ATM and any retractable axle retracted."

    So it seems that "small trailers" can have non load sharing suspension, provided that axle centres not exceed 1 metre, for a tandem and triaxle not more than 2 metres apart.
    Kryn
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yonnee View Post
    My concern with yours is that it's only looks to be a Holden outer bearing (LM11949), which will rate the axle to 1000Kg, which in conjunction with non-load sharing suspension will give you a Float capacity of 1666.66Kg.
    Correct, they are Holden bearings and non-load sharing slippper springs.
    Cheers.

    Vernon.
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore View Post
    So it seems that "small trailers" can have non load sharing suspension, provided that axle centres not exceed 1 metre, for a tandem...
    From memory the axles are around 800mm apart.
    Cheers.

    Vernon.
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  9. #9
    Yonnee's Avatar
    Yonnee is offline Trailer Bloke & Mild Mannered Moderator
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    Quote Originally Posted by snapatap View Post
    Little bit off topic but I didn’t think you could have non load sharing suspension on a tandem axle trailer. Am I wrong?
    You can, as long as the axle capacity and spacing is correct, as per the information in Kryn’s reply.

  10. #10
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    From memory, I think they tried to bring in that multi axle combinations had to be load sharing here (South Australia). But I still see trailers getting around with non load sharng suspensions. Mainly on jacked up 4WD's with the braked axle off the ground!!!!!!
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  11. #11
    Yonnee's Avatar
    Yonnee is offline Trailer Bloke & Mild Mannered Moderator
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    Being a National standard for building small trailers, it’s be hard for individual States to try and make a change like that go through without a fair uproar from manufacturers.

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