Pulling a Dexter drum brake axle

   / Pulling a Dexter drum brake axle #1  
GreatWhitehunter

GreatWhitehunter

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Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Messages
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Location
Eastern CT
Tractor
JD 110 TLB
I've got dexter axles with drumn brakes on my PJ dump trailer. I haven't opened the brakes up before and have some free time to do so. I snapped off a wheel stud with my impact gun and was going to replace it. I pulled the wheel off and found the drum brakes. So I've never worked on drum brakes before. I got some literature form dexters site and it looks like all I need to do is remove the spindle nut from the bearing and the whole drum assemble should come off. Now am I over simplifing this or what? I fee it's time to check all the brakes since it's an 04 an never had anything done to the running gear. So for you do it yourselfers let me know what I'm in for. I'm in the rust belt so I expect a fair bit of it.

Matt:confused:
 
   / Pulling a Dexter drum brake axle #2  
Hey Matt.

Yes, just remove the dust cover. There will be some type of retainer or cotter pin to remove, then a spindle nut, thrust washer, outer bearing then the drum will come off. If its stuck slack the brake adjuster. Good time to clean and repack the bearings. To do this you will need new seals.

Put back the opposite way and adjust the brakes.



Chirs
 
   / Pulling a Dexter drum brake axle #3  
They are pretty simple. Dexter has good instructions. I just did the brakes and greased the bearings on my 5th wheel.

Pop the grease can, and you'll see the nut and cotter key. On newer stuff they use a different retainer, but still simple. Pull the cotter key and nut, and then the drum and bearings should come right off.

In addition to the brakes, Dexter, and at least my local shop, recomend clean and grease the bearings yearly or 12000 miles, which ever comes first.

Get new grease seals; mine were $6/ea
 
   / Pulling a Dexter drum brake axle
  • Thread Starter
#5  
So DP it looks like from the second vid that the wheel studs don't come out?
Is this correct?

Matt
 
   / Pulling a Dexter drum brake axle #6  
To be honest it depends on the drums. I know for a fact they are replaceable on my boat because I had to press one in and put another in but can not say for sure if they are all that way or not. If its 5 years old you really need to clean, inspect, and repack the wheel bearings anyway so take it apart and have a look.

Chris
 
   / Pulling a Dexter drum brake axle #7  
Depends on the model. The 3500lbs axles on my 5th wheel, and our Scout trailer, the drum and hub come off as an assembly. I just inspected brakes and repacked bearings on my trailer. For Scouts, we showed the older boys how to do all this. In both cases, the hub and drum came off as an assembly. Drums, studs ect were fine, so we did not need to separate the hub from the drum.

The brakes were fine; all we had to do was repack the bearings, and replace the inner bearing seal(has to be removed to repack the bearing).

GreatWhitehunter said:
So DP it looks like from the second vid that the wheel studs don't come out?
Is this correct?

Matt
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