Ifor williams GX126 plant trailer brake adjuster not working

[Vinpetrol]

My Ifor plant trailer is in the workshop for some much needed brake attention . I bought new brake cables and shoes all genuine knott stuff .
I stopped down one side and was making good progress until I tried to adjust the brake shoes out to meet the drum.
The adjuster is 2 wedges pulling against another wedge attached to the adjuster bolt

When I’m screwing in the adjuster from the back plate the wedges are getting nipped up and won’t slide out to push the shoes out .
Even when I try it with no shoes on it still nips up and won’t go the full travel .
Anyone had this before ?
Do the wedges wear ? (hard to believe they would wear that much)
I was tempted to leather it in copper grease and try it but in the paperwork that comes with the shoes it says not to grease anything .
Any ideas ?

 

[V8Druid]

My Ifor plant trailer is in the workshop for some much needed brake attention . I bought new brake cables and shoes all genuine knott stuff .
I stopped down one side and was making good progress until I tried to adjust the brake shoes out to meet the drum.
The adjuster is 2 wedges pulling against another wedge attached to the adjuster bolt
View attachment 23882
When I’m screwing in the adjuster from the back plate the wedges are getting nipped up and won’t slide out to push the shoes out .
Even when I try it with no shoes on it still nips up and won’t go the full travel .
Anyone had this before ?
Do the wedges wear ? (hard to believe they would wear that much)
I was tempted to leather it in copper grease and try it but in the paperwork that comes with the shoes it says not to grease anything .
Any ideas ?

polish all the rust off with flap or disc and get some sliding surfaces back on the slide faces ...... then vaseline it all (copperslip the bolt)

 

[doobin]

polish all the rust off with flap or disc and get some sliding surfaces back on the slide faces ...... then vaseline it all (copperslip the bolt)

Don’t forget to reassure the lady on the Boots checkout who gives you a dirty look when you ask for the man size pot of Vaseline.

Tell her it’s for some tight nuts. .

 

[V8Druid]

Don’t forget to reassure the lady on the Boots checkout who gives you a dirty look when you ask for the man size pot of Vaseline.

Tell her it’s for some tight nuts. .

should always have a good sized pot of vaseline in yer tool kit ..... ... if only to smear on yer terminals

 

[Vinpetrol]

polish all the rust off with flap or disc and get some sliding surfaces back on the slide faces ...... then vaseline it all (copperslip the bolt)

Cheers Buddy
that all seems like common sense . Have you done them before?
what do you make of Knott saying not to grease ?

 

[Vinpetrol]

should always have a good sized pot of vaseline in yer tool kit ..... ... if only to smear on yer terminals

I've always leathered the vaseline onto my terminals , great to keep them from going fousty!

 

[V8Druid]

Cheers Buddy
that all seems like common sense . Have you done them before?
what do you make of Knott saying not to grease ?

can understand not introducing grease into the brake shoe areas ... gets hot and runs .. contaminating shoes and drums .... the vaseline'll still get warm but is no where near as contaminating as grease and'll burn off first

 

[Vinpetrol]

can understand not introducing grease into the brake shoe areas ... gets hot and runs .. contaminating shoes and drums .... the vaseline'll still get warm but is no where near as contaminating as grease and'll burn off first

Nice one .
id like to know if anyone has had to change the wedges at all before . The trailers only 4 years old but the salt up here is hard on them

 

[TiltyShaun]

Clearly the trailer is now totally scrap and you need me to come and take it away to save the Vaseline embarrassment!

 

[Vinpetrol]

Actually, looking closely at the first pic the 2 wedges do look different like 1 is more worn or could they actually meant to be different

 

[Vinpetrol]

Clearly the trailer is now totally scrap and you need me to come and take it away to save the Vaseline embarrassment!

Fair enough . What time shall I expect you ?

 

[Vinpetrol]

Actually does the right wedge look like a piece might of broken off ?

 

[Vinpetrol]

they should look like this . It does look like a bit might be broken off

 

[T whiting]

No o yours look fine do like druid says get it all clean with a wire wheel and scrape out the bit on the backplate I'd add just a tiny smear of grease to the sliding surface but just literally the tiniest dab so it doesn't get on the shoes. It's worth checking the cables while the shoes are off they should move with almost no resistance if there binding it can make the breaks come on suddenly when you stop. It's worth following the instructions to reset the brakes once you've changed the pads it can make the difference between it being nice to tow and being a pig

 

[Justme]

Cheers Buddy
that all seems like common sense . Have you done them before?
what do you make of Knott saying not to grease ?

Grease attracts the brake dust & then it clogs up.

 

[Vinpetrol]

No o yours look fine do like druid says get it all clean with a wire wheel and scrape out the bit on the backplate I'd add just a tiny smear of grease to the sliding surface but just literally the tiniest dab so it doesn't get on the shoes. It's worth checking the cables while the shoes are off they should move with almost no resistance if there binding it can make the breaks come on suddenly when you stop. It's worth following the instructions to reset the brakes once you've changed the pads it can make the difference between it being nice to tow and being a pig

Cheers Tom
I’m changing all the cables as well

 

[Mick-the-fitter]

White grease is the stuff, if it gets on the shoes it burns off!

 

[Canal Navvy]

The best thing I've found so far is slip plate from Sparex stocked by the local agricultural dealers. It is like a graphite loaded laquer in a spray can that stays put while remaining increadably slippery even though it's dry. Really good on trailer slides and high lift jacks