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RV Doctor ColumnRV Doctor #292 Dear RV Doctor, I have a Jayco 37-foot travel trailer with dual axles. I had one of the brake magnets short out and burn. I do have experience doing brake jobs on cars and trucks and think I should change both magnets for that one axle. Could you provide the repair instructions for this job? I will be at this campground for eleven weeks and would like to repair this problem before I leave. The brakes have a 12-inch drum on a Dexter axle. Ed Gatton, (Ruskin, FL)) Ed you are correct in thinking it's a good idea to always maintain the same age of all the components at each end of the same axle. By all means replace both magnets, but before beginning any procedure outlined here, make sure the trailer is properly raised and blocked safely with the tires completely off the ground. Here's the procedure: Remove the drum by first removing the dust cover, cotter pin and spindle nut and washer. Carefully remove the outer wheel bearing and cover it so dust does not settle on the bearing. Pull the drum away from the remainder of the brake assembly (it may be easier in some instances to first remove the tire and wheel). While you are there look for worn shoe linings. Replace the shoes if the lining is 1/16" thick or less. Replace them also if they are saturated with grease or oil or are cracked, gouged or if the lining has become separated from the shoes. Inspect the magnet arm for any loose or worn parts. Check the shoe return springs, mounting springs, and adjuster spring for deformation. Manually move the actuating arm and check for any binding or rubbing. Replace the magnets if they show signs of uneven wear and obviously replace them if they are shorted. Some magnets may have recessed screws. If the wear is down to the screws the magnets should be replaced. In some instances it will be necessary to have the armature plate resurfaced. The armature is the smooth plate connected to the inside portion of the drum. This is the surface the magnet attaches to when energized. Call your local service facility if any armature has developed a pattern of grooves due to worn or damaged magnets. Remember, keep all like components on the same axle, the same age. In addition, there are two areas of the brake drum itself that are subject to wear and require periodic inspection. These two areas are the drum surface where the brake shoes actually make contact during stopping and the aforementioned armature surface where the magnet contacts. The drum surface should be inspected for excessive wear or heavy scoring. If the wear marks are worn more than .020", or the drum has worn out of round by more than .015", then the drum surface should be turned. If scoring or other wear is greater than .090", the drum must be replaced. To ensure proper contact between the armature face and the magnet face, the magnets should be replaced whenever the armature place is resurfaced. Hopefully it's only the magnets that you'll need to replace. But be sure to take the time to inspect everything since you're going to expose all the components anyway. Dear Gary, I am having problems with my fresh water demand pump. The pump runs all the time but will not deliver water. I have filled up the fresh water tank, closed all the faucets and checked for debris in the water supply line from the tank to the pump. Still can't get water to the faucet. Abe Tieh, (Houston, TX) Abe, it is quite possible you have developed an air lock inside the pump or the pump is drawing air from the supply side of the system. If you have a filter mechanism between the pump and the tank, check for the proper connections and that all hose clamps are tight. I would also briefly disconnect the inlet hose from the pump just to be sure there are no blockages at the tank outlet and indeed water is getting to the pump. If water flows out of the inlet hose, reconnect it to the pump. Next, remove the outlet fitting and/or hose from the pump and attach a short hose to direct the water into a pan or bucket situated nearby. Activate the pump and see if water begins pumping. If not, there is the possibility the pump has suffered an internal failure which would require further troubleshooting depending on the make of pump. In most cases of internal failure it is usually best and easiest to replace the entire pump and start fresh with all new components and a new warranty. If the pump indeed pumps this short distance after priming, reconnect the outlet hose and this time open all the faucets. Keep in mind that a working pump must first fill the water heater before delivering a smooth flow of water to any of the other faucets. Once the heater is filled, the flow at every faucet should even out. As you close the last faucet the pump may run for a brief moment before shutting off completely. Dear RV Doctor, how do you get odors out of the RV refrigerator/freezer? I recently had to leave my fifth wheel trailer and truck at a storage facility for about ten days and the batteries to the truck and fifth wheel died, therefore not allowing the propane to ignite. Needless to say, I ended up with spoiled food in the refrigerator and freezer and no matter what I have tried, I cannot get the odor out (specifically crabmeat). Please hurry with your answer! Christine Mikolajek, (Orlando, FL) Christine, for refrigerator and freezer odors some RVers have suggested using open boxes of baking soda and other remedies like placing wadded up black and white newsprint in the freezer and replacing the pieces every day. Or try one or more of these remedies sent to me by readers in the past. (I swear they are all true!)
Dear RV Doc, we are buying a new house in Nevada that includes RV parking. How can we set it up so that we can use the RV as a guest house complete with sewage dumping into the house system? In other words, we want to be able to provide sewage dumping at home. Is that possible? Robin Lutchansky, (San Jose, CA) Robin, indeed it is quite possible to add an RV dump at your house, provided the city approves it. Building and permitting codes will vary so be sure to check with the officials in your area. It is simply a matter of plumbing a three-inch branch into the septic or sewer system which any competent plumbing contractor can accomplish. I was fortunate to have one just as you are describing when I lived in the mountains of North Carolina. Doable? Yes. Permissible? Ask first!
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