Thank you so much for the video and showing how the parts are taken apart and assembled together. It looks like it takes a ton of effort to replace the brake cable .
Hi Jenny, sorry for not replying sooner. I don't always get notified by RUclips that there has been a post to a video. After you've taken that thing apart 8 or 20 times it gets easier. :-D When I started taking it apart many years ago I didn't have anything to reference. The company didn't provide much in the way of help. The Internet was barely even working. Somehow I managed and this last time I made the video in case I ever had to replace the cable again. It's really not too bad to take apart and put a new cable in. I replaced the original clip they provide with a carabiner. It keeps the cable from falling down and getting damaged on the road.
Great video. I have the swing away variant and this helped at several spots. One thing that I did that made working with the wheels easier was to cut two lengths of 5/8" dowel just long enough to slide through the wheels on both sides. Less frustration with things slipping out of place. Your clear explanation really helped!!!!
Thanks for posting your video it really helped when I disassembled my UFP A-60 (drum brake surge brake system). - your brake assembly was for disk brake assembly which has that solenoid.
Your explanation of re-positioning the spring for the latch was great. Took apart to clean and lube and couldn't remember how it went (may bad). Thanks!
Thank God for this video!!! I think my master is bad but didn't want to rip into it to start diagnosing without knowing what I was in for. Thanks man!!!
very helpful. one extra tip: I used a piece of pipe/dowel just shorter than the pins, short enough to slide into receiver to hold it all in place while you slide the actuator into the receiver, then push the pins through and the dowels out. It really made it easy to line everything up.
You're not the first :-) Happened to me too, but I was lucky enough to figure it out. Now I take pictures before taking things apart. Glad I could help.
Thank goodness for your work on this video! I took mine apart and couldn't figure out the orientation of the spring you mention at 14:25 in the video. Thank You!!
@@richward2288 Rich using 3" x3/4 dowels to replace the pins during reassembly is also a giant help. I just finished mine could not have done it without your video!
Great video; thank you for dissecting the mechanism. I’m currently troubleshooting why the brake pads on my trailer are lightly touching/grinding on the brake discs. I’m sure this video will definitely help!
The shock absorber piston on mine would not allow the surge brake to completely release. It was VERY tight. The surge master cylinder kept pressure in the lines and the calipers on the rotors. Sometimes the brakes would seize up and melt the plastic decorative hubs. It blistered the paint on the rotor hub. I replaced the brake master cylinder and it solved the problem.
@@richward2288 Thanks for the quick reply; and thank you again for the very awesome video. Sounds like a similar situation. When towing our trailer up a slight incline there is absolutely no noise; but one going down an incline or when braking you do hear the brakes kick in.
Just rebuilt my UFP A-60 surge brake actuator system. Noticed your hitch assembly was missing the top nylon wear plate located between the two top front steel wheels. All the nylon wear pieces for UfP surge brake assemblies can easily purchased from Pacifc Trailers (California). Thier web site has a detailed parts diagram for the entire assemblies depending upon which specific surge brake assembly your trailer uses….I also replaced the three top nylon wear pins and 6 side nylon wear pins along with the top rectangle wear plate. All nylon slide wear parts were around 12 dollars
Hi Steven, I think that nylon wear piece you mention is at 7:00 minutes. It may not have been in another scene. My trailer is from 1996. I had a lot of problems with the disc brakes dragging and eventually overheating. I tried a lot of things to fix the problem. I had a small 89 Toyota pickup (later it became the Tacoma) and it would trail just fine, braking was very good. On long trips I would feel the truck starting to struggle and I knew the brakes were seizing. I removed that nylon piece (I think that's the one) that you mention and it improved a little. I replaced the master cylinder but that didn't do much. I finally replaced the shock absorber and that fixed the problem. It was so strong that my pickup didn't have the torque to overcome the tension, so it never fully disengaged the surge brakes. The replacement wasn't so stiff. Now I have a V8 4Runner so plenty of torque, no more problems.
Steven, what were your symptoms to cause you to rebuild? Mine trailer seems to slam when taking off and braking. It’s a quick slam but definitely something I want to fix.
@@ronbrando2254 it's probably the shock piston, acts as a shock absorber for starts/stops. Remove it and see how easy it is to push-pull the piston. It should be difficult
I’m going to clean everything, grease it, replace the brake fluid and bleed it. If that doesn’t fix it I’m going to replace the master cylinder since that seems to be the number one culprit from what everyone says.
I put everything together like you did. When I bleed the line I was able to bleed both sides no issue. But when I try to actuate using strap passenger side of the trailer gets a little tight but I can still spin the hub the right side is loose still. I'm thinking I need to replace the actuator.
Hi Jayson, there are several areas that could affect braking. Fluid comes from the master cylinder to the right brake then crosses to the left brake on mine. Have you checked the brake lines for kinks or bends? Have you replaced all the fluid at some point? Old fluid holds moisture and will rust the lines from inside. Rust can impact caliper operation. Did you remove/replace the calipers? The bleeder valve should be on the top of the caliper. If it's on the bottom then the calipers are on the wrong sides and won't bleed properly. Here is the bleed operation I have. It's for both 2-wheel and 4-wheel trailers: Check that all hydraulic fittings are secure. Read and understand all instructions before starting. Two people are required for manual bleeding. 1. Remove the master cylinder reservoir plug and fill the reservoir with brake fluid. Use either DOT 3 or DOT 4 automotive brake fluid. Follow instructions on brake fluid container. Avoid shaking brake fluid container and pour fluid slowly to minimize air entrapment. Let fluid in reservoir stand until completely free of air bubbles. 2. IMPORTANT: Before bleeding brake lines, bleed the actuator master cylinder. Insert a screw driver through hole in bottom of inner member and use short strokes to pry on pushrod (while holding safety release bracket up) until no air bubbles are seen coming from small orifice hole in the bottom of the master cylinder reservoir. 3. Start bleeding procedure on the brake furthest from master cylinder. 4. At the brake assembly, connect a transparent bleeder hose to bleed screw fitting on wheel cylinder and submerge free end into a container partially filled with brake fluid. Do not reuse this fluid. 5. The first person strokes the pushrod slowly while holding safety release bracket up. The second person opens the bleed screw fitting. He then closes the bleed screw fitting BEFORE the first person SLOWLY releases the pushrod. Repeat this procedure until the fluid expelled from the bleeder hose is free of air bubbles. Remember to always tighten the bleeder screw before releasing pushrod. During this procedure, the master cylinder reservoir fluid level must be maintained at no less than 1/2 full. 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the other brake and the brakes on the front axle, if equipped with tandem brake axles. 7. If installation is tandem axle with brakes on both axles, repeat bleeding procedure on rear axle brakes for the second time to assure purging of all air in system. 8. As a final check after bleeding is completed, stroke pushrod and check to be sure brake system is pressurized by attempting to rotate a tire. 9. Push up on the safety release bracket to ensure that pushrod is in released position. 10. After bleeding has been completed, re-check fluid level in master cylinder. Fill the master cylinder reservoir to indicator on reservoir plug. Do not overfill.
@@richward2288 Thank you for the detailed explanation. WOW! RUclips needs to keep you. Couple of things, I found the line was cut (from previous owner) I purchased the trailer 3 weeks ago. I removed the the hydraulic line and replaced with another one. I plan to bleed the lines tomorrow using your instructions above. If everything else fails, I plan to replace the A60. I believe I should be looking at part # 34043 (I have dual axle but only 1 axle has disc brakes)
@@jaysoncayetano2438 I'm not sure why you want to replace the inner slide actuator. If one line is working/stopping but not the other it would seem to me there is something wrong with the lines after the master cylinder. The master cylinder compresses the fluid to both lines at the same time. You might want to call Pacific Boat Trailers about the issue. I have used Pacific Boat Trailers in the past and have found them to be very helpful. My trailer was made in 1994 and they were able to help me get replacements for the rotors. (an OEM rotor had crack in it, so I replaced both) pacifictrailers.com/pages/contact-us. You can go to their site and look up that part number. When I Google it, that part number says it's for a single axle. Mine is a single axle with disc brakes. I don't know about a dual axle that has brakes on just one of them. The bleeding instructions are from the owners manual. I found it online: trailmastertrailers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/UFP-Actuator-Maintenance.pdf
@richward2288 thank you sir! I did the bleeding this morning and both I got everything to work and tighten. The new issue is, I notice the brake fluid leaking where the push rod pushing the master cylinder bottom part. I replaced the retainer ring which was rusted pretty bad. After replacement I don't see any leak right now I'm leaving it out the way it is. If I don't see any leak I'll put everything back together. Appreciate all the help and input I really do.
@@jaysoncayetano2438 You're welcome, Jayson. Glad my video was helpful. I've replaced my master cylinder and the new one rusted within the first year. Rust never affected the operation but I'm always careful to prevent the rust from getting into the reservoir. It's lasted for many years without any problems.
This is a great video! very helpful with getting to know this system. I am curious where you get the upgraded breakaway cable tab from? or do you have a link for the cable and tab? I have this exact actuator with the older tab you showed in your video and i am fairly certain as to why they changed the design. After replacing the cable I discovered (the hard way) that cable end i used jammed up the tab/piston so that it wouldn't release fully and experienced a 'Thermal Event' on my drive home with the boat..
Hi Jason, thanks for the compliment.🙂 I usually try to buy repair parts from the manufacturer of whatever item I'm repairing. In this case it was probably Pacific Boat Trailers pacifictrailers.com/blogs/boat-trailer-tips-advice/ufp-brake-actuator-parts-list-and-schematic. They bought out UFP but it's the same people running it, just new owners; very helpful people. That breakaway cable is supposed to stay locked when it's been deployed, but I think you're talking about the cable getting jammed in the mechanism. When my trailer was fairly new I had to do an emergency braking for some clown who dove in front of me just as we were coming to stopped traffic. After that I had multiple problems with the brakes overheating. Eventually I replaced the shock absorber and that helped. I also upgraded from a small pickup to a Gen 4 4Runner with a 4.7L V8 and that pulled harder to release the brakes. My trailer has a quick disconnect for the brake line just aft of the removable tongue. When my brakes would jam I'd disconnect the brake line and push in the little pin in the end to release pressure.
Quick question , on the bottom push bracket should it be getting stuck up or is it like a button spring loaded? Because mine keeps getting stuck up, not sure if thats how its suppose to be?
If you mean the tab on the bottom of the actuator, that's the push rod release. If you accidentally pull away from the trailer with the breakaway cable still attached, it will activate the brakes. That tab locks the pushrod in place so there's pressure in the lines. To disarm you push up on the tab and that releases the pushrod and brakes. There's no spring. When the breakaway cable is pulled the pushrod drops into a collar and holds it there. Pushing on the tab releases it. When not activated it should just be free, but there's not much play in it. If you look at 27:34 in the video you can see that when the breakaway is pulled, it pulls the plunger into the master cylinder. When that happens that tab will drop into the slot on the plunger and stay there. Then you have to push up on the tab to release the plunger. If your brakes are operating normally then that tab is probably just binding on the pushrod. The tab on mine stays in place and doesn't have much free play.
Holy moly how did you get the 2 pins out? Mine seem to be seized up. I’ve sprayed with pb blaster and pounded them with a sledgehammer and won’t budge. There something I’m missing in removal? Yes I pulled the slip rings off and washer.
I bought the boat & trailer used it’s a 1998 champion trailer. It was slamming when I take off and brake from the get go. I think it’s been driven like this for awhile by former owner and my bet is it’s deformed the pins slamming constantly plus they are rusted together
@@lljustice3877 after taking off the snap rings you should be able to use a brass drift to knock the pins out. The pins go through plastic wheels, the shock rod and master cylinder. If it was slammed a lot it might be the shock rod. (I'm not at home right now to look things over.) Can you rotate the pins with pliers/channel locks?
@@richward2288 Just tried to rotate with channel locks. Won’t turn any so I imagine they are pretty well seized up. I keep spraying pb blaster from the bottom side up in there on the back pin hoping it will finally loosen it up enough to break free but no movement as of yet.
Great information there sir! My trailer brake wasn’t working and found out the fluid was all gone from the reservoir. Hoping it’s still good or else I will have to tear it apart like u did. Thanks for the video👍👍
If the fluid has disappeared from the actuator brake cylinder then you have a leak somewhere. Check the rubber hose connections on the back of the actuator. Check all the lines, fittings and wheel cylinders /calipers. You should bleed the brakes to get air out of the lines. Check brake fluid level after every tow.
It's possible that I changed the routing after I finished the video. The instructions with the new cable said to route it over the top of the damper shock bolt, through the bracket on the brake cylinder and then to the bracket that slips over the brake cylinder piston. I know I had problems with the routing, but thanks for your comment.
I was looking over this video today. I'm not sure I understand how your cable routing differs from mine. My owners manual shows it coming in the front, over the shock absorber eye ring, down/back to the cable guide rod (the L bracket on the master cylinder) and into the cable attachment plate which is mounted to the front of the pushrod assembly between the spring and push bracket. I have added a diagram from the owners manual at 31:17 for clarity to a newer version of this video. ruclips.net/video/iM42YSu0GOk/видео.html
@@richward2288 my break away cable travels into the actuator, then above the shock and around the master cylinder mount rear pin (the pin acts as the pivot point) back to the small pull tab. I noticed you used your small hydraulic line as the pivot point for your cable. My only concern is if the force of the break away line severs the small hydraulic line it will not be able to pull the actuator to the braking condition.
@@TheReiserrob I see now, it's not a hydraulic line, it's an "L" bracket, made of steel, that the cable is going through. That's the pivot point on this model. There are no visible hydraulic lines on the master cylinder. There is a black hose that's the return line from the solenoid at the rear for when you're in reverse to prevent the brakes being applied. That's the only external line. At 27:07 you can see the cable passing through the L bracket on its way to the clip at the front of the push rod. Thanks for your comments, always good to have someone closely inspect your work to ensure correctness. :-)
You said you’ve replaced just the master cylinder, was it leaking? mine is cause I forced it in reverse without my plug “reverse solenoid “ actuated and blew gasket I think. Do you think I can remove it and just make a new gasket for it?
My brake cylinder wasn't leaking. It was seized and wouldn't release, overheating my brakes. I doubt that you can make a gasket, they are specialized to resist braking fluid erosion. I would either buy a replacement online or go to a boat repair shop and see if they replace/rebuild the brake cylinder.
On the cable, where it comes out from the closure in the front, is a steel ball. In normal operation this ball is inside the small hole that the cable goes through and there is a clip between the hole and the steel ball. In a breakaway situation the cable pulls the steel ball through the hole, knocking off the clip and engaging the brake. To reset you need to remove tension from the cable, go under the tongue and you'll see a small hole where you can push a screwdriver through to ensure the tang has released the piston on the brake cylinder (brakes should now be disengaged). The steel ball then needs to go back through the hole and a replacement clip placed between the ball and hole. If the cable doesn't release you will have to open up the mechanism and see what's preventing it.
@@joshardy25 It's just an aluminum "C" clip, probably pick one up at the hardware store. If you have the original owner's manual, it had a spare taped to the front.
@@richward2288 your the man. I pulled my cable out and naturally first thing I did was pull the whole assembly. I still had the original c clip on the line so I straightened it up and RE used it. With you video and couple comments I have reassembled this thing and working in less than a hour.
Thank you so much for the video and showing how the parts are taken apart and assembled together. It looks like it takes a ton of effort to replace the brake cable .
Hi Jenny, sorry for not replying sooner. I don't always get notified by RUclips that there has been a post to a video. After you've taken that thing apart 8 or 20 times it gets easier. :-D
When I started taking it apart many years ago I didn't have anything to reference. The company didn't provide much in the way of help. The Internet was barely even working. Somehow I managed and this last time I made the video in case I ever had to replace the cable again. It's really not too bad to take apart and put a new cable in. I replaced the original clip they provide with a carabiner. It keeps the cable from falling down and getting damaged on the road.
Great video. I have the swing away variant and this helped at several spots. One thing that I did that made working with the wheels easier was to cut two lengths of 5/8" dowel just long enough to slide through the wheels on both sides. Less frustration with things slipping out of place. Your clear explanation really helped!!!!
Thanks for posting your video it really helped when I disassembled my UFP A-60 (drum brake surge brake system). - your brake assembly was for disk brake assembly which has that solenoid.
your explanation of the compression spring position was a lifesaver, thank you!
Glad I was able to help
Your explanation of re-positioning the spring for the latch was great. Took apart to clean and lube and couldn't remember how it went (may bad). Thanks!
thank you for taking your time to explain the video to us.
No problem, I hope I was able to help you
Thank God for this video!!! I think my master is bad but didn't want to rip into it to start diagnosing without knowing what I was in for. Thanks man!!!
Glad it will help you, thanks for the kind words
very helpful. one extra tip: I used a piece of pipe/dowel just shorter than the pins, short enough to slide into receiver to hold it all in place while you slide the actuator into the receiver, then push the pins through and the dowels out. It really made it easy to line everything up.
Good tip, I'll do that next time. Thanks
Thank you sir for your explanation of orientation/location of latch spring installation. I made the same mistake of removing for no reason
You're not the first :-) Happened to me too, but I was lucky enough to figure it out. Now I take pictures before taking things apart. Glad I could help.
Your a life saver. That spring got me also and now I know how to install it again. Thanks!
Glad it helped you... Hi, Ho Silver :-)
This was a very helpful video, thank you.
Glad I was able to help you
Excellent video. Now I know what to do. Thanks Rich!
You're welcome. I'm glad I could help
Thank goodness for your work on this video! I took mine apart and couldn't figure out the orientation of the spring you mention at 14:25 in the video. Thank You!!
Super job I am about to undertake this with my exact actuator!
Hope the video helps you. Thanks for the compliment
@@richward2288 Rich using 3" x3/4 dowels to replace the pins during reassembly is also a giant help. I just finished mine could not have done it without your video!
Great video; thank you for dissecting the mechanism. I’m currently troubleshooting why the brake pads on my trailer are lightly touching/grinding on the brake discs. I’m sure this video will definitely help!
The shock absorber piston on mine would not allow the surge brake to completely release. It was VERY tight. The surge master cylinder kept pressure in the lines and the calipers on the rotors. Sometimes the brakes would seize up and melt the plastic decorative hubs. It blistered the paint on the rotor hub. I replaced the brake master cylinder and it solved the problem.
@@richward2288 Thanks for the quick reply; and thank you again for the very awesome video. Sounds like a similar situation. When towing our trailer up a slight incline there is absolutely no noise; but one going down an incline or when braking you do hear the brakes kick in.
Awesome video. Great detail. Thanks
Glad I was able to help you, JD559
Just rebuilt my UFP A-60 surge brake actuator system. Noticed your hitch assembly was missing the top nylon wear plate located between the two top front steel wheels. All the nylon wear pieces for UfP surge brake assemblies can easily purchased from Pacifc Trailers (California). Thier web site has a detailed parts diagram for the entire assemblies depending upon which specific surge brake assembly your trailer uses….I also replaced the three top nylon wear pins and 6 side nylon wear pins along with the top rectangle wear plate. All nylon slide wear parts were around 12 dollars
Hi Steven, I think that nylon wear piece you mention is at 7:00 minutes. It may not have been in another scene. My trailer is from 1996. I had a lot of problems with the disc brakes dragging and eventually overheating. I tried a lot of things to fix the problem. I had a small 89 Toyota pickup (later it became the Tacoma) and it would trail just fine, braking was very good. On long trips I would feel the truck starting to struggle and I knew the brakes were seizing. I removed that nylon piece (I think that's the one) that you mention and it improved a little. I replaced the master cylinder but that didn't do much. I finally replaced the shock absorber and that fixed the problem. It was so strong that my pickup didn't have the torque to overcome the tension, so it never fully disengaged the surge brakes. The replacement wasn't so stiff. Now I have a V8 4Runner so plenty of torque, no more problems.
Steven, what were your symptoms to cause you to rebuild? Mine trailer seems to slam when taking off and braking. It’s a quick slam but definitely something I want to fix.
@@ronbrando2254 it's probably the shock piston, acts as a shock absorber for starts/stops. Remove it and see how easy it is to push-pull the piston. It should be difficult
@@richward2288 I removed the whole unit and everything seems fine. The shock is stiff, the plunger works, I’m wondering if it just needs to be bled.
I’m going to clean everything, grease it, replace the brake fluid and bleed it. If that doesn’t fix it I’m going to replace the master cylinder since that seems to be the number one culprit from what everyone says.
I put everything together like you did. When I bleed the line I was able to bleed both sides no issue. But when I try to actuate using strap passenger side of the trailer gets a little tight but I can still spin the hub the right side is loose still. I'm thinking I need to replace the actuator.
Hi Jayson, there are several areas that could affect braking. Fluid comes from the master cylinder to the right brake then crosses to the left brake on mine.
Have you checked the brake lines for kinks or bends? Have you replaced all the fluid at some point? Old fluid holds moisture and will rust the lines from inside. Rust can impact caliper operation. Did you remove/replace the calipers? The bleeder valve should be on the top of the caliper. If it's on the bottom then the calipers are on the wrong sides and won't bleed properly.
Here is the bleed operation I have. It's for both 2-wheel and 4-wheel trailers:
Check that all hydraulic fittings are secure. Read and understand all instructions before
starting. Two people are required for manual bleeding.
1. Remove the master cylinder reservoir plug and fill the reservoir with brake fluid. Use
either DOT 3 or DOT 4 automotive brake fluid. Follow instructions on brake fluid
container. Avoid shaking brake fluid container and pour fluid slowly to minimize air
entrapment. Let fluid in reservoir stand until completely free of air bubbles.
2. IMPORTANT: Before bleeding brake lines, bleed the actuator master cylinder. Insert
a screw driver through hole in bottom of inner member and use short strokes to pry
on pushrod (while holding safety release bracket up) until no air bubbles are seen
coming from small orifice hole in the bottom of the master cylinder reservoir.
3. Start bleeding procedure on the brake furthest from master cylinder.
4. At the brake assembly, connect a transparent bleeder hose to bleed screw fitting on
wheel cylinder and submerge free end into a container partially filled with brake
fluid. Do not reuse this fluid.
5. The first person strokes the pushrod slowly while holding safety release bracket up.
The second person opens the bleed screw fitting. He then closes the bleed screw
fitting BEFORE the first person SLOWLY releases the pushrod. Repeat this
procedure until the fluid expelled from the bleeder hose is free of air bubbles.
Remember to always tighten the bleeder screw before releasing pushrod. During
this procedure, the master cylinder reservoir fluid level must be maintained at no
less than 1/2 full.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the other brake and the brakes on the front axle, if
equipped with tandem brake axles.
7. If installation is tandem axle with brakes on both axles, repeat bleeding procedure
on rear axle brakes for the second time to assure purging of all air in system.
8. As a final check after bleeding is completed, stroke pushrod and check to be sure
brake system is pressurized by attempting to rotate a tire.
9. Push up on the safety release bracket to ensure that pushrod is in released
position.
10. After bleeding has been completed, re-check fluid level in master cylinder. Fill the
master cylinder reservoir to indicator on reservoir plug. Do not overfill.
@@richward2288 Thank you for the detailed explanation. WOW! RUclips needs to keep you.
Couple of things, I found the line was cut (from previous owner) I purchased the trailer 3 weeks ago.
I removed the the hydraulic line and replaced with another one. I plan to bleed the lines tomorrow using your instructions above. If everything else fails, I plan to replace the A60. I believe I should be looking at part # 34043 (I have dual axle but only 1 axle has disc brakes)
@@jaysoncayetano2438 I'm not sure why you want to replace the inner slide actuator. If one line is working/stopping but not the other it would seem to me there is something wrong with the lines after the master cylinder. The master cylinder compresses the fluid to both lines at the same time. You might want to call Pacific Boat Trailers about the issue.
I have used Pacific Boat Trailers in the past and have found them to be very helpful. My trailer was made in 1994 and they were able to help me get replacements for the rotors. (an OEM rotor had crack in it, so I replaced both) pacifictrailers.com/pages/contact-us. You can go to their site and look up that part number. When I Google it, that part number says it's for a single axle. Mine is a single axle with disc brakes. I don't know about a dual axle that has brakes on just one of them.
The bleeding instructions are from the owners manual. I found it online: trailmastertrailers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/UFP-Actuator-Maintenance.pdf
@richward2288 thank you sir! I did the bleeding this morning and both I got everything to work and tighten. The new issue is, I notice the brake fluid leaking where the push rod pushing the master cylinder bottom part. I replaced the retainer ring which was rusted pretty bad. After replacement I don't see any leak right now I'm leaving it out the way it is. If I don't see any leak I'll put everything back together. Appreciate all the help and input I really do.
@@jaysoncayetano2438
You're welcome, Jayson. Glad my video was helpful. I've replaced my master cylinder and the new one rusted within the first year. Rust never affected the operation but I'm always careful to prevent the rust from getting into the reservoir. It's lasted for many years without any problems.
Great Video! Thanks for sharing!!
This is a great video! very helpful with getting to know this system. I am curious where you get the upgraded breakaway cable tab from? or do you have a link for the cable and tab? I have this exact actuator with the older tab you showed in your video and i am fairly certain as to why they changed the design. After replacing the cable I discovered (the hard way) that cable end i used jammed up the tab/piston so that it wouldn't release fully and experienced a 'Thermal Event' on my drive home with the boat..
Hi Jason, thanks for the compliment.🙂 I usually try to buy repair parts from the manufacturer of whatever item I'm repairing. In this case it was probably Pacific Boat Trailers pacifictrailers.com/blogs/boat-trailer-tips-advice/ufp-brake-actuator-parts-list-and-schematic. They bought out UFP but it's the same people running it, just new owners; very helpful people.
That breakaway cable is supposed to stay locked when it's been deployed, but I think you're talking about the cable getting jammed in the mechanism. When my trailer was fairly new I had to do an emergency braking for some clown who dove in front of me just as we were coming to stopped traffic. After that I had multiple problems with the brakes overheating. Eventually I replaced the shock absorber and that helped. I also upgraded from a small pickup to a Gen 4 4Runner with a 4.7L V8 and that pulled harder to release the brakes.
My trailer has a quick disconnect for the brake line just aft of the removable tongue. When my brakes would jam I'd disconnect the brake line and push in the little pin in the end to release pressure.
Quick question , on the bottom push bracket should it be getting stuck up or is it like a button spring loaded? Because mine keeps getting stuck up, not sure if thats how its suppose to be?
If you mean the tab on the bottom of the actuator, that's the push rod release. If you accidentally pull away from the trailer with the breakaway cable still attached, it will activate the brakes. That tab locks the pushrod in place so there's pressure in the lines. To disarm you push up on the tab and that releases the pushrod and brakes. There's no spring. When the breakaway cable is pulled the pushrod drops into a collar and holds it there. Pushing on the tab releases it. When not activated it should just be free, but there's not much play in it. If you look at 27:34 in the video you can see that when the breakaway is pulled, it pulls the plunger into the master cylinder. When that happens that tab will drop into the slot on the plunger and stay there. Then you have to push up on the tab to release the plunger.
If your brakes are operating normally then that tab is probably just binding on the pushrod. The tab on mine stays in place and doesn't have much free play.
Holy moly how did you get the 2 pins out?
Mine seem to be seized up. I’ve sprayed with pb blaster and pounded them with a sledgehammer and won’t budge.
There something I’m missing in removal?
Yes I pulled the slip rings off and washer.
The two pins in the trailer receiver or the two big pins in the slide mechanism?
@@richward2288 the 2 pins in the sliding mechanism that keep it all together and hold the wheels in place
I bought the boat & trailer used it’s a 1998 champion trailer. It was slamming when I take off and brake from the get go. I think it’s been driven like this for awhile by former owner and my bet is it’s deformed the pins slamming constantly plus they are rusted together
@@lljustice3877 after taking off the snap rings you should be able to use a brass drift to knock the pins out. The pins go through plastic wheels, the shock rod and master cylinder. If it was slammed a lot it might be the shock rod. (I'm not at home right now to look things over.) Can you rotate the pins with pliers/channel locks?
@@richward2288
Just tried to rotate with channel locks. Won’t turn any so I imagine they are pretty well seized up. I keep spraying pb blaster from the bottom side up in there on the back pin hoping it will finally loosen it up enough to break free but no movement as of yet.
How do you bleed the system after disassembly
Great information there sir! My trailer brake wasn’t working and found out the fluid was all gone from the reservoir. Hoping it’s still good or else I will have to tear it apart like u did. Thanks for the video👍👍
If the fluid has disappeared from the actuator brake cylinder then you have a leak somewhere. Check the rubber hose connections on the back of the actuator. Check all the lines, fittings and wheel cylinders /calipers. You should bleed the brakes to get air out of the lines. Check brake fluid level after every tow.
Thanks for the info and reply sir!
Thanks for the useful video. Very helpful.
You're welcome, happy it helped you.
You have the break away cable wrapped around the hydraulic tube, my factory assembly has the cable wrapped around the base of the shock.
It's possible that I changed the routing after I finished the video. The instructions with the new cable said to route it over the top of the damper shock bolt, through the bracket on the brake cylinder and then to the bracket that slips over the brake cylinder piston. I know I had problems with the routing, but thanks for your comment.
I was looking over this video today. I'm not sure I understand how your cable routing differs from mine. My owners manual shows it coming in the front, over the shock absorber eye ring, down/back to the cable guide rod (the L bracket on the master cylinder) and into the cable attachment plate which is mounted to the front of the pushrod assembly between the spring and push bracket. I have added a diagram from the owners manual at 31:17 for clarity to a newer version of this video. ruclips.net/video/iM42YSu0GOk/видео.html
@@richward2288 my break away cable travels into the actuator, then above the shock and around the master cylinder mount rear pin (the pin acts as the pivot point) back to the small pull tab. I noticed you used your small hydraulic line as the pivot point for your cable. My only concern is if the force of the break away line severs the small hydraulic line it will not be able to pull the actuator to the braking condition.
@@TheReiserrob I see now, it's not a hydraulic line, it's an "L" bracket, made of steel, that the cable is going through. That's the pivot point on this model. There are no visible hydraulic lines on the master cylinder. There is a black hose that's the return line from the solenoid at the rear for when you're in reverse to prevent the brakes being applied. That's the only external line. At 27:07 you can see the cable passing through the L bracket on its way to the clip at the front of the push rod.
Thanks for your comments, always good to have someone closely inspect your work to ensure correctness. :-)
@@richward2288 okay. Thank you for clarifying. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions and appreciate this tutorial.
You said you’ve replaced just the master cylinder, was it leaking? mine is cause I forced it in reverse without my plug “reverse solenoid “ actuated and blew gasket I think. Do you think I can remove it and just make a new gasket for it?
My brake cylinder wasn't leaking. It was seized and wouldn't release, overheating my brakes. I doubt that you can make a gasket, they are specialized to resist braking fluid erosion. I would either buy a replacement online or go to a boat repair shop and see if they replace/rebuild the brake cylinder.
If you pull the cable that hooks to the truck is there anything that needs replaced or reset?
On the cable, where it comes out from the closure in the front, is a steel ball. In normal operation this ball is inside the small hole that the cable goes through and there is a clip between the hole and the steel ball. In a breakaway situation the cable pulls the steel ball through the hole, knocking off the clip and engaging the brake. To reset you need to remove tension from the cable, go under the tongue and you'll see a small hole where you can push a screwdriver through to ensure the tang has released the piston on the brake cylinder (brakes should now be disengaged). The steel ball then needs to go back through the hole and a replacement clip placed between the ball and hole. If the cable doesn't release you will have to open up the mechanism and see what's preventing it.
@@richward2288 ok ya I have done pulled off the hitch. I will order me a replacement clip. Thank you!
@@joshardy25 It's just an aluminum "C" clip, probably pick one up at the hardware store. If you have the original owner's manual, it had a spare taped to the front.
@@richward2288 your the man. I pulled my cable out and naturally first thing I did was pull the whole assembly. I still had the original c clip on the line so I straightened it up and RE used it.
With you video and couple comments I have reassembled this thing and working in less than a hour.
Thank you! Very useful video
Thank you