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Post by Old Techo on Mar 15, 2022 8:31:06 GMT 10
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Post by bazza44 on Mar 15, 2022 14:41:00 GMT 10
OT. what I have found with these cheaper brands of complete backing plates, is that all the edges of the backing plate and edges of the brake shoe and lever are sharp edges. This in no way affects how they work, just watch your fingers.
If Trojan are made in China I suggest this is what you will find. I replaced all the brake assembly's on our last van with Chinese and they worked as well as any other, cost was just a bit more than magnets themselves.
Barry
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Post by nsgnomad on Mar 16, 2022 8:36:09 GMT 10
I need to replace the brake linings on my van and have been eying up These backing plates. I know they are 12" not the 10" you are after, but the company based in Vic will have the 10" ones too. I agree with you that replacing the whole assembly is very little more than just shoes and magnets. |
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Post by jr on Mar 16, 2022 11:28:51 GMT 10
Hi OT, My brother has those cheapies and he has had no problem. You mentioned about the magnet arm pivot ware. I may have posted this before, but I made a mod many years ago to reduce the ware on the arm pivot. My first and last trip down the Gibb River road back in the eighties highlighted this problem so I carried out a mod to try and reduce the pivot ware and have never had an issue on that pivot since. Yes, I know I have modified a important brake part but it works. I needed to drill a hole through the centre of the pin and tap the hole with I think a 6mm thread. I then turned up a special washer to overlap the arm and held in place with a 6mm Allen head screw with some loctite to stop it coming lose. The washer almost stoppes the arm from rocking so the recess in the washer must be just the right depth or you could lock the arm. Also I needed to grind some of the washer so not to interfere with the brake shoe movement. If you are going to do anymore roads like the Burketown to Borroloola best to get off road magnets as they do help a lot just they a more expensive. 
 JR  |
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Post by nsgnomad on Mar 16, 2022 16:50:46 GMT 10
Since you mentioned it, how are off road magnets different from normal? I gather with your van, JR, that your brakes are 12".
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Post by jr on Mar 16, 2022 19:53:12 GMT 10
Hi Roger, I have added a photo showing the standard and off-road magnet side by side. Many years ago, Phoenix caravans got together with AL-KO to build an off-road magnet as Phoenix found that the standard magnet flogged the mounting point on the magnet arm and also flogged the metal centre of the magnet when on corrugated and rough roads. The standard magnet is quite loose on its mount and as the magnet is heavy for its size destroyed itself. I found this early in my caravanning life, one trip of a 600Kms on corrugations destroyed my brakes. Simple as it is they replaced the centre of the magnet with a kind of rubbery material to absorb the shock. Only thing is that you now have a LH and a RH magnet and as they are a local product are not cheap but are worth the cost if you plan on doing a lot of corrugated roads. Yes I have 12” brakes but they look the same as 10” only bigger and the magnets look the same but they list a different part number for 12” compared to 10” not sure why but the 12” use white wires for ever what reason.  JR |
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Post by nsgnomad on Mar 16, 2022 20:53:27 GMT 10
Thanks, JR. I see from the photos why they have a left and right for the off road. The normal ones have a cross shaped hole in the centre for the post, whereas the off road has just a slot. As the post is angled, the slot only fits one way.
It is a womder someone hasn't come up with a cheap insert to put into the standard magnets.
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Post by Old Techo on Mar 17, 2022 12:43:31 GMT 10
Thanks Baz, Roger and JR.
I’ve not been very active here for a couple of weeks. Spent 3 nights in hospital due to a hernia-related small bowel restriction.
Since I got home I have an annoying ticklish throat that causes frequent coughing. A problem when trying to sleep. I have our GP on the job.
JR,
Thanks for those pics and I’d already considered re-bushing the arm pivot but yet to examine the job. I'd pretty well decided to replace the whole thing.
The link I posted is for off-road magnets. After I saw how badly the regular magnets were cut about by corrugations on the Birdsville Track and Borroloola I was committed to off-road magnets.
Apart from their ‘handedness’ are there any other negatives with off-road types?
A factor in replacing the whole box and dice is I am hoping for softer brake shoes. When I replaced the factory original shoes with the recommended cbaus.com.au/brakebonders-1 I found the linings too hard i.e. lower coefficient of friction. Great for longevity but lack braking power. I could no longer lock a caravan wheel on bitumen.
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Post by jr on Mar 17, 2022 13:15:46 GMT 10
Just had a look at that link in your first post OT, bloody hell so cheap those off-road magnets (AL-KO) can be $80.00 as a separate item. Only small issue with off road magnets is putting the drum back on and holding the magnet at the same time from trying to fall off their mount as there is no clip to hold them. I use a light wire rapped around the magnet in such a way that it can be pulled out once the drum is well on. P.S. hope the GP can fix you. JR |
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Jack Driver
Seasoned veteran
Posts: 298
Tow/Motorhome: Isuzu Dmax Spacecab MY2015
Caravan: Tailgate slide-on camper MY2020
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Post by Jack Driver on Mar 17, 2022 13:34:59 GMT 10
Only small issue with off road magnets is putting the drum back on and holding the magnet at the same time from trying to fall off their mount as there is no clip to hold them. I use a light wire rapped around the magnet in such a way that it can be pulled out once the drum is well on. I usually put a rubber band around the magnet and lever. The rubber band is removed/destroyed on the first brake application.  |
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Post by nsgnomad on Mar 17, 2022 16:46:06 GMT 10
OT, if you had looked at the page of the Trojan heavy duty electric brake magnets on Caravans Plus, you would have noticed this:  I suppose, though, since you were only after 10" units you wouldn't need to look further. However the idea of using a rubber band is a good one and I will use it in future. |
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Post by bazza44 on Mar 17, 2022 16:58:48 GMT 10
As Jack said, rubber band works.
Barry
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Post by Old Techo on Mar 19, 2022 10:20:11 GMT 10
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Jack Driver
Seasoned veteran
Posts: 298
Tow/Motorhome: Isuzu Dmax Spacecab MY2015
Caravan: Tailgate slide-on camper MY2020
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Post by Jack Driver on Mar 19, 2022 11:08:44 GMT 10
They're certainly cheap!  |
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Post by Old Techo on Apr 12, 2022 7:53:40 GMT 10
Yesterday I committed and ordered the above.
They should be here in a few days
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