M1101

[downrange1]

Fellas........I recently acquired one from a buddy who was tired of messing with it. I hauled it about 25 miles to my place and upon exiting the vehicle smelled what seemed like a noxious vapor...Almost like a chemical fire. I checked hubs and I'm surprised they weren't glowing red they were so hot.

Both handbrakes were in the upright position and the emergency brake lever with the cable on it was also in the upright position. So, it's either my brakes are dragging or the hubs are too tight.....

I proceeded to try and break the hubs free to perform the prescribed loosening of a quarter turn after pulling the cotter pin; however, I managed to beat the finish off of one of the hubs and darn near destroyed it. I knocked paint free and dented the heck out of it.

I'm just trying to remove the caps right?? Any pics/video of what I need to do?

Thanks in advance.........

Edit to add: Friend advised me last night that he went on a 60 mile trek with it a few weeks back and hubs were cool to touch upon arrival.........What in the heck could be going on? Trailer mfg date 2010. Don't think it was ever used at all....

 

[maciej102]

If you jack up the wheel off the ground does it spin freely with the brakes disengaged?

 

[downrange1]

good thought........unfortunately, I just moved so I have limited tools/space to delve into that just yet.

 

[Trailboss]

...
Both handbrakes were in the upright position and the emergency brake lever with the cable on it was also in the upright position. So, it's either my brakes are dragging or the hubs are too tight......

The emergency brake lever should be pointing back rearwards toward the trailer box. If it is pointing straight up, it is in the actuated position.

 

[maciej102]

good thought........unfortunately, I just moved so I have limited tools/space to delve into that just yet.

you should have a bottle jack and a lug nut wrench in your car.

 

[downrange1]

lever pointed rearwards......

 

[downrange1]

bottle jack doesn't reach..

 

[Trailboss]

You don't need a jack with these trailers.

Unhitch the trailer, crank the tongue as low as it can go, install the landing legs on the rear and adjust so the foot is on the ground, crank the tongue up until the wheels are off the ground. It should be fairly stable, but do it on flat ground so it doesn't slide. Also block the jack wheel from moving.

 

[Scar59]

bottle jack doesn't reach..

put the jack on a block(s) of wood........

 

[downrange1]

brilliant...thanks...let's assume for a moment that wheel(s) do spin freely and we can forego any notion that brakes are dragging...........anybody have any other ideas on how to get these hub caps off? thanks

 

[downrange1]

some guy mentioned that the fact that the trailer tongue is leaning forward (ie - my tow vehicle not being tall enough) could be inadvertently engaging the surge brake.......he said the chemical smell sounds like brakes are dragging. ?

thoughts? this sound feasible? thanks

 

[drivebymashing]

I towed a m1101 with a ford ranger it was leaning forward pretty good. It didnt engage the brakes the hubs did not get hot after 320 miles. I thought the handles pointing up is brake off. The handles pointing towards the the front is locked position.

 

[MWMULES]

If any teeth at all are showing on the break a way it will lock the brakes up like what happened to you. I did it several years ago when the surge brake trailers were first released, only one tooth showing and it took many miles before it built enough pressure, mine got so hot it burnt the paint off one of the wheels. If your got as hot as you stated might want to repack and check the bearings for any color.
For the cap it should just pry off, use a block as leverage point and a large flat screw driver to pry, or I have also used a pair of slip joint pliers to "twist" it out.

 

[Aerialfred]

Gentlemen, I just went out to check my 3 M1102 trailers and none of them would allow the brake handles to point to the rear at all. They did fully release and still were not even pointing straight up. They were just short of straight up, ever so slightly leaning just a bit forward. And yes, they did fully release as the trailers rocked with no effort. Not trying to argue at all. Just saying my M1102 trailers do not point to the cargo box. I pulled them 180 plus miles with no heat to indicate they were engaged at all.

 

[Aerialfred]

Perhaps it is as some of you said, the surge brake may have been slightly engaged.

 

[Trailboss]

Sounds like some are getting confused about which brakes are being talked about. The 2 parking hand brakes were off per the OP, as the handles were pointing up. The emergency break-away brakes are actuated by a chain or cable attached to the towing vehicle and connected to a lever on top of the surge brake box behind the tongue. If the chain pulls the lever forward towards vertical from it's normal position pointing to the rear, the emergency brakes will engage.

 

[downrange1]

correct.........2 hand brakes are pointing up.........I mentioned toward trailer as they can slightly in that direction......not literally pointing at the trailer box.

emergency brake lever attached to cable is pointing more toward the box than those two..........all three are DISENGAGED......still diagnosing......thanks again for the responses.

 

[Aerialfred]

Yes Trailboss, I was confused until I reread the original query. That was why I mentioned the surge/emergency brake may have been engaged. Thank you for pointing it out. This brake does indeed point to the rear of the trailer. Is it possible the pads may have came loose or be stuck and causing it to heat up?

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,

The trailer M110x manual has it listed as
Fulton Grease Cap - 2.722" Outer Diameter - 1-7/16" Tall - Drive In
I would assume any cap which is 2.72" diameter is going to work.

NAPA 730-2413 CAP-GREASE/STYLE 1

You will probably need to replace the cap. There is no precise easy way to get it off. Large flat blade screwdriver, crow bar, blocks of wood, hammer, dead blow hammer, rubber mallet, keep beating it someway or another and you will get it off. Other's are correct, if it got that hot, it would be best to repack and put the castle nut back to the right setting, Probably to tight.

 

[downrange1]

thanks again to all......