Recently my trailer brakes were not working properly. It felt like the ones on the driver's side weren't braking at all. Raising the power setting on the in-cab controller was only causing one of the wheels on the passenger side to lock up too easily. I sort of suspected that some magnets had quit working.
I took the Escape to a trailer repair and hitch shop just off US-169 in south Tulsa. (I've gotten some work done there before, and now I regret it.) The counter guy called later to tell me that they had pulled one of the wheels and checked, and my brakes were "shot". He said the drums were all scored up, too. I needed new assemblies and drums, for $920. I had a feeling that something wasn't right. I told him I couldn't afford that much right now, and I went to pick up the trailer. While I was there I asked him if the price included self adjusting brakes, and he said no it didn't but he said I didn't really need self adjusters because the manual adjusting brakes will adjust themselves when I back up!
That plus a little more BS, and it was starting to feel like I should have brought my waders. I took my trailer home and got my neighbor around the corner to help me out with the job. He's a certified auto mechanic who now works for himself so he doesn't have to rush his work to beat the company clock. Turns out, my brake shoes and drums are still in great shape! The problem: broken wires leading to/from 3 of the 4 magnets!
How do you like the looks of those "shot brakes"? Folks, there are dishonest shops out there, and sometimes it's not easy to know for sure what you're getting. I feel blessed to have found a skilled, honest neighbor. And I can walk right over there & see what's up, too.
I took the Escape to a trailer repair and hitch shop just off US-169 in south Tulsa. (I've gotten some work done there before, and now I regret it.) The counter guy called later to tell me that they had pulled one of the wheels and checked, and my brakes were "shot". He said the drums were all scored up, too. I needed new assemblies and drums, for $920. I had a feeling that something wasn't right. I told him I couldn't afford that much right now, and I went to pick up the trailer. While I was there I asked him if the price included self adjusting brakes, and he said no it didn't but he said I didn't really need self adjusters because the manual adjusting brakes will adjust themselves when I back up!
That plus a little more BS, and it was starting to feel like I should have brought my waders. I took my trailer home and got my neighbor around the corner to help me out with the job. He's a certified auto mechanic who now works for himself so he doesn't have to rush his work to beat the company clock. Turns out, my brake shoes and drums are still in great shape! The problem: broken wires leading to/from 3 of the 4 magnets!
How do you like the looks of those "shot brakes"? Folks, there are dishonest shops out there, and sometimes it's not easy to know for sure what you're getting. I feel blessed to have found a skilled, honest neighbor. And I can walk right over there & see what's up, too.
