Cobra Trailer brakes

The bearings and seals are off-the-shelf parts that a good bearing or
auto parts supplier should be able to get for you. I carry a spare set
in the front of my trailer just in case. From experience, it can be
difficult to find them on Sunday evening...in a small town...in
eastern Tennessee.

The bearing numbers are stamped on the races. Not sure about the
seals; I might have had to take one in for the supplier to match up.

I had something similar occur on a Komet trailer years ago. The
bracket welded to the front of the tongue (just before it exits the
front of the trailer) broke, allowing the trailer to settle onto the
brake actuating rod. The bolts at the rear of the tongue kept
everything connected but it jammed the surge brake on.

A bearded, southern good ole' boy pulled up beside us on the freeway
in North Carolina in a tricked out van and pointed back at the
trailer, which had smoke pouring from the hubs. He helped me lash a
chain around the tongue and front crossmember which allowed me to limp
into a nearby town for a quick repair.

Lesson learned: Surprisingly, he knew it was a glider trailer. As he
ferried me to the local Kmart to buy some chain, I was giving him the
"how gliders fly without an engine, kindergarten version" speech when
he allowed that he had just had a ride in a glider, a Grobee (sic).

"It was last week; I've got some pictures here." At which point he
pulled out a packet of prints with him climbing into and out of a Twin
Grob at a nearby commercial operation!

He refused any compensation for ferrying me around and being late for
dinner, but I signed him up as an SSA member when I got home.

Chip Bearden

J.J.
I know you were trying to make light of the situation and I didn't
take the comment ofensivly. I found a brake shop in Riverside that
will turn the drums reline the shoes, they have the seals in metric.
They havn't located a perfect match for the return springs yet, close
but not exact. The bearings were in good shape not blued or chipped
and the same with the races. I'll look closer tomorrow. In the
meantime I've been watching awsome Q's and lenticular clouds over the
Big Bear and San Gabriels and can't get the trailer to roll!!
Russ

(R Barry) writes:

I know you were trying to make light of the situation and I didn't
take the comment ofensivly. I found a brake shop in Riverside that
will turn the drums reline the shoes, they have the seals in metric.
They havn't located a perfect match for the return springs yet, close
but not exact. The bearings were in good shape not blued or chipped
and the same with the races. I'll look closer tomorrow. In the

Toss them, they have possibly been hot enough to draw the temper and
will fail a short way down the track. It is only a few extra minute to
replace them before they eat the wheel, and your trailer

--
Paul Repacholi 1 Crescent Rd.,
+61 (08) 9257-1001 Kalamunda.
West Australia 6076
comp.os.vms,- The Older, Grumpier Slashdot
Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked.
EPIC, The Architecture of the future, always has been, always will be.

I have Cobra Brake drums in stock with bearings for some
trailers......please contact me with your drums in hand and I can tell you
which ones here are direct replacements.
thanks
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

"Paul Repacholi" wrote in message
...
(R Barry) writes:

I know you were trying to make light of the situation and I didn't
take the comment ofensivly. I found a brake shop in Riverside that
will turn the drums reline the shoes, they have the seals in metric.
They havn't located a perfect match for the return springs yet, close
but not exact. The bearings were in good shape not blued or chipped
and the same with the races. I'll look closer tomorrow. In the

Toss them, they have possibly been hot enough to draw the temper and
will fail a short way down the track. It is only a few extra minute to
replace them before they eat the wheel, and your trailer

--
Paul Repacholi 1 Crescent Rd.,
+61 (08) 9257-1001 Kalamunda.
West Australia 6076
comp.os.vms,- The Older, Grumpier Slashdot
Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked.
EPIC, The Architecture of the future, always has been, always will be.

Sounds to me like it would be a good practice to secure the brake
handle in the down position by some means while hooked up. Mine does
pull up rather easily and I'd hate to find out there's a problem by
some fellow honking and gesturing from the next lane!

2NO

bart w wrote:
Sounds to me like it would be a good practice to secure the brake
handle in the down position by some means while hooked up. Mine does
pull up rather easily and I'd hate to find out there's a problem by
some fellow honking and gesturing from the next lane!

Does it use a gas cylinder on the handle? Perhaps it needs to be replaced.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

(bart w) wrote in message om...
Sounds to me like it would be a good practice to secure the brake
handle in the down position by some means while hooked up. Mine does
pull up rather easily and I'd hate to find out there's a problem by
some fellow honking and gesturing from the next lane!

That's part of the non-US disconnect protection. A gas strut keeps
the handle down by over-center pressure, then if the cable attached to
the bottom gives a tug on it, the handle lifts up and the gas strut
ensures the brake is applied. Older trailers didn't have the gas
strut and just rely on the safety cable to apply full brake.

In the US, chains are required to attach the trailer to the tow
vehicle. I have the chains a bit longer than the brake actuation
cable, so if the hitch comes off the ball, the cable will actuate the
brake, and the chains will keep the brakes-on trailer attached to the
vehicle.

-Tom

Tom Serkowski wrote:


In the US, chains are required to attach the trailer to the tow
vehicle. I have the chains a bit longer than the brake actuation
cable, so if the hitch comes off the ball, the cable will actuate the
brake, and the chains will keep the brakes-on trailer attached to the
vehicle.

That sounds like a good plan, especially since many/most US folks have
inadequate chains. Until you've seen a trailer connected to the tow
vehicle by only the chains, you have no idea how violent the swerving
and bucking can be. Having the brakes applied should dampen it considerably.

Has anyone had a trailer come off the ball while hooked up like Tom
describes, and how did it work out?

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Eric Greenwell writes:

That sounds like a good plan, especially since many/most US folks
have inadequate chains. Until you've seen a trailer connected to the
tow vehicle by only the chains, you have no idea how violent the
swerving and bucking can be. Having the brakes applied should dampen
it considerably.

Has anyone had a trailer come off the ball while hooked up like Tom
describes, and how did it work out?

You cross the chains over. Left chain to right shakle on the tow bar,
and visa versa. This keeps the trailer centred when it comes off the
tow ball. Bit of noise, and slow down *SLOWLY*. You dont want your
trailer chewing on the boot!

If you rub the chains straight, it can whip around like a demeted dog!

--
Paul Repacholi 1 Crescent Rd.,
+61 (08) 9257-1001 Kalamunda.
West Australia 6076
comp.os.vms,- The Older, Grumpier Slashdot
Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked.
EPIC, The Architecture of the future, always has been, always will be.

Paul Repacholi wrote:

Has anyone had a trailer come off the ball while hooked up like Tom
describes, and how did it work out?


You cross the chains over. Left chain to right shakle on the tow bar,
and visa versa. This keeps the trailer centred when it comes off the
tow ball. Bit of noise, and slow down *SLOWLY*. You dont want your
trailer chewing on the boot!

If you rub the chains straight, it can whip around like a demeted dog!

I've seen this advice many times in the RV group, but the alleged
purpose is always to the tongue off the pavement, without much comment
of reducing disconnected stability. Perhaps keeping the tonque off the
pavement increases the stability of the combination, even it the people
repeating the advice don't realize it.

So, two questions now:

1) Has anyone had a trailer come off the ball while hooked up like Tom
describes (chained and with handbrake cable connected), and how did it
work out?

2) has anyone had a trailer come off the ball with the chains crossed,
and how did it work out?


--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
...
Tom Serkowski wrote:

Has anyone had a trailer come off the ball while hooked up like Tom
describes, and how did it work out?



I have had two trailers come off the ball over the years. The first was
with a trailer with NO brakes. After hooking up, the trailer was driven at
least a half mile over a very rough dirt road leaving the airport (the old
Marfa airport). And then it did not come off until 30 - 40 miles. The
second was with a trailer that had a cable actuated brake. Again, a rough
dirt road was used to exit the airport. After about 10 miles the trailer
came loose. The brake did get set, but not strongly (lack of adjustment for
previous wear).

The solution for both cases was the same. I was able to feel that the
trailer had come loose. In a motor home this might not be possible. I then
slowed the car until the trailer came into contact with the rear bumper.
The car was then slowly braked to a safe stop. The trailer stayed stable
while trying to "push" the car (both cases).

This procedure may scratch the rear of the car, but, that is much better
than scratching the sides and top in a roll over. And is much preferable to
having the trailer break away and possible go into another car.

Duane