Surge brakes failed on the way back from fishing

[frogbite]

Hi all,

On way back from a great day of fishing I went to stop at an intersection and low and behold went right through. I was slowing down, but not nearly as fast as I expected. I pulled the master cylinder fill plug and there was no fluid in the reservoir. So I proceeded to fill it and use my pressurised brake bleader. After pulling fluid at of the first calliper I moved to the second and the same thing there.

Went back and looked and no fluid was being drawn out of the master cylinder. After messing with it for about an hour I decided to put some pressure at the fill point. I used a cork and my air compressor set to 10lbs. Opened the bleed valve on the calliper closest to the master cylinder and pushed air into the master cylinder. In a few seconds the master cylinder was dry and no fluid out of the calliper. I lowered the trailer tongue down and fluid came pouring out. A lot more than I had pumped out.

So I know I have a leak. This is a 2004 Skeeter ZX225 with a 2004 EZ Loader Custom trailer. Going to their website I don't see brake lines there. My question is, is this something I can repair myself? If so where do I get the line or lines and how to remove and replace them. I don't want to pull it anywhere without the surge brakes unless I absolutely have to.

Thanks,

Frogbite

[CatFan]

Brake lines are pretty easy on a trailer. http://www.easternmarine.com should have anything you need and they are a sponsor. You need to find your leak though. It may be your master cylinder rather than a line.

[frogbite]

I don't think it is the master cylinder because I have a break-away tongue and the fluid was coming out of the trailer past where it is hinged.

[CatFan]

You probably have a flex line that has failed in there.

[frogbite]

Yes, my guess as well. I think I need to pull the whole line out to get to it though. Disconnect it at bypass and above the rear axle and then pull the whole thing out. Both flex and non-flex. Unless someone knows another (easier) way.

[CatFan]

There may be a bracket and clip someplace at the back of the tongue where it goes from flex to steel. For a swing tongue you have to have a rubber flex hose and maybe even a disconnect.

[frogbite]

Yeah, can't see much. Under the tongue I can see the bypass valve and the connection there. From there the next thing I can see is the rubber hose at the break-away point. It is not until it comes out above the axle that I can see anything again.

[Rick Wilson]

disconnect the hose comming from the actuator and test it, then disconnect the line going to each wheel cylinder and see if you get pressure at the wheel cylinder. this will tell you if you are getting pressure from your system or where your leak is going.

[frogbite]

This is a good point to test the actuator. I know the leak is in the trailer where the line runs through it but I am bit bothered by the fact that I filled it with fluid and pumped the actuator with a screwdriver and the fluid was not going down. Thought it might be because of the leak since it ran dry.

[Rick Wilson]

bleed the actuator first to get the air out buy disconnecting the brake line from it then bleeding to get the air pocket out' Is this an A60 actuator?

[frogbite]

Yes it is. I have a hand pump, shouldn't that be able to pull the fluid without having to bleed it? It will be unhooked when I replace the line anyway, so should be easy enough to do. Just wondering.

[Rick Wilson]

get it fixed and if so what was it. what trailer do you have?

[frogbite]

I have not pulled it apart yet. I know there is a leak in the line that goes into the tube through the trailer. It is either leaking from the rubber line (most likely) or the steel line going through the tube. It is a 2004 EZ-Loader Dual Axle Custom trailer. The standard trailer that the ZX225 I have came with.