Trailer Color / Bleeding Brakes

[David Sessoms]

I'm in the process of sanding and re-painting my trailer. I can't tell if the trailer is a faded black or dark brown. Anyone have any insight on this? I'll be using Por 15 on the rusty spots and would like to get the new coat of paint as close to the factory paint as I can.

I also want to remove the axle and springs from the trailer in this process and will have to disconnect the brake lines. I'm assuming after the brake lines are disconnected they will have to be bleed afterwards. How do you bleed the brakes on a Mac trailer? I've looked at the threads involving problems with fittings on the brake lines but I didn't see anything on the bleeding process.

[Chip Hindes]

The trailer is black. It makes no sense to me to spot- and touchup paint, so that you have to match the existing paint, and you've admitted you don't even know what color it is right now. Paint the whole thing black and be done with it. Two years ago I painted mine with a brush for the inside surfaces and a 4" throwaway foam roller on the outside surfaces in a couple hours; now I touch it up with the same brush and roller technique every year and it will be a few more years before it needs complete repainting again. Even if you clean off the rust first, the paint is not going to be smooth, so don't worry about it. Trust me, it doesn't have to be smooth, it just has to be black, and it looks way better painted a single color with a roller than it does if you just spot paint.

I'm not sure why you want to remove the axle and springs to paint. BTDT, it's certainly not that tough but I believe it's unnecessary.

In order to bleed the brakes you simply need to compress the sliding tongue to stroke the master cylinder. I've done mine singlehanded with a small tie down strap hooked to the trailer frame, with a loop of the strap around the front of the ball socket.

Crank the strap tight, open the valve close the valve, release the strap. Repeat a bunch of times. Refill the reservoir frequently; if it runs dry you start over. There's a fair amount of walking back and forth, but it's not that tough.

A pressure flusher would be nice if you could find one to fit.

[Greg]

David,

If your brake system is currently working OK, try not to disconnect the lines. If you decide you have to, plug or cap the lines and fittings so that all the fluid doesn't drain out. If the cylinders are dry for any length of time, at a minimum you'll need overhaul kits, maybe new cylinders.

Greg

[David Sessoms]

Greg,

I took Chip's advise and didn't remove the axle and springs. After removing the fenders and wheels I found that things were much easier to get too. I am having a problem getting that plastic cap off the master cylinder. Any ideas?

[Jack O'Brien]

Here are four kits for bleeding brakes. I have used the fourth one with satisfaction. Pep Boys sells the same (fourth) one for more money. The ones with the vacuum pumps allow one-person bleeding as the master cylinder does not need to be activated. Unless you can do it as Chip suggests you can't be at the wheel (to close and open the valve) and at the master cylinder at the same time. The pump models allow you to stay at the wheel and see when the bubbles stop. Nice.


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=37201

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=92474

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=92924

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=38053