Swift Danette brakes caught fire!!

[Shirley_374375119]

We took our Swift Danette out for our first holiday in it at the weekend. We only went about an hour away down to Rockley Park at Poole. It towed there fine. But on the way home one of the wheels on the caravan was smoking and when we stopped it caught fire!! We quickly put it out and assume it was a problem with a brake stuck on? Has anyone else experienced something like this and do you think we have caused much damage? We are going to get it looked at shortly but I am worried that we have ruined it after only 1 holiday. Thanks in advance.

 

[Zafiral]

Shirley

What car were you towing with (and what weight is a Swift Danette) for you to still be able to brive happily stuck on brake?

 

[rob_jax]

Shirley,

Fire in a brake drum? Then the grease in the wheel bearing has probably disappeared...

If you are DIY capable, then a brake and wheel bearing inspection, overhaul, and final adjustment is a sensible job to undertake.

And since it appears that the brakes weren't adjusted, you might want to give the rest of the chassis components an inspection and service too.

You'll need the Haynes caravan manual as a guide. Caravans are simple, mechanical things...

Or - ask a caravan service centre or mobile engineer to do the job for you...

Robert

 

[CheapnCheerful]

Might not be the brakes - could be a failed wheel bearing. It would be advisable to check everything!

Incidentally, a brake only has to be binding very slightly to create a huge amount of heat. I once had trailer brakes go up in smoke fairly spectacularly once after just 10 mins at 60mph, all due to me not releasing the handbrake on it properly when I hitched it up. And due to the heavy load in the trailer the extra drag was completely unnoticable, it was only when I got out at my destination when the trailer was stationary that I was confronted with plumes of smoke and dribbling grease out of the hubs. Just as well it was only a short journey...

 

[CheapnCheerful]

Oh and just to reassure you, when I removed the drums after everything had cooled, it still looked OK - still enough lining left on the shoes etc. I just regreased the bearings, adjusted the brakes slightly as there was now a little slack in them and all was well.

 

[SteveW77]

Having been a motor mechanic most of my working life, I certainly wouldn't re-use either the brake shoes or the bearing set after they had been cooked in this way. For the relatively cheap cost of replacements, why take the risk. I have seen brake shoes that have crumbled to dust on the first hard application after being heated in this way.

Steve W

 

[HomerS1]

Hi,

had a similar problem on my brand new Abbey a couple of months ago - seems I was putting the breakaway cable on too tight, causing the breaks to be applied when I went over bumps, turned corners etc. Lots of smoke and a rebuild of the nearside break drum and shoes. Oh yes and

 

[SteveW77]

Ouch!!! At those prices, it looks like I spent my working life on the wrong side of the trade.

Steve W

 

[colin_374340395]

depends on bonded or revited linings be safe and renew both bonded linings delamninate with heat same on cars wot type of grease is used on vehicle bearings they reconmend C V grease ?

 

[SteveW77]

I have not seen riveted shoes used comercialy for 20 years or more and you certainly do not use CV grease on wheel bearings, you use high melting point grease.CV grease when heated almost turns liquid and would get passed the oil seal and contaminate the brakes after a very short time. (Ask anyone who has change a CV gaiter, they will tell you about the mess you get into with liquid grease.) If in any doubt, consult any motorist supplies outlet.

Steve W