Chassis Does this alko magnet need replacing?

Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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The springs will actually pull the shoes away from the backing plate while holding the shoes against the adjuster, the locater pin holds them in position so the shoes wont growl against the side of the drum or the backing plate, the photos show any amount of grease would have made bugga all difference, a case of incorrect fitting or failure of a component, it certainly isn't the norm... I wouldn't be putting grease there in case it leaches over onto the friction material
 
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jazzeddie1234

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May 19, 2016
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New magnets arrived and fitted. I ordered Trojan ones from caravansplus at half the alko price. Side by side they look identical. Will do a test around the block when the rain quits.

I suspect I will need new backing plates in 2 years looking at the play in the magnet arm pivot now they are clean and lubed
 
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jazzeddie1234

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May 19, 2016
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Time for an update on brake performance! The new magnets were noticeably stronger than the old ones but the first 500kms still required the tekonsha p3 to be set to max (about 12 amps draw). Then a couple of dirt roads seem to make all the difference and over the space of a week the brakes went from ok to awesome. I had to reduce the settings by over 50% and I'm back to where they were from new. 5 amps and B1: 25% boost (the amount of initial brake current) gets the van leading the tug which is just how I like them.
The boost setting is handy because the brakes are too abrupt at slow speeds and I can fix that by turning the boost off and not tweaking the main setting
 

Drover

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It takes that long for the shoes to bed in, they can be machined to match the drums .................... base line set up is apply brakes at 40kph, van wheels should just lock up, they should pull up well at speed, minor adjustments can then be made, severe lock up at 40 kph they need backing off, boost is really for those times when bum starts to grab the seat cover............once set you shouldn't have to fiddle with settings while driving........ best to have someone watching when doing the 40kph bit to observe any wheel not locking up....

After that initial 500kms the brakes should be adjusted again as they fit the drum and may need another click.

PS: thats assuming the brakes have been adjusted correctly.
 
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Drover

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I thought you were going to do the whole lot, I suppose the magnet face needs to settle in as well, never actually replaced them, usually just give a buff up and refit............. so you stop, wheels dont fall off, all is gooooood............
 
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skippy

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Jun 21, 2010
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I just finished fitting our new brakes, followed this braking in process and now they work better than new.

Basically you travel at 100kms and hold the brakes on for 800 meters, we did this process twice and now they work better than ever before.

see below link >>>

 
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Drover

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That does cover it @skippy , I do similar when I update the tugs brakes ... I prefer the slower speed myself but it was many years ago since I had to bed van brakes in, I think I just did a run down the Toowoomba Range letting the van brakes hold on the way down, easy way to bed them in, not holding them for long though, Big Mals got a half life reset coming down the hill from Tumbarumba, burning and turning on that trip............................ I can see some just fitting or getting new shoes fitted and just going for the full noise bedding and coming a cropper due to poor shoe adjustment, not doing a slow run and check before hand, a tyre with low air or one shoe out of adjustment and thats it, flip..........

Oh and make sure you have fire extinguisher with you, if drum goes up in flames then dry powder is good, water or foam the drum could explode but good once its cooled a bit, but better than van going up in flames, usually caused when things get too hot and grease runs out from bearing, then Woofa........... should always travel with one handy in tug, one in van is going to be too late...

Don't do that set up if you have just adjusted the shoes though......