I have ordered new aluminum calipers. The starboard side was sticking and the caliber is shot. I thought about rebuilding but for about twice the cost I decided to just replace. I am not sure what I will gain by trying to unbolt the caliber bracket from the axle. I have seen red loctite used on caliber mounting bolts. That said I will probably put a wrench on the bolts and see if they break loose. The current calibers are aluminum while mounting bracket is galvanized.

The only reason to remove that bracket is to replace the rotor. So if you're going to remove it. Service the hub bearing.

That was my thought. The brackets come with the calipers so I will probably keep them and replace when I have to service the hubs.

When removing calipers on anything, car, truck, boat, I always run a safety wire through the caliper and hang to what ever I can find to keep the weight off the hose. Drop the caliper and rip the hose off, what was a simple job gets a lot harder.

Old man's warning !!!

+1.


Also be mindful the brake line isn't twisted when you stick the caliber back on. And before anything goes back on. It's cleaned with acetone or rubbing alcohol. If you gotta go through a half roll of paper towels. Too bad.

Brakes need to be close to sterile clean. Definitely no finger prints.

My trailer guy was going to redo my brakes on the champion and he called and told me with a 1 ton pickup he just welds the tongue so the brakes are disabled. Cheap and works perfect so no more brake hassles. He said he does that for most bass boats.

Thought crossed my mine to just lock the actuator and delete the calibers. My boat weighs a little more then a bass boat and I have a half ton. Replacing the calipers is not difficult and I have a new actuator, brake line, and know how to bleed them.

Put these on the trailer! It will stop the boat and the truck!

That’s some Fred Flintstone stopping power

From a liability standpoint disabling the trailer brakes could be an issue. I would have to look up the laws again but I remember reading that there is a 50% law in Texas and some states are 33%. What I don't recall is 50% the GVWR of the trailer versus the truck or actual truck and trailer weight. I think either way if something happened the Ben Abbotts of the world would be chomping at the bit. I drive very defensively when towing my boat but there are a lot of idiots on the roads these days.

Stump jumper, have you contacted Rockwall trailer. They do great work.

No, never heard of them. There is a trailer place just west of me on the service road that works on boat trailers. I have the old calipers off and new ones on the bench and separated from the brackets. The only reason I asked the question is because all the replacement calipers I saw online come with brackets which I see no reason to replace. If I thought the bolts and the brackets would come off fairly easy I would just replace all but I figured why even try them. Separating the calipers from the brackets just involves pulling 2 guide bolts and disconnecting lines. I have replaced the actuator and bled the brakes so familiar with that process.

I think they were long overdue.

Looking good!