Brake Adjustments

[Neil in Texas]

I’m new to 5th wheel RVing. Just 1 month ago I purchased a rather lightly used 2015 GD Reflection 303RLS. I don’t think it has many miles and everything seems to be in good order. I have read through the owners manual and have the following questions (the dealer I purchased the trailer from just handles used RVs, so they are not a dealer for any manufacturer, and I don’t think they have much first hand knowledge about the specifics of any particular trailer) Here are my questions...
1) Are the brakes self adjusting.
2) How can I tell if each of the 4 brakes is working equally?
3) When I have the tires replaced, do tire shops know how to do raise the trailer without causing damage? I’ve read different opinions on raising the trailer ... jack on the frame, or jack on the axle, or ramp up the tire adjacent to the tire being changed before jacking up the trailer ... all those people offering suggestions seem to be certain they have the right answer. Can Grand design provide any manufacturer instruction on jacking up the trailer?
4) When I do decide the best method to jack up the trailer, do I leave the truck attached? I have a Ram 3500 dually with a Curt Q20 hitch.

Hoping someone can help with any one or more of the 4 questions. Thanks.

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Neil,

Welcome to our forum!
Cate & I also have a 2015 Reflection 303RLS

1) The brakes are not self adjusting.

2) Our trailers were built at the height of the “greased brakes” fiasco. Also, the wheel bearings are supposed to be cleaned, inspected and greased every year. I would highly recommend that you have the hubs pulled, the brakes inspected, the bearings cleaned, inspected and greased and the seals replaced. (This is “normal” RV service).

3) The axle manufacturer (LCI) advises to jack up the trailer by the frame. The problem with this is that you have to lift the frame a long way to get the tire off the ground because of the suspension drop. Many (even the manufacturer’s service techs) choose to lift under the axle at the U bolts with a block of wood between the jack and the U bolts. Never lift directly on the axle tube.

4). If you lift by the frame, it is a good idea to stay hitched to the truck, because the height of the lift could overload the front landing gear leg taking all the weight. If you lift one wheel at a time, under the U bolts, the trailer does not need to be attached to the truck.

If you have any other questions, or need pictures, don’t hesitate to ask. I have probably “bin-ther-dun-that”. We have owned our 2015 303 since new.

Rob

[howson]

Hoping someone can help with any one or more of the 4 questions. Thanks.

Cate&Rob is being humble--I doubt there's anything he doesn't know about a '15 303RLS.

I hope I'm not stealing his thunder, but the attached PDF is a presentation Rob created in Feb '17. It gives a good visual on what he's referencing regarding lifting by the axle at the U bolts.

Long Term Storage.pdf

You'll realize soon enough that today was your lucky day since you found Rob on this forum, especially since you own a '15 303!

[Cate&Rob]

Neil in Texas

Just to “confuse this a little bit further” . . . I did recommend using a wooden block between the jack and the spring U bolts if you decide to lift at the axle. This is a common and readily available service practice. My PDF that Howard references does recommend lifting on the axle tube between the U bolts. This requires a saddle matched exactly to the diameter of the tube and the spacing between the U bolts. This is a very specific way to lift the weight of the trailer off the tires. This is very secure because the jack can’t slip in any direction and the weight is carried by the locked jackstand rather than the hydraulic cylinder. I store my 303 like this, but it also works well for all tire/hub/brake service access.

Rob

[Neil in Texas]

Rob,

Thanks for the help and advice.

What was the “greased brakes” fiasco?

Neil

[Cate&Rob]

What was the “greased brakes” fiasco?

Hi Neil,

Through 2015 to about 2017/18, there were many reports of bearing grease getting past the rear hub seal and into the brakes. Primarily on Reflections (for some reason). LCI eventually changed their production methods for greasing bearings in production and subsequently, Grand Design changed axle suppliers from LCI to Dexter. Many owners were reimbursed by Grand Design or LCI for brake replacement in that timeframe if the greased brakes occurred within the first year of ownership.

Since all these trailers are well past their required "once per year" bearing repack and seal replacement, all of these brakes should have been inspected and replaced as needed by now . . . but, it is quite possible that a trailer parked for a long time has still never had its hubs pulled for normal service.

Rob

[Superduty]

Neil in Texas
bottlejackbuddy has the bottle jack 3” adapters, that will let you lift between the u bolts (axle) as Rob mentioned above.
I carry one in my 5er (2018 303), along with a bottle jack See picture



there is also a thread on this, Lifting the Trailer here on the forum.

Steve.