Over the past few years, I have seen and heard some guys talk about quality improvements in the goods made in China.
I don't care if they are making stuff for American corporations, I will paraphrase Obama's comment about Biden, in reference to this.
"Never underestimate Chinese manufacturing's ability to Fvck things up".
Those factories still can't make stainless steel that doesn't rust (quickly). No matter if it is a wastebasket, or a toothbrush holder.
They can't make a basic freaking screw of anything harder than cheese, they snap or spin the phillips cross out of them at the lowest torque setting on a weak screw driver.
They still can't make the simplest of LOW-Tech electronic crap that works reliably. (Go to your local Walmart, buy one of those 10-pack boxes of the little solar walkway lights. I can pretty-much guarantee 3 or 4 are DOA straight from the package. 2 or 3 more will fail within 3-4 weeks. And by next Spring, all 10 will have been tossed in the trash. 100% failure within a year). It happens at this household every d@mned year, an annual ritual every Spring, she buys another 10-pack.
The corporate suits that shipped American manufacturing jobs overseas to increase their profit margins, (with blessing and enablement of MANY politicians from BOTH sides of the aisle), do not give a d@mn about quality, or customer safety. Only the almighty dollar.
Remember, those factories are the same ones that put lead paint on Baby Toys that were sent to America, and BPA in Dog Food.
Unlike some misguided folks, I harbor no ill will for the Chinese people. I despise the baztards, (corporate a-holes and politicians), that sold out our country's economy and future, to line their own pockets. And the first ones to do it, were the worst offenders. They left their competitors a choice between 2 bad options - Follow suit, or lose market share and eventually close the doors.

I had a China drum (vintage 2002) split and replaced it with a USA Dexter in 2014, just replaced the other 3 with Dexter made in USA, but they have ceased operations to move it to Mexico.
My trailer parts place has pallets and pallets of USA Dexter stocked.

Figure it out??

quote:

Originally posted by Goob:
I had a China drum (vintage 2002) split and replaced it with a USA Dexter in 2014, just replaced the other 3 with Dexter made in USA, but they have ceased operations to move it to Mexico.
My trailer parts place has pallets and pallets of USA Dexter stocked.

Hey Dave, and the name of your trailer parts supplier is... ?

quote:

Originally posted by Goob:
I had a China drum (vintage 2002) split and replaced it with a USA Dexter in 2014, just replaced the other 3 with Dexter made in USA, but they have ceased operations to move it to Mexico.
My trailer parts place has pallets and pallets of USA Dexter stocked.

As a side note, the brakes on my 2002 trailer were never effective at all. On either truck.
I swapped a hydraulic controller for an electronic, no difference, rewired the trailer brakes to each side pair off of a Berg box, never had action, couldn't get any spec current draw through the magnets.
Although all the components were basically trashed as if they have been working for 32,000 miles, stopping action was nil.

Installed all 4 Dexter brake assemblies and drums, brakes are now proper. Actually have to turn the gain down at times.

quote:

and the name of your trailer parts supplier is.

https://www.easternmarine.com/...-drum-hub-k08-201-97

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

and the name of your trailer parts supplier is.

https://www.easternmarine.com/...-drum-hub-k08-201-97

Local trailer sales outfit, racers.
Mayes Trailer Sales in Whiteland, IN

It's possible the races spun in the drum and wore the ID enough to cause a wobble.
BUT most of the time the stuff burns up !
My old 22' box trailer liked to eat bearings regularly
It had 3500lb axles
I carried spares and checked the bearings at every race
My next box trailer had Nev-R-Lube bearings
Sealed cartridge style bearings pressed into the drums
I replaced them when I got that trailer and kept the old ones for on the road spares, never needed them

Trailer brakes work best when adjusted up pretty snug.....
I resurfaced my old trailers drums where the magnets energize to in a lathe

Brakes never worked worth a damn before that
By the time I got home from doing those drums the brakes grabbed so hard I ripped the stem out of a tube I had in one tire !! That rim had a crack in it and the tube was the only fix.
Cragar steel chrome rims.....IIRC

The Nev-R-Lube setup was something I never saw before but they were good. A top of the line Classic trailer and Air Stream used those bearings
They used their own drums specific to those cartridges....Dexter makes them.....Sealed like the modern front bearings on many vehicles....
I jacked the trailer up regularly to check for bearing noise or any wobble.....just like I did with my old 22' box....

Blown tires and burned up bearings and axle stubs or broken axles was really pretty common among my friends.....
Bigger axles, bearings, LT 16" tires were some big improvements.....

It's not as if maintaining a race car isn't enough trouble, but the damn trailers have to give you headaches too.

A buddy of mine races and wins in a 2019 Mustang 5.0 that he drives to the track, 120 miles each way. It runs 11.30's at over 120mph, in mid-summer Georgia heat, stock except for drag radials and a tune to run on E85. No tow vehicle, no trailer, no loading/unloading, etc. I'm having a hard time talking myself out of going the same route.

Been thinking about buying a used C5 or C6 Corvette for those race days when I just don't want to fool with the trailer.

Sacrificed 20 years on a open trailer to find the right one.

I wouldn't trade for a loaded new Intech, bet that.

Nobody passes me unless I let em.

You don't know how easy towing is, until you pull one of these.

I'll get her fixed up and RIDE ON!

My buddy here at work had a Featherlite and it was a good trailer

Unlined and pretty empty

I recall feeling the floor felt like it was a bit flexy when I walked in it...never was any problem

My Classis Terminator had an aluminum floor and towed like a dream.....

I never cared for that style of rear door locks in your picture.....thumb crushers if your stupid and not paying attention.....been there, done that

My Classic had flush door handles and locks....and the same wheels in the picture

Sadly gone now and I have no idea where it is or whats happening with my car....I was told it popped up for sale a few weeks on a racing parts site....

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:
When I removed the races from my Dexter 12” drums manufactured 2003 they were stamped China and the bearings were Romania. In 2019 I replaced races/ bearings with Timken and their boxes stated some content could be foreign. I was advised on DRR by another to look at NTN Bower bearings made in USA.

I just replaced the brake assemblies with factory Dexter (USA made) this year after the rear axle brake material disintegrated from the shoes. Couldn’t figure out what happened, and the drums were perfect. The front axle brakes were perfect and only thing helping stop the trailer.

I also have factory steel 15” wheels and they wiggle slightly as well that was shown to me when I had new tires replaced 3+ yrs ago. Said they wouldn’t balance out properly because of this. I purchased new aluminum wheels recently for the next set of new tires. These aluminum wheels are China like everything else.

I just sent NTN an email for Part number cross over. We shall see for a response on what they offer. they are very big in transportation lines, trucks included.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
Sacrificed 20 years on a open trailer to find the right one.

I wouldn't trade for a loaded new Intech, bet that.

Nobody passes me unless I let em.

You don't know how easy towing is, until you pull one of these.

I'll get her fixed up and RIDE ON!

Mike, I have the same 19yr old Featherlite trailer. Just wore out the original TriMark door keys and purchased new ones from Trimark after locks were hard to lock/unlock this year. Door lock uses 2 different cut keys for locking. The master key numbers are stamped on the original keys but not on the replacements.

I had to replace the breakaway switch that failed when doing the brakes recently also.

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
Sacrificed 20 years on a open trailer to find the right one.

I wouldn't trade for a loaded new Intech, bet that.

Nobody passes me unless I let em.

You don't know how easy towing is, until you pull one of these.

I'll get her fixed up and RIDE ON!

Mike, I have the same 19yr old Featherlite trailer. Just wore out the original TriMark door keys and purchased new ones from Trimark after locks were hard to lock/unlock this year. Door lock uses 2 different cut keys for locking. The master key numbers are stamped on the original keys but not on the replacements.

I had to replace the breakaway switch that failed when doing the brakes recently also.

That's your reach, that trailer. Effortless for miles.

Extends your reach.

Wing Wong Ching Chong - American corporation strong, Cha Ching!

You doing all 4 or just one???? As you know when installing that seal, put a film of anerobic or even ultra gray on the outside.

quote:

Originally posted by TD3550:
You doing all 4 or just one???? As you know when installing that seal, put a film of anerobic or even ultra gray on the outside.

Will do, I have Right Stuff in stock.

Just doing one, I did buy shoes for the four, I'll look at also. Looked like they might have a third left.

I bought this trailer from Fly'n Brian trailers in Jacksonville. Tremendously good people, his folks and everyone there. Looks like they packed the bearings and put new shoes on it before I picked it up.

Top Notch people.

quote:

Do they mark what country of origin the drum and bearings are on them?

New Dexter brake shoes are only 0.180” thick. Legal limit before needing replacement is 0.063”.

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

Do they mark what country of origin the drum and bearings are on them?

New Dexter brake shoes are only 0.180” thick. Legal limit before needing replacement is 0.063”.

Hum, bearings say wing wong ching chong.

I'll be replacing the shoes on that bit of info.

Thank You

High quality piece as I presumed it would be.

Bearings were bigger too, you know what that means.

Dust cap even stabbed on tighter.

Grade 8.. 1/2 studs.

Nice, gonna order the other 3.