Noise when I rotate wheels

[Aaron Cohen]

Hi all: I'm about to take my camper down from the jacks I stored it on for the winter (whoopee), but notice when I turn the wheels there is a slight, metalic scraping sound, as though suomething is rubbing. Can't see or feel any issue with the brakes, etc. Haven't noticed this before though.

Should I be concerned, or is this normal??

Thanks much!

[Edward Shook]

Aaron, you could have a stone in the wheel but most likely the rust needs to be worn off the breaks. When you hitch up move forward then back a few times applying the breaks ,the sound should go away. If not then look for a stone and then at the bearings.

[Martin D]

Aaron, a light scraping noise is normal on most drum brakes and especially on a properly adjusted trailer brake. The noise you are hearing is slight dragging of the brake shoes on the high spots on the brake drum. The magnet assy that actuates the brakes may have some slight contact with the side of the brake drum which is technically called the armeture. The proper method to adjust your brakes is to jack up the wheel and turn the internal adjuster (it is called a starwheel) thru the slot in the brake backing plate. Adjust the starwheel until the wheel cannot be turned by hand and then back off the starwheel until there is a slight dragging of the brake shoes on the drum. Do not adjust based on the scraping noise. With a slight drag when hand turning the wheel assy you have it adjusted properly.. Suggest you adjust every ten thousand miles. Martin

[Aaron Cohen]

Aaron, a light scraping noise is normal on most drum brakes and especially on a properly adjusted trailer brake. The noise you are hearing is slight dragging of the brake shoes on the high spots on the brake drum. The magnet assy that actuates the brakes may have some slight contact with the side of the brake drum which is technically called the armeture. The proper method to adjust your brakes is to jack up the wheel and turn the internal adjuster (it is called a starwheel) thru the slot in the brake backing plate. Adjust the starwheel until the wheel cannot be turned by hand and then back off the starwheel until there is a slight dragging of the brake shoes on the drum. Do not adjust based on the scraping noise. With a slight drag when hand turning the wheel assy you have it adjusted properly.. Suggest you adjust every ten thousand miles. Martin

THANKS! That sounds like the answer! I think I hadn't heard it before because I hadn't properly adjusted the brakes!

Happy trails, Aaron