Brake Magnet

[bsmeaton]

I know nothing about maintenance on electric brakes - does this wear look normal for a magnet? Is it still good, or is it shot? All the book says is they are bad when the coil is showing. This looks like metal on metal, but maybe that's OK.

I've got about 650 miles on the rig, plus whatever transport miles to the Dealer from the factory.

[kwolff7]

Hi Brad,

My partner John says this wear is normal as long as the magnet is worn evenly straight across and not at an angle. The thing that gets broken first is the wiring going to it. If the drum wear is also smooth and not rough you have normal wear. Check the wiring to the magnets and make sure the insulation is intact. Karen

[bsmeaton]

Thanks Karen - I thought it would be too early to be worn out.

[noneck]

Hi Brad, I agree looks bit odd because its "new" so your seeing the start of how these things work and abrade against the drum surface. Bit concerned about the contact on the bevel but again your looking very early in the life span of a friction magnet. Good news from seeing this picture your magnet assembly has an extra web to prevent wire rub on the actuator arm, and also the routing is per design...little you can do to change magnet contact performance w/o becoming a Dexter Design Engineer....my humble opinion is your good to go in here. Your other post suggests route cause and I am wondering who at Keystone changed the wiring configuration?
My 2002 has a two conductor molded cable and its sent to each axle location where splicing is done EXTERNAL to under belly. Your pics suggest this was move in-board, good idea to keep road slime from causing issue to wiring connections, bad idea for being able to do visual inspections for failure modes! Quality is a life issue on this one!
Chuck

[bsmeaton]

Thanks Chuck,

There are splices at that back of the hub at each wheel, but it appears they were installed by Dexter as part of the original axle manufacture. Wiring to the other side travels through the axles.

Brad

[noneck]

Yes, The through axle wiring has been used forever...as long as the plastic/rubber grommet is on each transision penetration of the axle in/out your Ok. Back side splice is just part of component constraints...pig-tails on magnet are just long enough to get outboard of drum assembly. Dexter splice is a plastic encapsulation so, should be good for life of magnet. The replacement of magnet is a future concern on how to replicate and/or provide equal connection method.
Keep us posted on your final out come....Chuck

[Ishler]

The magnet is supposed to have the bevel in the front. One of the wear indicators is the bevel. When it's gone definitely time to replace.