Not me honest guv.
If a caravan is overloaded by 185kg (single axle) would it wear out the brakes that there’s no pads left in under 1k miles? Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

Seems unlikely. From experience, a worn over-run damper will destroy brake pads very quickly though.

Purplemadboy wrote:

Not me honest guv.
If a caravan is overloaded by 185kg (single axle) would it wear out the brakes that there’s no pads left in under 1k miles?

That’s what I thought guys, a woman on a Bailey forum says they’ve done between 500 & 1k miles and the brake shoes have disintegrated and scared the inside of the brake drum , seemingly the brakes got so hot the grease from the bearings melted. Would the wheels have fallen off if the bearings had gone?
Dealer is not repairing it under warranty as the van was overloaded.
For there’s 3 options on the fault .. brakes not fitted properly in manufacturing .. hand brake has been on .. ATC fault and coming on all the time.
What do you guys think?

Btw the van is only months old Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

Hmmm I have a Bailey caravan and do a lot of touring.

How do Bailey know it has been overloaded then? and as it is a Bailey, have you had the chassis loading replated as the basic standalone chassis will take a lot more than it is plated, and if my memory serves, you can make an extra "payment" to said Bailey to have the chassis replated to the larger allowance.

The brakes on my Bailey Pegasus GT65 are pretty good, it is now 4 years old and serviced every year, we have done about 4000 miles and still on original brake shoes (and drums) on the van.

I think I detect a funny aroma about this, I suspect there is much more to this story...........

Forgot to say, mine is shoes not pads .......  MY2014 SD4 XS
Ipanema Sand

MY10 TD4-e GS Manual
Lago Grey Now retired after 8 trouble free years

Not my van or story .. it’s a unicorn 4 Cadiz. Seemingly the dealer weighed it . This is what the woman posted.

Well after a few days of upset about our S4 Cadiz I was seriously thinking about giving up caravanning after 30 years. Took our van into the dealers for a few niggles under warranty one of which was the brakes squealing. The next day we had a phone call asking us to pop in. When we arrived we were shown our brake shoes on one side were severely worn and the drum was scored and both needed replacing. Now as with many of us things are removed from the van when it goes into the dealers so as to give access for work to be done but we were then told we were 184kg overweight. Since then we have taken the van home and taken out 160kg but there is now nothing left to remove except our battery and a few other bits!! As we are off to France soon it looks like everything will have to be carried in the car which is not caravanning to me. How can Bailey reduce the limit to such an untenable weight to achieve? Our dealer has been more than helpful and we are seriously leaning towards
swapping to a twin axle Pamplona with an upgraded axle on our return from France. — feeling sad.

This is a screenshot of q & a

Click image to enlarge

Ahh

Seems like the the lady takes the proverbial kitchen sink then, if she was 184 kg overweight then she definatley has a problem.

Total user payload for that model (including a motor mover if fitted) is 155kg not that much for 4 people but thats life.

So 184 plus 155, 339 Kg, 1/3 of a ton, thats a lot of makeup and swimwear .........

Incidentally, the Pamplona payload is 160kg ........  MY2014 SD4 XS
Ipanema Sand

MY10 TD4-e GS Manual
Lago Grey Now retired after 8 trouble free years

I agree scrimpel.. I told her she needed a transit van not a caravan.. but even with that weight the brakes wouldn’t fall apart as the van brakes don’t really do much in the grand scheme of things. That’s why I think there’s a faulty handbrake or something like that. Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

remember the AL-KO stabiliser system, if the driver is as cavalier as the loader, that could be more active then it should when negotiating curves, bends and roundabouts, but yes, a bit if a stretch.

I have to say, if the van was so overloaded, if they did leave the handbrake on or if it stuck it would be very noticeable unless they were towing it with an artic.

Maybe they were driving down from Scotland to Cornwall, after all it is downhill and the van brakes would be overridden all the way..   MY2014 SD4 XS
Ipanema Sand

MY10 TD4-e GS Manual
Lago Grey Now retired after 8 trouble free years

At those sort of miles a brake of any description would only destroy bearings etc if constantly binding and creating excessive heat Normal everyday braking on free running wheels would not do that IMO.

I would get (threaten) an independent engineers report. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

The lady's description suggests the brake on one side has been stuck on. Might be user error not releasing, or maladjustment, or mechanical damage. If all is well with other components just pay up for shoes, drum and grease and reduce the packing.*

I am trying to imagine all the excess weight being on the side that failed, and the suspension being over compressed to the point of puting a bend in the brake rod and pulling it on. Just about possible, but the shoes would smell and the user should notice long before permanent damage occurs.

This looks like a suitable candidate for one of the Clubs' practical caravanning courses.

* Bailey are not alone in creating the impression that a vast amount of stuff can be transported in a caravan by fitting it with far too many cupboards and lockers. There are 26 cupboard/locker doors in my Bailey, and a huge cavern under a double bed. Everyone can spread it - Anyone can catch it. Stay home - the life you save can be your own!

cheap brakes on a heavy load, leisure activity become death trap.

hotels.com
holidaycottages.co.uk At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I wonder if it's nothing to do with the brakes but the bearings overtightened or seized. Common sense isn't very common.
_______________________________
2007 Land Rover Freelander2 I6 hse Auto

It is fairly easy to overload a caravan, the difference between MRO and MTPLM may well be 155KG but add the spare wheel battery and an awning, then crockery, bedding and pans, you ain't got much left for food and clothes if any, The Alko ATC could well be at fault, ( again not included in MRO) if ever there was a Heath Robinson piece of kit the ATC is it, there are no warning lights in the tow car to state it is working or even on all the time, it has been produced because most manufacturers will not fit electric brakes with internal car control of the van brakes. The USA uses predominately electric brakes, you can apply the van brakes independently of the car brakes or use with the car brakes, get a snake make the switch and no need to brake the car.
Most if not all car and caravan dealers will always blame the user and find an excuse to avoid warranty claims (the spare cash for profit is used up on body leaks on the warranty with caravans) How did the dealer measure the weight?, not many have a calibrated weighing system and the Caravan Weight Control by Reich can produce some weird figures if one is not careful, generally a binding brake not overload would be the problem, the shoe gets hot, the adhesive lets go and the lining leaves the shoe to produce a pile of lining material either at the top or bottom of the drum.
Caravans are a bottomless pit for the unwary or non technical and dealers have a licence to print money, should have sold mine sooner, but it initially was handy for exploring the South of France for a preferred area, after that it was no difference in price to drive to the site and rent a chalet, plus more room for wine in the car  my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

I dread to think how overloaded our twin axle Swift is returning from France with cases of wine on the floor!
Easily 185 kilos , and the brakes havent worn out yet! Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)