Dorsey Trailer drum brake adjustment

[beach]

I was trying to get some trailer maintenance done this weekend. I have a tandem axle Dorsey trailer with drum brakes on the rear axle. I was planning on replacing the hubs/bearings and adjusting the drum brakes. My trailer has a drop axle, so the axle sits below the spindles. The axle is blocking the hole that you use to adjust the brakes. There is no way I can get a screw driver in there, and I'm not even sure if I can bend up something that could work. Is there something I'm missing? I can adjust the brakes with the drum off, but I can't set the brakes correctly before I get the axle nut torqued correctly.

I wanted to switch over to disc brakes, but I was hoping to save some money right now and stick with the drum brakes for another season or two. I installed the races/seals/packed bearings in the hub/drum already, so I can't return any of the drum parts.

[Tmosely1]

Beach.. On my Dorsey with a drop, you take the rubber plugs (should be two) out of the bottom of the plate. Then you should be able to get a screw driver in there to roll those adjusters but I have to lay behind the axle and shine a flashlight in the front plug and then go in at about a 45 thru the rear plug with a narrow flat blade screwdriver to roll the adjuster. I had to modify my plate plugs so they are easier to get in and out.

[Tmosely1]

Here's the angle to get to the adjuster and the way I trimmed the plugs so they can be removed and replaced behind that drop spindle.

[beach]

Thanks! I was wondering how it was possible to adjust drum brakes with a drop axle. Sadly, I just looked through photos I took and confirmed that my brake assembly backing plates only have the forward plug. They must have been replacd at some point. Now I have to decide if I want to spend another $100 fixing my drum brakes, or spend $500 to convert to disc brakes.

[tundramike28]

Beach. I came across your post today. I know it's older but I also have a Dorsey and after several headaches and a trip to the shop I converted to Disc brakes and it was the best $500 I ever spent! I went with Kodiak brand discs and had to purchase a different master cylinder to convert from drum to disc. The only difference I could see was the additional port for a solenoid valve for backing. If you purchased a inline solenoid you probably wouldn't have to change the master cylinder.

[beach]

I decided to save money and just fix the drum brakes for now. I'm planning on converting my trailer over to a removable tongue and electric over hydraulic brakes at some point, and I'll switch to disc brakes then.

I had another Dorsey trailer question: My trailer has a spare tire mount that holds the tire horizontally under the bow of the boat. What hardware holds the spare tire on? Is it just two 1/2-20 hex head bolts? A U-bolt?