Trailer Help 101 Needed

tnplicky, The absolute easiest way is find you a small incline,ie parking lot or drive way,and attempt to back up it from a dead stop.If indeed the surge brakes are working you will feel the resistance.But the key to s/brakes is the brake shoe adjustment.
The drums should just barely slide on over the shoes.If you don't have to "play with them"to get the drum on they are toooooo loooose.This will affect your braking force..........boat dr

when the drum is seated and the cotter pin in, roll the assy. you should have a slight drag and hear the shoes against the drum.

The fitting on the back, pic 2, looks like a brake fluid bleeder. To get the drum off you may need to give it a few whacks with a 3 lb hammer.

Dr, 69, Brainard - Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a shot. Just picked up the new tires & rims, so if I can't get the hubs off fairly quickly, it'll have to wait 'till next time.

The lug nuts do not hold the drum on, the nut behind the bearing buddy holds the whole assembly together. Only on cars do the lugs nuts hold the drum on. Be carefull to pay attention to what order things come off and what direction they came out. That way there will be no questions on what way it goes back together.

Remove cap,cotterpin,nut and the washer.Wiggle hub assy. and the outer bearing will fall out.Place all this on a clean rag out of harms way.
Now pull and turn with an outward pull and the drum assy. should pull right off.Femove inner seal and this will expose the bearing,carefully remove this.
With some type of solvent clean up the inner and outer races of old grease,this means CLEAN.
Inspect the races carefully, if they are bright and shiny with no pits or scoring leave them be.
Go to the trailer supply or auto parts store and buy your new bearings and seals.Ask for name brand bearings, if they have chearys or chinese go to another store.
Lube the bearing well ,pack the Void between with ample grease, insert inner bearing and drive in seal.
Alighn your drum over the shoes and slide assy. onto the spindle,push in more grease.Insert outer bearing w/ washersnug up the nut and roll the drum.
There should be no in and out or slack in the drum.If the shoes are adjusted correctly you will hear a slight drag.
If not adjust the brake shoes outward,The notched wheel at the bottom of the shoes.Turn it one way they move out , the other way moves them inward.
Install a new cotter key and your done.Took me longer to type this than to do it..........Guess thats why they call me the BOAT DR>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>