Tie Down Eliminator Vented Disc Brakes User Manual

Eliminator Vented

Disc Brake

Owner’s Manual

Eliminator Vented Disc Brakes Exclusive Features

“Whenever possible, the tendency is to use an aluminum alloy in order to reduce
weight. These alloys are much lighter and are also much better heat conductors:
220W/m.˚K for aluminum compared to 44 W/m.˚K for cast iron”. That’s 5X faster!

*Haynes Automotive Disc Brake Manual

Bi-metal Piston

Bi-metal piston combines a stainless steel outer jacket with an anodized aluminum
inner sleeve to shed braking heat 5X faster than one piece stainless pistons. The
stainless steel outer jacket is specifically designed for road salt and saltwater
conditions. U.S. Patent #7,028,813

Oversized Rubber Boot

Rubber boot is 50% thicker by design and provides for positive piston withdrawal.

Stainless Steel Bleeder Valves

Type 304 stainless steel with teflon coating for easy bleeding.

Stainless Steel Slider Pins

Stainless steel provides corrosion resistance for smoother brake operation. The hex
head design allows fast removal for easy servicing.

Vented Rotor

Eliminator rotors are vented to provide faster cooling and are available in E-coat,
GalvX coatings and Stainless Steel.

Aluminum Caliper

Aluminum sheds heat 5X faster than traditional cast iron, resulting in cooler braking
even in the worst conditions. E-coat finish protects the caliper from salt buildup in
harsh environments.

Lifetime Ceramic/Stainless Steel Brake Pads

No Dust, No Rust. Lifetime Warranty. Automotive quality ceramic brake pads with
stainless steel backing plates.

Slim Design

Slim caliper design allows for short axle overhangs and aids in faster cooling.

Bronze Bushing

Oil impregnated bronze bushings last longer, slide smoother and will NOT corrode.

Vented Rotor Disc Brakes, w/Aluminum Caliper

Read your trailer manufacturer’s operating manual and follow the towing vehicle’s
guidelines for towing capability, hitch requirements and other towing information.

Congratulations on your decision to have Tie Down Engineering vented rotor disc brakes
with aluminum calipers installed on your trailer. Disc brakes have many advantages
over drum brakes. These include:

• Greater fade resistance • Self cleaning

• Self adjusting • Less maintenance

• Greater stopping power • Easy visual inspection without removing any parts

Tie Down Engineering vented rotor disc brakes with aluminum calipers have many
exclusive features not found on automotive type brakes modified for trailer use. Please
see our web site at tiedown.com for further information on features and benefits.

Vented rotor disc brakes are designed to activate when the vehicle’s brakes are
applied. As the vehicle stops or slows, the momentum of the trailer pushes forward,
developing pressure in the actuator (master cylinder), which is used to apply pressure
to the brakes.

Operating Information

Read and understand the towing information for your trailer and actuator.
Check your trailer frequently for any leaks in the hydraulic system, which includes the
actuator, brake lines and brakes.
The brake rotors are made of steel and will show surface rust on the braking surface
when not used for a week or more. Normal use will wipe the rust off of the rotor
surface. If the trailer is used in salt water, it is recommended that you rinse off the
brakes with fresh water after each use to reduce the effects of saltwater corrosion.
Your trailer should tow easily. Disc brakes operate at a higher temperature than drum
brakes. This is normal and is very similar to the way disc brakes operate on your
vehicle. If for any reason your trailer does not tow easily or wants to veer to one side,
stop and investigate immediately and solve the problem.
Towing a trailer (even a trailer with brakes) puts an added load on the tow vehicle’s
handling and braking capabilities. Do not follow too closely; you will need extra distance
to maneuver and to stop.
Towing downhill puts added stress on both the tow vehicle and the trailer. Slow down
before you start on an incline and maintain a controlled downhill speed with repeated
application of brakes followed by a cooling period when brakes are not applied. It is
very important to start off with a slow speed and maintain it rather than trying to slow
down from a higher speed. Should you feel the brakes on the trailer or tow vehicle are
running hot or showing signs of fade, stop immediately on the side of the road and
allow the brakes to cool before resuming your trip.

2

Vented Rotor Disc Brakes, w/Aluminum Caliper

Should you feel the tow vehicle and trailer brakes are not working as they should,
have the tow vehicle and trailer inspected. Make sure your trailer’s Gross Vehicle
Weight (GVW) is within the tow vehicles capacity. If your trailer has multiple axles,
verify that the GVW of the trailer does not exceed the capacity of the brakes, which
is 3750 lbs on 10-inch (5 lug) brakes and 6000 lbs on 12-inch (6 lug) brakes, per axle.
Some states require brakes on all axles. Check with your state laws and the state laws of
where you will be using your trailer.
After long trips or downhill towing, your brakes could be very hot and it is a good idea
to let them cool down before submerging in cold water. The change in temperature of
very hot brakes submerged in water creates additional stress on the parts and could
cause damage to your brakes.
Pads must be replaced when the friction material is 3/32” or less. Original Tie
Down Engineering brake pads have a GalvX coated backing plate that aids in
corrosion resistance.

Use DOT 3 brake fluid only. DO NOT USE SILICONE BASED BRAKE FLUID.

When backing a trailer with disc brakes, you must have a lockout lever or preferably
an electrically operated solenoid to stop brake pressure to the disc brakes. The solenoid
is mounted at the rear of the actuator, between the master cylinder and brake line. It
has a wire connected to your back up lights to stop or redirect the fluid to keep the
brakes from operating.

Replace Brake Pads

1. Elevate the trailer using the manufacturers instructions. Always use jack stands
for support. Do not depend on a jack to support the trailer. Block wheels to keep
trailer from rolling.

2. Remove the tire/wheel assembly. Inspect the rotor surface. Check for excessive
wear or grooves that may affect braking. Original “Cap Style” rotor thickness

is .939” with a minimum thickness of .85” or 21.6 mm. Original “Integral”
rotor thickness is .75” with a minimum thickness of .67” or 17 mm.

3. Inspect brake pads. Minimum thickness is 3/32”. Pads should be replaced if
below this width.

4. Remove the caliper by unscrewing the slider pins from the mounting bracket. Be
careful to hold the caliper in place so that it does not fall and pull on the brake
hose. The inside pad is spring loaded in the caliper piston. Pry this pad out gently
with a flat blade screwdriver. The outside pad is held in place with two metal
tabs. Use a large pair of pliers to straighten the tabs to remove the outside pad.

5. Clean the rotor with a brake cleaning spray. Replace brake pads in reverse order.
The tabs should only be bent enough to hold the pad in place. Do not bend tab too
far or the pad will not seat correctly. Outside pad should be able to “wiggle” after
tab is bent.

6. Clean threads on slider bolts and mounting plate and apply a coating of Loctite®
or similar brand of thread lock. Tighten bolts to 40 ft. lbs. DO NOT REASSEMBLE
WITHOUT APPLYING LOCTITE® TO THE SLIDER PIN THREADS AND THE BACKING
PLATE. SLIDER PINS COULD BACK OUT AND CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO
YOUR BRAKES AND TRAILER.

Removing Hub/Rotor

1. If your axle has an integral
style rotor, then the hub and

Vented
Caliper

Bleeder Valve

Slider Pin

rotor are one piece, and will
come off as one.

2. If you have a cap style rotor,
the rotor will be removed
after the wheel and caliper

Brake Line Out

Mounting
Plate

are removed. The hub will
come off separate.

3. Elevate the trailer using the

Spindle/Axle

manufacturers instructions.
Always use jack stands for
support. Do not depend on a
jack to support the trailer.

Nut/Bolt

Brake
Flange

Block wheels to keep trailer
from rolling.

Integral Style Rotor

4. Remove the tire/wheel
assembly.

5. Remove the caliper by unscrewing the slider pins from the mounting bracket. Be
careful to hold the caliper in place so that it does not fall and pull on the brake
hose. Support the caliper so that it does not “hang” from the brake line.

6. Remove the grease cap from the hub by prying around the edge of the cap.

7. Bend the locking tang washer to the “free” position. If spindle is equipped with a
cotter key, straighten cotter key to remove.

8. Remove the spindle nut in a counter clockwise direction and remove the
spindle washer.

9. Remove the hub from the spindle. Be careful not to allow bearings to fall out
of the hub.

10. Clean bearing and cup surfaces, repack with lithium marine grade grease.

11. Place hub on spindle in reverse order as listed above. Rotate the hub while
tightening the spindle nut to approximately 50 ft. lbs. This translates into full hand
pressure with a 12” long set of pliers or 12” long wrench.

12. Loosen the spindle nut to remove the torque, do not rotate hub.

13. Finger tighten the spindle nut until snug, backing out only to line up the locking
tang washer.

14. Bend the locking tang tab in place.

15. Replace rotor. Clean threads of slider bolts and mounting bracket and apply a
fresh coating of Loctite® to the pins as well as the mounting bracket. Tighten
pins to 40 ft. lbs. DO NOT REASSEMBLE WITHOUT APPLYING LOCTITE® TO THE

SLIDER PIN THREADS AND THE BACKING PLATE. SLIDER PINS COULD BACK OUT
AND CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO YOUR BRAKES AND TRAILER.

16. Replace cap. Install tire/wheel assembly and tighten wheel nuts to trailer
manufacturer specifications. Test wheel for excessive tightness or excessive play.
Readjust if necessary.

17. Road test vehicle in a safe place before traveling on main roads in traffic.

4

Installation/Replacement Instructions for
Vented Disc Brakes

1. On a bare axle attach mounting plate to the brake flanges on the axle. Preferred
position is at “12:00” high or to the back side. Exact positioning will be determined
by the brake flange. Use 7/16” x 1-1/4” zinc hex bolts, lock nuts/washers and torque
to 40 lbs. Note: brake mounting plates can have 2 or 4 holes for attaching to the axle.

2. If installation is on a completed trailer, remove tire/wheel. This would be a good
time to repack wheel bearings and inspect the bearings and seals if it has not been
done recently.

3. Install hub (use existing instruction on installing hubs).

Step 1

4. Place cap style rotor over hub. Make sure the hub face is clean with a smooth
surface or:

4a. If installing an integral or “one piece hub rotor”, install rear bearing and seal. Grease
bearings, then install front bearings.

Step 3

Step 4

Cap Style Rotor Integral Rotor

5

Step 4a

Step 5

Step 6

5. Place caliper over rotor and mounting plate. A bleeder valve must be in the up
position (see above). Check both calipers for this position. Some calipers have
two valves others have only one.

6. Apply a coating of Loctite® to threads on the mounting plate. Insert slider pins
through backside of rotor into mounting plate. Use a 7/16” hex socket and tighten
both pins to 40 ft. lbs. Check for binding, make sure rotor spins freely.

NOTE: Slider pins have a lock-thread coating. If pins do not have Loctite® or if the pins
are removed after step 6, the threads must be cleaned and a new coat of “permanent”
Loctite® must be applied. Clean and apply Loctite® to threads on the mounting plate. Be
careful not to get Loctite® on slider pins or bushings.

7. Connect brakes lines and bleed brakes before using.

IMPORTANT:
When bleeding calipers, always use the top most bleeder valve to allow air to
escape from the caliper piston.

Always bleed through the upper
most bleeder valve.

6

Parts List for Eliminator Vented Disc Brakes

# Eliminator Rotors Part #

1 8.0” Vented Integral Rotor - E-coat 46902P
2 9.6” Vented Integral Rotor - E-coat 46845P
2 9.6” Vented Integral Rotor - GalvXL 46845X
2 9.6” Vented Integral Rotor (2150#) - E-coat 46845HEC
2 9.6” Vented Integral Rotor (2150#) - GalvXL 46845HX
3 9.6” Vented Turbo Lube/Vortex Integral Rotor - E-coat 46845TLP
3 9.6” Vented Turbo Lube/Vortex Integral Rotor - GalvXL 46845TLX
4 10” Vented Cap Rotor - E-coat 46246P
4 10” Vented Cap Rotor - GalvXL 46246X
4 10” Vented Cap Rotor - Stainless Steel 46885
5 12” Vented Integral Rotor - E-coat 46895P
5 12” Vented Integral Rotor - GalvXL 46895X
6 12” Vented Cap Rotor - E-coat 46247P
6 12” Vented Cap Rotor - GalvXL 46247X
6 12” Vented Cap Rotor - Stainless Steel 46887
7 12” Vented Integral Turbo Lube/Vortex Rotor - E-coat 46895TLP
7 12” Vented Integral Turbo Lube/Vortex Rotor - GalvXL 46895TLX
8 13” Vented Cap Rotor - E-coat 46890P
8 13” Vented Cap Rotor - GalvXL 46890X
8 13” Vented Cap Rotor - Stainless Steel 46889
9 13” Vented Integral Rotor - E-coat 46898EC
9 13” Vented Integral Rotor - GalvXL 46898X

1

7

2

3 4

5 6

7 8 9

8

# Brake Part Descriptions Part #

1 Caliper Assembly (8” rotor) 46901A
2 Caliper Assembly (9.6”, 10” & 12” rotors) 46304S
3 Caliper Assembly - Stainless Steel (9.6”, 10” & 12” rotors) 46804A
4 Caliper Assembly (13” cap rotor) 46802A
5 Caliper Assembly - Stainless Steel (13” cap rotor) 46803A
6 Stainless Steel Bleeder Valve 11246SS
7 Brake Line Fitting 11242
8 Stainless Steel Slider Pins 12114
9 Bushing 1/2” Bronze 10010
10 Caliper Piston 42080AZ
11 Piston Seal 17447
12 Piston Rubber Boot 17472
13 Ceramic/Stainless Steel Brake Pads 11334/11335
13 Organic/GalvX Brake Pads 11330/11331
14 Adjustable Banjo Assembly 11341
14A Stainless Steel Banjo Bolt 11338
14B Brass Banjo Fitting 11348
14C Copper Crush Washer 11339
14D O-Ring 17473

• Turbo Lube Cap Assembly for 1250/1350/1750# rotors 48399A

• Turbo Lube Cap Assembly for 3000# rotors 48395A

• Turbo Lube Cap for 1250/1350/1750# rotors 48399

• Turbo Lube Cap for 3000# rotors 48395

• Oil Filling Plug for Turbo Lube Cap 48395-1

• Vortex Lube Cap for 1250/1350/1750# rotors 48355BV

• O-Ring for Vortex/Turbo Lube 1250/1350/1750# Caps 17476

• Vortex Lube Cap for 3000# rotors 48357BV

• Vortex Cap O-Ring (3000#) 17457
15 Mounting Bracket (8” Rotor) 44686G
16 Mounting Bracket (9.6” Integral Rotor) 44676G
17 Mounting Bracket (9.6” Integral Rotor, Two Hole) 44681X
18 Mounting Bracket (10” Cap Style, Two Hole) 44678G
19 Mounting Bracket (10” Cap Style, Rotor) 44480G
20 Mounting Bracket (12” Cap Style or Integral Rotor) 44478X
21 Mounting Bracket (13” Cap Style or Integral Rotor) 44473X

Replacement Kits:
Organic Brake Pad Kit (boxed kit for 1 axle) 81148
Ceramic Brake Pad Kit (boxed kit for 1 axle) 81149
Caliper Rebuild Kit 46304RB
Caliper Rebuild Kit for 46802A & 46803A 46802RB

9

1

2

3

4

9

6

5

8

13

6

9

7

8

10

11

12

44686

18 19

14B14A 14D14C

16

20

44681

1715

21

Eliminator Vented

Disc Brake

Owner’s Manual

TIE DOWN ENGINEERING

255 Villanova Drive SW, Atlanta, GA 30336

[phone] • Fax [phone]

ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company

© 2014 TIE DOWN ENGINEERING, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Instruction Sheet #08075

080414,C752