To a Trailer: The Parts You Need
Forimprovedstoppingpowerandreducedmaintenance,youmaywanttoaddelectricdiscbrakes overhydraulicdrumbrakestoa trailerwithoutbrakes.Foryoutobuildareliable andsafetrailer stopping system, you'll need some basic information. Here you will find information about your options, including electric brake actuators over hydraulic brake actuators, as well as how to find partsthatwillworktogether.
1. Mounting Flanges for Trailer Brakes
Brakemounting flanges must be attached both sides of your trailer's axle to enable the brakes to operate.Theyareusuallyfoundonaxles,andtheyarealsocommonlyfoundontrailerswithbrakes (electricorhydraulic).Therearetwooptionsiftherearenobrakemountingflangesonyourtrailer:
● Anewaxlewithweldedbrakeflangesisanoptionifyouraxleisnotproperlyrated.Insome cases,buyinganewaxlewithhydraulicdiscbrakesmightbelessexpensivethanpurchasing the parts separately. The complete axle must be ordered with the following information: axle capacity, wheel diameter, bolt pattern, spindle type (drop or straight) and brake assembly type - hydraulic in this case. As well as knowing the distance between the hub faces and between the leaf springs, you will need to know the distance between the leaf springsonyourtrailer.
● Purchasing brake flanges and having them welded to the axle is possible. Brake mounting flangesarerequiredtobesquareandconcentricwhenweldedtoaxles.
Bothpartsareusuallyheldinpositionbyajig.Weldingbrakemountingflangestoyouraxleshould bedonebyatrailershopwiththeproperequipmentandpersonnel.
2. Rotor and Hub for Disc Brakes
It is possible to choose between two options if you have a brakemounting flange on your axle or will install one. As a first step, you can either replace idler hubs with integral hubs and rotors or install a disc brake system that makes use of an over-the-hub rotor if you have idler hubs. Disc brake axles can be converted to idler axles with an over-the-hub rotor kit. An over-the-hub disc brakekit canbeselectedbasedonlyonthe wheel boltpattern.Due tothe addeddiscbrakerotor, 14 inch and larger wheels are required, and fender clearance and wheel stud length need to be considered.
Discbrakekitswithintegralhubsandrotorsarethemostpopularchoice.Adrumbrakeupgradeis definitely the way to go if your trailer already has drum brakes. In order to ensure the hub/rotor assemblywillfitthetrailerspindle,youmustmeasureitorgetthepartnumbersfromtheexisting bearings and seal. Selecting the correct hydraulic disc brake kit for the trailer will depend on the axlecapacity,wheeldiameter,andboltpattern.Intheabsenceofpartnumbersforthebearingsand seals,youcandeterminewhichbearingandsealpartsareneededtoselectadiscbrakekitwithhub androtorbymeasuringthespindleatitsinnerandouterbearingsurfacesaswellasitssealcontact surface.
Steel, silver cadmium, Dacromet, raw metal and e-coat finishes are available for disc brake parts. Therewillbeadifferenceincorrosionresistanceandpricebetweenpartswithdifferentfinishes.In case your trailer is used near water, especially salt water, corrosion-resistant brakeparts may be importanttoyou.
As far as corrosion resistance is concerned, a raw finish is the least corrosion resistant. E-coat providespaint-likeprotectionforparts.Whenpaintchipsorwearsoff,rustcanbegintoform.Itis far better to plating with silver cadmium or Dacromet when it comes to corrosion resistance and bothremaincorrosionresistantforaverylongtime.Itsvirtuallyrustproofnaturemakesstainless steelthebestmaterialforcorrosionresistance,butitisalsothemostexpensive.
3. Kits for Trailer Brake Lines
Next,youwillneedtoconnectthediscbrakestotheelectricactuatorsviaabrakelinekit.Inorder toselectabrakelinekitforatrailer,onehastoconsiderhowmanyaxlesithas.Due todiscbrakes' design,thebrakelinesthatconnecttothebrakecaliperareusuallyrubber-coveredduetotheway theywork.Intorsionaxles,thebrakelinesalsoneedtobeflexiblebecausethehubsaresubjecttoa lotofmovement.
You can change your trailer over to disc brakes for improved performance and greater stopping powerwithourelectricoverhydraulicdiscbrakekitfor3,500-lbtandemaxletrailers.
4. Hydraulic Over Electric Brake Actuator
Thenextstepistochooseanelectricactuatorthat willworkwithdiscbrakesandwillbeinstalled onthetongueofthetrailer.Installationismadeeasierwithkitsthatincludeplug-inconnectors.A breakaway kit is included with some electric over hydraulic actuators for disc brakes. The majorityofthesedon'tcomewithbreakawaykits,butstandardbrakebreakawaykitswillwork.
5. Breakaway Kits
Whenthetrailerisuncoupledfromthetowvehicle,breakawaykitsapplythetrailer'sbrakes.Some of these systems are equipped with a built-in charger, as well as a battery and wiring. The breakawaykit mustmeettheminimumsizerequirementsoftheactuatorwhenchoosingone.You canfindoutifaminimumsizeisrequiredbycheckingtheactuator'susermanualorcontactingthe manufacturer.
6. Wiring and Controller for Vehicle-Mounted Electric Trailer Brakes
You will also need to install a brake controller in your tow vehicle and proper wiring for your electric brakes to work. A few actuators come with a remote or portable brake controller that connectstotheactuatorthroughradiowavesandplugsintothecigarettelighterorpowersocketin thetowingvehicle.Towingthesametrailerwithdifferenttowvehiclesiseasywitharemotebrake controller.
With its high-quality and durable design, the Deutsche Hydrapro is the best electric over hydraulic brake actuator which is good for harsh and corrosive environments. Reach out to us to know more!