trailer brakes

[st.louis-rams-fan]

Can anyone tell what it takes to put trailer brakes on a single axle trailer?

[zMaster225]

on your 5x8? you usually shouldn't need brakes on a single axle... is it wearing down that explorer of yours?

[Varsity L&G]

Get an axle with breaks on it! Will never ever won another trailer with out Brakes. The last one about killed me. Also make sure to get the best brake controller you can afford. Digital, Gyro, all the bells and whistles. It is worth it. I can look down and tell if the brakes are connected or not and what pressure is being applied. It also can sense the load and self adjust.

[hosejockey2002]

Depending on which axle you have, you may be able to retrofit it with electric brakes. Northern Tool (www.northerntool.com) has a pretty good selection of electric brake components. It should help you decide if retrofitting your existing trailer will work for you.

[Hawg City Lawns]

totally not worth having brakes on a single axle, personally i dont like them on tandems either. if you dont have your control set just right youll be sliding those tires all the time

[Varsity L&G]

totally not worth having brakes on a single axle, personally i dont like them on tandems either. if you dont have your control set just right youll be sliding those tires all the time

That is the benefit of a digital Break Controller. They have the brain of a cruise missile. LOL I hate when I am in someones truck with an analog one and will never go back to one. I have an old Reese I would gladly give away for the cost of shipping.

[Hawg City Lawns]

That is the benefit of a digital Break Controller. They have the brain of a cruise missile. LOL I hate when I am in someones truck with an analog one and will never go back to one. I have an old Reese I would gladly give away for the cost of shipping.


KEEP IT hahaha

[st.louis-rams-fan]

thanks everyone for your advice & info
also zmaster if you don't have anything good or helpful to say then stay away from the keyboard. because here in the show-me state we will lay hands on big mouth people like Easter Sunday @ an all night revival. please remember young BOY this wonderful forum was made to help & not to tear down.

[olde_blue]

Can anyone tell what it takes to put trailer brakes on a single axle trailer?

I put electric brakes on my 6x12 single axle. It had a 3500 lbs Dexter axle. I brought the numbers off the axle tag to Roadrunner Trailer in Eureka, MO, and they found the correct parts to retrofit it with electric brakes (If you know what you were doing, you may be able to find the parts cheaper online, but I didn't know what I was doing and found their help invaluable). You need to bolt on backer plates for the brakes, replace the hubs with a drum, and wire it up. In the process, you have to pull the bearings so I replaced the them while I was at it, and all the parts cost about $350. You need to run heavy duty wires to brakes--a 14 gauge extension cord works pretty good, since it is flexible and can be had cheaper than bulk wire. You will also need a new trailer plug. The 7 pin RV plugs cost only a little more than a 5 or 6 pin, and have wide blade contacts that are more reliable. You can convert the trailer in less than a day--maybe 4 hours if you are quick.
You will also need to wire your truck with a electric brake controller (a decent proportional controller will run $70+). This will require more heavy-duty wire run directly to the battery, a circuit breaker, wire run to the trailer plug (new?), and a wire run to the brake light switch.
With electric brakes, the rig stops way better--especially in the rain.

[k911lowe]

on your 5x8? you usually shouldn't need brakes on a single axle... is it wearing down that explorer of yours?

why do you need them with a single axle trailer?are you overloading?

[st.louis-rams-fan]

thanks olde blue for your help & i hope you have a great season. also i am not overloading my trailer. i was just thinking about what it takes to make the change. it all comes down to being able to stop in a safe matter. better to be safe than sorry. thanks again