electric trailer brakes question

[Chris142]

i picked up a 2 axle trailer.its deck is 6ftx14ft.the whole trailer is about 8ft wide and 17 ft long. we are not required to have trailer brakes here unless the trailer and load weighs over #3000 lbs. hardly anybody spends extra for brakes,they just drive around overloaded and illegal.

i want brakes on mine! my axles have a plate to bolt the backing plates to. a friend gave me some used brakes with deceint shoes. but the magnets look funky to me.

i searched on the www but could not find out wear limits on the magnets. i did see how to test the magnets. any ideas?

 

[tom slick]

Here is some info
http://www.rvdoctor.com/2002/02/electric-trailer-brake-maintenance.html

You can replace the entire brake assembly, minus drums, for less than $50 per side. It's so cheap it's not worth buying individual parts.

 

[Chris142]

ok so that says they shold have screws at the wear limit.

 

[morepwr]

As Tom said, buying new ones is cheap enough to just do it and be done. Unless you tow a lot they will last you for years and years without worry.

 

[Zaedock]

Chris, I have 4 trailers at home plus the units customers bring in to my shop. Etrailer all the way. I'm actually buying new 10" brakes for my personal 18' Jeep/ATV hauler very soon. For $40-$50, you can get the whole shebang, including backing plate. Bolt on and go. Nothing but p!ssah

 

[Donald]

Your vehicle will need a brake controller and you will need to install a break away switch in the front of the trailer. The brake wiring needs to be heavier gauge wire than trailer light wiring. 7 pin connector.