Trailer Brakes

I had my tractor brake shoes relined for $35 a few years ago. Autoparts stores aren't the place to go. Look up clutch & brake in your yellow pages...Paul

On 23 Sep 2004 15:58:47 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@together.net (David Lee) calmly ranted:

Most brake shops either stock replacements or can rebuild yours for you.

-------------------------------------------------- I survived the D.C. Blizzard of 2003 (from Oregon) ----------------------------

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Depending on your location, this axle may not be legal. Check before spending any $$$$.

Check here

my flatbed trailer was reaxled with mobile home axles. I would not use them ever again on any trailer subject to a lot of use. I have heard that statement by others before me and I can endorse it. Keep in mind that a mobile home only is generally mobile from the factory to the site where the home is to be erected, the axle only has to sustain one trip. Being an engineer, I know that for such a limited use, I would not design high quality parts into that axle. That must be the thinking for those who make these axles. Mobile homes are notorious for having non standard plumbing fittings and brake parts. I attempted to get electric brake parts but was unsuccessful. I could not even get bushings for the spring hangars and had to make my own from rod stock polyurethane turned in a lathe. My magnets were larger than anything shown in the parts books. Some were open circuited. I was able to look inside and see that the wire had separated from the large coil wound inside but was still intact and accessible. Couldn't solder it to the connecting wire to the vehicle as there is too much thermal mass. Was able to have an electronic tech friend of mine use crimps and that did the trick. The wires didn't have good strain relief; again they only have to sustain one trip. I potted the hole where the wire entered the magnet with RTV and it is still in service. I had the brake shoes relined. that is not much of a problem for any good auto parts store. All the rebuilder has to do is drill out the rivets, put new shoes on and rerivet. The drums are not a big deal either and they can turn them on a brake lathe. I enjoy my trailer and it has given good service, but I spent a lot of time chasing down parts, doing the lathe work and the electrical repairs. Had I known how much trouble it would be in the beginning, I would have tried to spend a little more time searching for old pickup axles or something like that which is a bit more standard. I tried the link given by Andy but got 404 file not found so a good source of trailer parts for mobile axles is still up in the air as far as I am concerned. Stay away from anything that has to do with mobile homes.

"RJ" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com...

Start here

Sad to say, the "mobile home" axles and a lot of heavy RV axles are the same. The quality even on those designed to be trailered accross country is aften pretty shaky - particularly on the older stuff. Keep in mind a lot of the "mobile home" axles were manufactured some time ago.

I towed a lot of farm tractors and equipment on a triple axle float trailer that had 3 "mobile home" axles (and six brakes). It was purpose built for the job with what, in the sixties, was the best on the market. It was a rare trip where we finished with more than 4 brakes working.

After rewiring my camping trailer brakes about8 years ago, I have not had a problem - but I tie-wired everything so joints could not move and was very careful how the wires were routed so no strain could be exerted on the wires where they entered the magnets. Guy I bought it from had just spent several hundred dollars having the brakes redone at an RV dealers less than a year before I bought it - and the brakes were inoperable when I got it - wires pulled loose in the magnets.