Refurbish elec brakes on converted trailer

[eandy]

Pls advise if I'm posting in wrong place.
I have a 7'x16' car trailer that was a work in progress when I got it. It appears to have started as a travel trailer(old but heavy). I've taken drums and 1 pair of shoes to my guys at Napa. They said it may be easier and cheaper to get a new pair of axles complete. I'm hoping to find someone here who has some real know how before I go gropping around in the dark. I have pics to post and numbers marked on drums and tires to list but will hold up on that until I see someone can help. Thanks

[eandy]

Pls advise if I'm posting in wrong place.
I have a 7'x16' car trailer that was a work in progress when I got it. It appears to have started as a travel trailer(old but heavy). I've taken drums and 1 pair of shoes to my guys at Napa. They said it may be easier and cheaper to get a new pair of axles complete. I'm hoping to find someone here who has some real know how before I go gropping around in the dark. I have pics to post and numbers marked on drums and tires to list but will hold up on that until I see someone can help. Thanks

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

Are the axles/brakes something standard, like Al-Ko or Dexter?

If the drums don't have a big lip worn into them or badly scored, they can likely be cleaned up with a wire brush (wear a respirator).

As far as replacing the brakes, you can generally pick up the backing plate complete with all hardware, shoes, magnet for not much more than just new shoes and magnets, and it saves tons of time to just bolt it on and hook up the wires.

Clean up the bearings and races, replace any that are torn up. Use a good quality grease (I prefer synthetic), and use new seals.

Al-Ko and Dexter both have great service manuals downloadable as a PDF.

[eandy]

Thanks for responding Jeff.
The drums are just light surface rust. No scoring and don't appear to have been turned. The shoes, tho not very thick, are all the same and appear pristine. The problem we have is the source Napa has for parts doesn't offer separate parts. Of the 4 magnets only 1 has both wires in tact. All are pretty cruddy so 4 new magnets are in order. Further, they hang from a pin tack welded to a large odd shaped bracket plate. Of the 4 brackets only 1 has the pin still on so a set of those too. Finally the big complication is, the back plates are circumference welded to axle dia pipe extensions again welded to the axles. Each axle is mounted to frame w/2 u-bolts. Weird arrangement. All of this is what leads Napa & I to think of finding sets of magnets w/brackets or the complete axle replacements. It's about $$$ too. The axle measures 7'-7 1/4" plate to plate. As I said it's a heavy trailer worth saving. Once I get a grip on this, the necessary battery, breakaway, and actuator are easy to source. I can't say if anything is standard, I've never owned a trailer before.

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

That does sound strange.

Often there will be a metal tag on the axle identifying it, or brake parts will often be stamped somewhere.

This page might be helpful for parts or new axle assembly (check shipping before you go ordering complete axles somewhere).

etrailerpart

Here's a link to Dexter's downloadable manuals:

Dexter manuals

And Al-KO's page has a link for PDF manual, too.

Al-Ko

If you have an RV or trailer shop in your area, someone there will likely be more up to speed on trailer brakes than the auto parts store folks...

If you have Les Schwab tire stores down there, they really know their stuff on brakes, and they were the only place in town here that had the seals and brake parts I needed in stock.

[eandy]

Thanks again Jeff
I'll ck those links. Unfortunately I'm in the middle of nowhere. The guys @ napa are the only people not suffering from brain deadening bad well water.