Trailer brake questions

[cmjust0]

I picked up a 16' bumper pull stock trailer at auction a few weeks back. I didn't think it had brakes when I bought it because, like a dummy, all I did was look behind one of the front tires and didn't see a drum. When I got it home and pulled the wheels to replace the tires, I saw that it does have brakes on the rear axle. There was a storm coming, so I rushed to get the tires replaced and back on the trailer, and didn't really get a chance to look the drums over very well from the outside -- let alone take them apart.

I'm guessing that they were electric brakes, but I'm not at all familiar with trailer brakes or how they work, exactly. There were no wire attached to the drums, but there was evidence of nearby wiring that may have been attached at one point. It needs a total rewire anyway.. The only other thing I noticed was a small protrusion of some sort on the back of each drum, which I kinda thought might have been a wire terminal.. Could be totally wrong about that, because as I said, I just didn't have the time to investigate it well..

My questions are, how would I determine exactly what kind of brakes I've got, and how might I go about making them operational again?

 

[alabama]

Take the tire off and take some pictures and let us look at what you have.

 

[bigbull338]

first pff look an see what brand of trailer it is that you have.then find the dealer an talk to them.because you need to get the trailer brake that goes in the truck cab.

 

[cmjust0]

first pff look an see what brand of trailer it is that you have.

That's gonna be a problem.. The original ID tag was primered over at some point, and it's impossible to read. I tried scratching at it, but primer tends to stick really well. :lol: Every bit that scratched off also scratched off some of the manufacturer's name. The only thing I could really make out was a stamped serial number and "Conway, Arkansas" as the company HQ.

 

[Bullbuyer]

The real problem is that I believe Poderosa is made in Arkansas. Not my personal favorite, of course that's not the issue. Electric brakes all work on about the same principle - electric current passes through a magnet which opens the brakes, which applies pressure to the hub which slows the trailer down. As noted above, the first thing is to make sure you have a good brake box in the truck - I just bought a new digital one called Prodigy and I really like it.
The actual wiring to the brakes might be intact and functional - sometimes if the trailer has been sitting, you have to pull it a little while to get the brakes working right - Kinda' knock the rust off so to speak. My lowboy is notorious for this.
Pictures will definitely help get you some better advise.

 

[cowtrek]

If you really want the things to work then your best bet would be to remove one drum and the backing plate from the end of the axle and take it to a trailer place like Trailer Wheel and Frame. They sell the brake backing plates with all the hardware installed and ready to go or sell the parts individually and like somebody else said, there are a lot of different types/styles. You might pull them both (you'll need to anyway to repair them) and just replace them with something else that will fit and work with the drums you have (if they're any good) or if it's cheaper probably at least you'll have to replace the magnets in them. Generally, electric trailer brakes work by getting a graduated voltage from a brake controller installed in the truck and coupled to the truck's hydraulic brakes to sense the pressure applied and convert that into a variable voltage that is then applied to magnets inside the brake drums. The magnets energize and and attracted to the drums, stick to the drums and slide along the inside flat face of the drum, pulling on an arm that wedges the brake shoes against the round part of the drum like ordinary pickup rear drum brakes. The harder the magnet pulls against the drum, the harder the drum pulls the lever and the harder the shoes rub the drum to apply the brakes harder, which is where the variable voltage signal from the brake controller comes in. You have to have a brake controller to provide this signal. Tumblebug hay loaders just use the full 12 volts from the headlamp circuit to lock the trailer brakes up to load hay. If you just used straight 12 volts without the controller your trailer brakes would 'lock up' whenever you applied them. You'll have to go to a truck or trailer place for a controller anyway so if you have to overhaul the brakes might as well take them in so you know what you'll need and they can set you up with the right controller and wiring. They have to have a GOOD ground to work properly too, and the wiring to the backing plates has to be well maintained as rocks and road debris and weeds in the pasture tend to play heck with them. You have to adjust the slack adjusters through the slit in the bottom of the drum periodically too for them to work right.

Personally I think trailer brakes are a major pain in the butt. Usually a bumper pull trailer can't haul enough to REALLY need them IMHO but that depends on what you're hauling and what you're hauling it with. I regularly pull 3 round bales on a 16 foot lowboy with a 1/2 ton Ford with no trailer brakes with no problems. I've pulled up to 22,000 lbs. of grain on a barge wagon too without trailer brakes, and 12,000 lbs. of liquid fertilizer without trailer brakes and the main thing you have to remember is give yourself plenty time to stop and don't go over 20 mph or so. Wouldn't recommend either in hilly country but we're pool table flat around here. If you're pulling a bumper pull trailer with a 3/4 ton or 1 ton pickup I sure wouldn't think twice about having trailer brakes so long as I had less than 8,000-10,000 pounds on it. With a half ton truck you have to be a bit more careful, because half-ton truck brakes are a lot smaller than 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck brakes.

Hope this helps. Good luck! OL JR

 

[cmjust0]

The real problem is that I believe Poderosa is made in Arkansas. Not my personal favorite, of course that's not the issue.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

The only character I could halfway make out in the manufacturer's name was either a "W" or an "M", but either way I think we can rule out Ponderosa..

It's heavy as lead, too. I know that a lot of weight has been dropped in lieu of engineering in today's trailers, but I believe there's still something to be said for sheer bulk when you can't even tell who made something.. I only gave $600 for it, so I can't get hurt too bad even if it only lasts me two or three years.

I'll see if I can get some pictures, and I'll look into a Prodigy brake controller.. I've got a 4-prong wiring kit that I plan to put on the trailer to get the lights going, so I guess I'll have to wire the brakes seperately.. I'm guessing I'll have to cut the 4-prong off and get a 6, huh?

 

[Herefordcross]

Before spending a bunch of money on the brakes I would price it out repairing what you have and then price an axle drum to drum assembly. I made the mistake once of spending a pile of money on trailer brakes and it would have been cheaper to replace the whole be nice axle.

 

[cmjust0]

cowtrek:

I'm going to go ahead and assume that the trailer weighs 2000lbs, and I won't pull more than 5000lbs total.. That maxxes out a class III bumper hitch, so that's good enough for me. For the time being, I'll be towing it behind a half ton pickup with a good bit more stopping power than pulling power..

That said, trailer brakes probably aren't a must-have.. They're there, however, and everytime I've passed on an opportunity to make something better, it's come back to bite me in the ass somehow. Ignoring bad trailer brakes isn't something I want to think about biting me.. :shock:

 

[cmjust0]

Thanks, herf.. That's definitely something to think about!

 

[MrGale]

If you ever get into a slide, those trailer brakes can be a life saver....keep the trailer from coming around in front of you :shock:

 

[Bluestem]

If you ever get into a slide, those trailer brakes can be a life saver....keep the trailer from coming around in front of you :shock:

I'd keep the brakes. you'll be glad you did. Also some states my require brakes above a certain tow weight. I think Texas is 4000 lbs.

 

[flaboy-]

This link can help ya. They have pictures to help identify the brand of brakes. Tech support is very good. I usually buy from a local shop here that carries a lot of trailer parts but he don't have it I go here.

http://www.championtrailers.com/

 

[MillIronQH]

Trailer brakes like lights on ranch trailers in So. Texas are optional at extra labor. Fix them today tear them out tomorrow.

That piece of wisdom past on, if you have a 16 foot trailer you have electric brakes. If you don't know anything about them take it to some one who does and get them working. If you ever get in a tight spot you will be amazed at what an extra 2-7000 lbs. behind you can do. It can get real western real quick.Z