Dual braking axles

[Eric_Phillips]

My wife bought a used 2 horse trailer with dual axles. I pulled the wheels off to get the tires changed and noticed both axles have brake hubs but only one axle has electricity to it. Is there a reason they would have put dual brake axles on but only activate one? Would there be any problem running a brake line to the second axle?

 

[oosik]

I'll take a guess. Certain jurisdictions would require both axels have brakes and certain ones may only require a single.

 

[ovrszd]

No reason not to. I'm assumimg there are wires hanging out of the backing plates?

 

[Eric_Phillips]

There are no wires at all going to the rear axle. The front axle is hooked up.

 

[newbury]

Reads like someone had to meet the letter of the law for "brakes on all axles".

 

[Rock knocker]

They may have unhooked one because if the trailer was level, the rear axle may have been so unloaded it was locking up all the time.

 

[ovrszd]

There are no wires at all going to the rear axle. The front axle is hooked up.

Yeah, I get it that the wiring harness doesn't go to the rear axle. I'm questioning whether there are wire stubs sticking out of the backing plate. For example, look at your front axle wiring harness. Follow it to the wheel backing plate. Where the wires go thru the backing plate. Are there wires in that location on the rear axle?? This will indicate that the brake assembly is present and has simply been "cut" loose. At that location if there is no evidence of previous wiring and/or and empty hole thru the backing plate this will indicate that there is no brake assembly inside.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

After getting in there and pulling the hubs I found the wires to the rear axle. They are all hooked up.

 

[ovrszd]

Do you understand how electric brakes work?

 

[robertsa]

Do you understand how electric brakes work?

:laughing: You are showing a lot of patience here.

 

[ovrszd]

:laughing: You are showing a lot of patience here.

I'm trying.

I remember when I didn't know how they work. If it's needed we can have a detailed conversation about how they work and find the reason they don't.

 

[duanew1]

The magnet rubbing against the hub I find a little odd but they do work.

 

[Fallon]

I'm trying.

I remember when I didn't know how they work. If it's needed we can have a detailed conversation about how they work and find the reason they don't.

Been there, done that. Remember figuring out why the EZlube axles aren't as easy as just jamming a grease gun on the zerk on the axle & going to town too. Boggles my mind how people dont know this stuff. Then I remember I didnt a decade ago either.

Smart people learn from their mistakes. Really smart people learn from other people's mistakes.

 

[ovrszd]

The magnet rubbing against the hub I find a little odd but they do work.

Magnetic forces are the strongest on this planet!!

 

[Fallon]

Not saying anyone here is dumb...please don't infer that at all. Just had good conversation with a retired policeman today as he talked about the dumbness in this country.

Have you seen the epic people towing mistakes thread? Plenty of stupid there. A good handful of members have even self-reported there. ;-p

 

[hosspuller]

The magnet rubbing against the hub I find a little odd but they do work.

The magnet is supposed to lightly rub the side of the brake drum. The magnet uses the drum rotation to provide the operating force of the brake.

There is a proper direction of the magnet arm... so there are left and right backing plates. Don't mix plates without know which.

 

[ovrszd]

I know you are a smart and helpful person but think "Dumbness" is stronger. Not sure any thing can over come it. Don't mean ignorance for that is overcome by teaching but dumbness is like a black hole...

Not saying anyone here is dumb...please don't infer that at all. Just had good conversation with a retired policeman today as he talked about the dumbness in this country.

Very, very true.