Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup?

   / Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup? #1  
Joined
Dec 20, 2021
Messages
8
Tractor
Branson 3515H
Putting an axle on a spare utility trailer. Got it mounted up, went to pop the hubs off to service the bearings and was confronted by this extremely bizarre setup.
What the heck is it? I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like a hybrid disc brake setup. Where can you get parts for it? It uses a 5 x 5.25 hub spacing, which I found…but I’d like to be able to use the brakes and since broken parts literally fell out wnen I removed one of the hubs I’m assuming it’s gonna need a rebuild.

I called the local trailer supply place, sent them a picture of it and they were baffled.

Ideas?
 

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   / Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup? #2  
Obviously not a disc brake but rather an electric drum brake of some sort. Interesting the show appears to be one piece that somehow must expand at the bottom to contact the drum. Is the backing plate welded to the axle or a bolt on type? I have never seen a brake set up like that. What rating do you think it is? The spindle make me think a 2-3K axle.
Keep us posted on what it is.
 
   / Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup? #3  
Putting an axle on a spare utility trailer. Got it mounted up, went to pop the hubs off to service the bearings and was confronted by this extremely bizarre setup.
What the heck is it? I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like a hybrid disc brake setup. Where can you get parts for it? It uses a 5 x 5.25 hub spacing, which I found…but I’d like to be able to use the brakes and since broken parts literally fell out wnen I removed one of the hubs I’m assuming it’s gonna need a rebuild.

I called the local trailer supply place, sent them a picture of it and they were baffled.

Ideas?
Isn't that a Cardon shaft brake system, used to be on the back of gearbox grabbing the driveshaft, on typically Toyota land cruiser, land drover, and a few other mid size commercial vehicles
 
   / Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup? #4  
I remember seeing a setup like this on a old camper trailer way back . I'm trying to remember how it works. it had me baffled til I played with it. then it made sense.
 
   / Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup? #5  
Isn't that a Cardon shaft brake system, used to be on the back of gearbox grabbing the driveshaft, on typically Toyota land cruiser, land drover, and a few other mid size commercial vehicles
If you have any idea at all, please share it with the rest of us. I'm pretty sure I don't want anything to do with that set up but as a life long tinkerer, I am curious how it jigs and whizzes and allegedly works. Maybe if we saw it in all its glory, it might make sense. As it sets, not so much.
 
   / Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup? #6  
1st, I've never seen a system like that. I have heard of the shaft braking system, but not familiar with the Cardon system. However, my guess as to how it works: it looks to me like the circular part is a magnet (see wires at the top) which, when energized, clamps onto the hub with varying force which causes it to rotate and forces the brake shoes out via a cam action.

I'd be interested to see if there are 2 rings scored on the inside of the drum that matches the inner and outer rings on the magnet.
 
   / Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup? #7  
Looks like it will be best to remove them and replace with something more standard.
 
   / Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup? #8  
1st, I've never seen a system like that. I have heard of the shaft braking system, but not familiar with the Cardon system. However, my guess as to how it works: it looks to me like the circular part is a magnet (see wires at the top) which, when energized, clamps onto the hub with varying force which causes it to rotate and forces the brake shoes out via a cam action.

I'd be interested to see if there are 2 rings scored on the inside of the drum that matches the inner and outer rings on the magnet.
Lots of pics of similar systems online.

1680706706169.png


+1 on the operating theory, but I've never seen a magnet setup like that first hand either. +1 on scraping it and going new. You can buy a complete new axle, with brakes and drums/hubs pretty cheap. If the drums are compatible, maybe you can salvage the axle and just use something like this:

 
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   / Bizarre Unknown Trailer brake setup? #9  
I believe I remember exactly how it works. . when brakes are applied the magnet comes on and pulls to the drum. when it does the rotation of the drum twists the magnet a few degrees, which cam the shoes outward. Causing the shoes to engage with the drum and slows everything down. the magnetic field acts like a slip clutch it this function.
 
 
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