Brake shoe replacement question

Deere Dude · Jul 25, 2014

I have a pretty new trailer, 2-7000# axles with 12x2 brake shoes. It has 2 Rockwell American axles with electric brakes.

I rode it pretty hard for a year and am redoing the brakes now. One time the ripcord pulled out and I pulled it for 12 miles before I realized what was happening so it got a good breaking in. :ashamed::ashamed: Thanks to my Duramax. The trailer has about 10,000 miles on it and it doesn't seem like I can get any adjustment out of the star wheel to tighten the brakes any more.

I know I need one magnet and was going to take the other hubs off tomorrow and was wondering where to get parts for that thing.
Napa and Reilly and AutoZone places don't have shoes and magnets etc. for that brand, unless everything is interchangeable.

I looked at etrailer.com and it seems to me that a complete set of shoes and magnets etc. are a lot cheaper than buying parts individually. I looked and they had Dexter and two other brands in my category and was wondering if those brake sets would bolt on to my Rockwell American axle and in my hub.

I hate to buy all kinds of stuff only to find out they won't work.

Everyone I talked to didn't seem to confident in their answer so I thought I try you guys.

Thanks

Soundguy · Jul 25, 2014

lookup user diamondpilot. he does lotsa trailerwork. might be able to help ya.

good luck!

ps.. don't feel bad about the brake test.. just about everyone here has had some sort of e-brake torture test

I was pulling a tractor out of texas on a small 16' flatbed, ran over a hunk of tire that snatched out my trailer plug.. I didn't notice the 'NC' on my controller telling me no connection, for about 5-10 miles. in that time.. the trailer plug drug and ground off about 25% of it. had to pull over in freezing weather and me and my driving buddy went at it with zip ties, electrical tape and some bailing wire to jumper connections over so we could make it back to florida with brakes and lamps!

so yeah.. I now safety zip tie ( they are cheap.. i buy em in bulk at work.. ) my trailer plug to the socket EVERY hookup.. don't care if it is down teh road to the neighbors house...

I keep a wad of 100 ties in a piece of pvc that is strapped to the trailer frame. 2" pipe and 1 glue on cap and 1 slipped on cap makes a good storage for the ties.. always got some when needed... never drag a plug again!

George2615 · Jul 25, 2014

Here is the Rockwell site for parts. I imagine Etrailer sells them also but could not find Rockwell axles listed. DiamondPilot does a lot of trailer work, Maybe he will pop on and help you out.
I replaced mine last summer and bought the entire kit from the backing plate out from Etrailer.

Brakes and Components

aczlan · Jul 25, 2014

Diamondpilot usually recommends R&P Carriages: R and P Carriages Trailers, Parts, Service, and Rentals

Aaron Z

schmism · Jul 25, 2014

I found it MUCH less expensive to buy whole backing plates loaded with shoes, magnets, and all adjusting hardware than it was to replace individual parts.

Whole backing plates shipped free (i couldn't believe it either) from E-trailer.

Its my understanding that if they are 12x2 backing plates they will fit your drums no matter what brand. The parts have been standardized, which is to say, dont worry about trying to replace the individual parts, just bolt on backing plates and they will work fine with your existing drums.

I also did rear seals but my bearings were good.

my axle rebuild thread
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...on/280114-axle-brake-rebuilds.html?highlight=

hosspuller · Jul 25, 2014

I found the same thing.... cheaper and easier to replace the whole plate than buy and install individual parts. Used solder and shrink tubing. Stay away from the press together connectors. Weather eventually gets to the connection. Had 5000 pound axles, upgraded to 7000 backing pound axle plates. The difference is in the magnets. Much more powerful braking action.

Deere Dude · Jul 25, 2014

I got on etrailer.com and for the size I need, a 12x2 @7,000# there are about 5 or 6 different companies selling the same thing. But I am sure there are differences in overhead and price structure causing the prices to vary from $45 to $90. I noticed a "never-adjust" one for $75. It seems after listening to you guys they all should work, so I need to read the reviews, and all of them seem pretty satisfactory, and try to find differences that might influence me. Is a $90 one made by Hayes as good as a $45 one made by TruRyde or a $73 assembly by Dexter?

The shoes I saw today on mine sure seemed cheap and thin. I don't think they were 1/8" thick. I thought they would have been 1/2" thick even after using them for 10,000 miles.

I suppose if I only use the trailer a few times a year going forward, a cheap one will be fine.

Thanks for your input.

Diamondpilot · Jul 26, 2014

We deal with off brand axles all the time and the parts seem to interchange. I agree with the others and just get all new backing plates. I always start at R&P.

Chris

Deere Dude · Jul 29, 2014

I took all the drums and had them cut and am ordering all new backer plates, the cheaper ones. But, the face that the magnet rides on is a little rough. Nobody here surfaces them like I would want. A fairly new friend is a machinist and has a lathe at home. He is going to take a look at them Wednesday to see if he can do anything with them on his machine. Should that work?

I have a neighbor who has a smaller handheld grinder that he said should work. It wouldn't make the surface flatter but it might get rid of the imperfections. He said he would sand it with a course grit and go finer until it's about right.

Diamondpilot · Jul 29, 2014

Deere Dude said:
I took all the drums and had them cut and am ordering all new backer plates, the cheaper ones. But, the face that the magnet rides on is a little rough. Nobody here surfaces them like I would want. A fairly new friend is a machinist and has a lathe at home. He is going to take a look at them Wednesday to see if he can do anything with them on his machine. Should that work?

I have a neighbor who has a smaller handheld grinder that he said should work. It wouldn't make the surface flatter but it might get rid of the imperfections. He said he would sand it with a course grit and go finer until it's about right.

We throw them away when they get that bad. Time/Labor simply outweighs the cost of new ones. If you can get it done for free might be worth a shot but my gut says you'll end up buying new sooner or later.

Chris