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  1. Trailer Brakes
  2. Dexter
  3. Electric Drum Brakes
  4. 7000 lbs Axle
  5. 12 x 2 Inch Drum
  6. 14-1/2 Inch Wheel
  7. 15 Inch Wheel
  8. 16 Inch Wheel
Dexter Electric Trailer Brakes - 12" - Left/Right Hand Assemblies - 7,000 lbs

Dexter Electric Trailer Brakes - 12" - Left/Right Hand Assemblies - 7,000 lbs

Item # 23-180-181
Our Price: $194.93
Trailer Brakes
Shipping Weight: 30 lbs
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Dexter Trailer Brakes - 23-180-181
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Whether you're replacing your trailer brakes or installing some on a new brake axle, these are easy to work with from start to stop. 12" x 2" Assemblies fit 14.5" to 16" wheels. 5 bolt pattern backing plate. Made in the USA. Great Prices for the best trailer brakes from Dexter. Dexter Electric Trailer Brakes - 12" - Left/Right Hand Assemblies - 7,000 lbs part number 23-180-181 can be ordered online at etrailer.com or call 1-800-940-8924 for expert service.
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Dexter Trailer Brakes - 23-180-181

  • Electric Drum Brakes
  • 7000 lbs Axle
  • 12 x 2 Inch Drum
  • 14-1/2 Inch Wheel
  • 15 Inch Wheel
  • 16 Inch Wheel
  • Standard Grade
  • Manual Adjust
  • Dexter

Whether you're replacing your trailer brakes or installing some on a new brake axle, these are easy to work with from start to stop. 12" x 2" Assemblies fit 14.5" to 16" wheels. 5 bolt pattern backing plate. Made in the USA.


Features:

  • Easier to install and gives you more control than hydraulic brakes
    • Requires only an electric brake controller (sold separately) - no actuator or hydraulic lines needed
  • Periodic manual adjustment required
    • Can be done in minutes
  • Long-lasting brake pads offer excellent braking torque
    • Fully bonded to shoes for more consistent braking compared to riveted pads
  • Adjuster plugs (included) protect internal components from dirt, grime, and road debris
  • Left-hand (driver's-side) and right-hand (passenger's-side) brake assemblies included
    • Includes mounting nuts (bolts sold separately)
  • Made in the USA


Specs:

  • Application: most standard hub-and-drum assemblies, including etrailer, Dexter, and Lippert (LCI)
  • Dimensions: 12" diameter x 2" wide
  • Mounting flange bolt pattern: 5 bolt
  • Wheel size: 14-1/2", 15" or 16"
  • Axle rating: 7,000 lbs
  • Limited 5-year warranty


Quick Tip: There's really not a whole lot to getting new drum brakes. If you've confirmed that all of the specs listed above line up with what you need for your trailer, you can be pretty sure these will work for you.


How to Manually Adjust Trailer Brakes

The more miles you put on your trailer, the more your brake pads will wear down. As they lose contact with the drum, stopping distances get longer and longer. To keep your brakes working great, it's important to adjust them pretty routinely. For this job, grab a floor jack and either a brake adjustment tool (sold separately) or just a standard flathead screwdriver.


Jack up your trailer enough to get the wheel(s) off the ground. Remove the adjuster plugs from the backing plate on the brake, and insert the flat end of the tool through the back of the assembly.


Screenshot from an instruction video shows how to manually adjust the the alignment on a drum brake

Push in on the star gear and lift it up. Keep doing this until the brake pads catch on your drum. When you can't spin your wheel by hand anymore, back the gear off by about 10 clicks by pushing down on the star gear. Does the wheel now spin freely (even if it sounds like the brake pads drag slightly on the drum)? Great! Then you're all done with that one and ready to adjust the rest.


How to Break In New Brakes

After you get these brakes installed and adjusted, you'll need to break them in. First, find a long stretch of road or a big, empty parking lot. Once you're there, set your brake controller to its maximum setting and get moving. Speed up to about 40 mph and brake to slow to about 20 mph. Repeat this 15-30 times. The goal is to get the brake shoes and magnet properly seated into your drum. You'll know you've done that when it feels less jerky (and more consistent) each time you apply the brakes.


Note: The brakes will be very hot after doing this, so after every 10 stops you'll want to wait about 10 minutes to let the brakes cool off before continuing. If you don't, you might cook and crack the pad material.



23-180 Dexter Electric Brake Assembly - LH - Driver Side - 12" x 2" - Manual Adjust - 7,000 lbs

23-181 Dexter Electric Brake Assembly - RH - Passenger Side - 12" x 2" - Manual Adjust - 7,000 lbs





Customer Satisfaction Score:


Customer Reviews

Dexter Electric Trailer Brakes - 12" - Left/Right Hand Assemblies - 7,000 lbs - 23-180-181

Average Customer Rating:  4.8 out of 5 stars   (322 Customer Reviews)

Whether you're replacing your trailer brakes or installing some on a new brake axle, these are easy to work with from start to stop. 12" x 2" Assemblies fit 14.5" to 16" wheels. 5 bolt pattern backing plate. Made in the USA.

by:

I am a big believer is sticking with original equipment parts when possible. Locally here in Canada the parts thatbI purchased frome etrailer were much more expensive. It took much longer than expected for the parts to arrive, but the quality, fit and finish was excellent. Following the burnishing in procedure the brakes functioned excellent. My trailer is a 7 Ton dump trailer with an empty weight of around 5000lbs. My gain was set @ 2 empty with excellent results is slowing the truck and trailer. I haven't pulled a full load yet, but I expect to have full confidence in the brakes ability stop the trailer safety in annorderly manner.

Steven

11/5/2023

Excellent product. Excellent value Excellent performance on my application



by:

These 7000 lb. brakes really made a difference and the fact that they are not self adjusting makes a big difference. These are like the brakes that came on the trailer and those lasted 10 yrs.



by:

Great fit, work as they should. Be sure to break in per Mfr. It really seats brake pads and allows breaks to function as they should on trailer. Much easier to replace backing plate with pads, etc. couple electrical connections and back in business.

Paul

10/14/2023

Brakes still function as they should. Will purchase again, or for other trailers.

Etrailer Expert

Mike L.

11/5/2023

@Paul We're very happy to hear that your # 23-180-181 brake assemblies are working well for you!


by:

I was very happy with the customer service. The order arrived in different boxes one packed really well the other just thrown into a large box. I thought that was strange.



by:

I received my shipment with my new brakes. I chose to go with the manual adjust version for my trailer. The units are Dexter and made in the USA. While not installed yet, i have to give kudos to Phillip with etrailer for the great help and etrailer for the promplt shipping and packaging.



by:

I've tried many different manufacturer's of trailer brakes/assemblies. To me, it's worth the potential extra cost to go with Dexter.



by:

Great product and great service.Went on real easy.Got alot of help making sure I had correct parts for my axles.Will definitely shop there again.



by:

Perfect fit, very easy to replace worn,rusted old brakes. Quality in manufacturing and everything tested prior to assembly. After assembly worked perfectly. The price was very good as well. If your brakes looked like the attached photo, just replace the whole assembly and save yourself a headache.



by:

I am building a tiny house and I am using the axleless suspension that I purchased from Etrailer. Now that I have purchased the brakes, I will be purchasing the hubs next. I probably won't be installing everything until this summer. I will let you know how it goes and I will send photos. Thank you for everything so far and your prompt delivery of all parts so far.



by:

They work far better than the 50 year old units I took off, I should have done it years ago. Having all of the components mounted made the unit swap very simple. I pictured both the old and new.



by:

Works like it great, installation had a little hiccup with the mounting bolds being a different tread. But wasn't a big deal. I would buy again and I already have.



by:

I purchased these for my 2015 Heartland Bighorn RV. Easy to install after removing tire and old brakes. highly recommend for DIY trailer owners, saves on labor.



by:

Installation was straight forward!



by:

Excellent products



by:

Perfect replacement for the Lippert system. Quality and workmanship is definitely better.



by:

Delivered rapidly and the great quality that I expected!



by:

Excellent service. Will buy from again



by:

Perfect direct replacement



by:

Etrailers makes it easy to get the parts I need to keep my equipment running. We have several trailers and have use them for all our needs.Excellent product and fast service.



by:

Wow fast shipping, everything perfect.



by:

Great products - Fit the axles perfectly



by:

Excellent parts. Made in USA! Just as advertised. I have ordered other parts since with confidence.



by:

I was advised by my Airstrem dealer that my brake backplates needed to be replaced. After getting their quote, I went online to see if I could get a better deal. Sure enough, e-trailer had a much better price than the dealer. So I ordered the parts, received them in the promised timeframe and had them installed by the dealer. They've been working fine, I would recommend checking with e-trailer before buying anywhere else.



by:

Excellent service. Excellent delivery timeline. Expert assistance. Everything was exactly what I needed and furthermore I can now adequately stop my trailer and mitigate running over the stray- animals that run out in front of me (<-- thats a joke!). I would highly recommend etrailer for all of your camper needs!

D

1/23/2023

Still helping me stop to avoid the strays



by:

Excellent product! Very easy to install and very well put together. Had zero issues with the install and so far after a year of use no issues either!


25
321
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Info for this part was:

Employee Mike L
Expert Research:
Mike L
Employee Jameson C
Expert Research:
Jameson C
Employee Lindsey S
Edited by:
Lindsey S
Employee Jeff D
Installed by:
Jeff D
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Updated by:
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