Should Electric Brakes be Removed from a Trailer Before Baking on a Powder Coat

Question:

I am having my trailer powder coated. I installed Electric Brake 10x2-1/4 Rh Dexter Nev-r-adjust 3.5k/pair 1 0 this summer. Do these units need to be completed removed prior to powder coating. The concern is exposure to 400ºF for up to 20 minutes. The brake units will be shielded during the sand blasting and spraying of the powder coat.

asked by: Lester

Helpful Expert Reply:

I do recommend removing the brake assemblies prior to exposing the trailer to the high temperature used to bake on powder coating. There are some plastic parts, such as the wiring, that are not rated for that high of a temperature and can result in damage to the assemblies.

Once the trailer is done being painted, when you reinstall the brake assemblies make sure to ground the brake magnets to a bare metal surface. This will require removing some of the powder coat. or you could ask them to mask of a tiny area so you can attach the grounds to bare metal. The same goes for the main trailer connector ground and any ground location for lights.

Another issue is that the powder coating can get into mounting holes, like where the brakes bolt on, and it is possible that could lead to the hardware loosening over time. Cleaning out/off the mounting holes for any given component with a wire brush should take care of that but you will want to check mounting hardware after 50 miles, 100 miles, and so on just to be sure everything remains torqued down.

expert reply by: Michael H