Parts Needed to Add Electric Trailer Brakes to Pop-Up Camper

Question:

I have a pop up camper with Dexter ez lube axles non tapered... hub 8-91A. It does not have brakes. I am interested in adding brakes to camper. Can you provide a list of part numbers needed to complete this? brakes, hub/drum, bearings, seals, and trailer wiring... My truck has a 7 way pre wired. Would be purchasing a brake controller as well. Also, is there a way to purchase upgraded bearings? Something like Timken/SKF? Thanks

asked by: David

Helpful Expert Reply:

The Dexter 8-91 hub would have a 4 lug on 4 inch bolt circle and would use L44649 bearings, so I'd recommend checking to see if your existing bearings have the same reference number.

I've linked you to an FAQ article that shows exactly what you'll need to add electric brakes to your pop-up camper. Your existing axle would need to have brake mounting flanges mounted on each end behind where the hub would sit. The flanges provide a spot for the brake assemblies to bolt in place. If you don't have the flanges, you can have some welded into place, but it's a tricky job getting them installed so they're perfectly square and concentric and correctly spaced from the spindle. This is a very specialized welding job that not everybody can do, so we typically recommend replacing the axle if the flanges aren't already present.

We offer a few off the shelf axles, if you need a replacement. To choose the correct one, I'll need the hub face to hub face dimension as well as the center to center distance between the spring centers.

If you do have the brake mounting flanges, and assuming your existing idler hubs use the L44649 bearings and have a 4 on 4 bolt pattern, I'd recommend the # 8-173-16UC3-EZ hubs. You'll also need a # 23-47 and a # 23-48 brake assemblies. Each brake assembly will need four # 6-17 nuts and four # 5-8 lock washers. This hub and brake assembly are compatible with 10-13 inch diameter wheels. The hub/drum includes Tru-Ryde bearings, as well as the races, grease seal, lug nuts and grease cap. We do not offer Timken bearings.

To wire the trailer, I'd recommend a connector/lead like part # H20044 and a junction box like # 38656. You'll also need some 10 gauge brake wire which is sold by the foot, part # 10-1-1. I've linked you to install videos showing how the trailer connector and the junction box would install. The product page for the # H20044 has a wiring color code explanation at the bottom.

For a brake controller, I'd recommend a proportional controller like the Tekonsha Primus, part # TK90160, unless you plan on towing something larger that uses electric over hydraulic brakes. In that case, I'd recommend the Tekonsha Prodigy P2, part # 90885. Many vehicles have a connector under the dash that allows for a plug and play installation, if you'd reply with the year, make and model of your truck, I'll recommend a plug and play harness if one's available.