Can A Single Axle of a Tandem Axle Horse Trailer Have Brakes Added

Question

Question:

My daughter purchased a 4 hours gooseneck trailer that does not have brakes installed now. It has two axles, looks to be 7000 lb load bearing with 16inch wheels. Can I just put brakes on the back axle at first or would I need to put brakes on all four wheels at the same time? The trailer itself is probably close to 1500-2000 lbs and with four of our horses in it it could be another 5000 lbs added. I pull with an F350 dually so should be able to handle 10000 lbs for towing. Which of the electric brake sets would be best and would you recommend 7000 or 10000 lb brakes?

asked by: Michael

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Expert Reply:

A lot of people have luck running brakes on only one axle of a tandem axle trailer. Typically you want to put them on the axle that will have more of the weight on it. So the front axle of a horse trailer would be ideal. We need to know more info on your trailer though to pick out the correct parts for it.

For that we have a help article which I've attached below for you to check out.

expert reply by: Jameson C

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Answer 1

Hubs and drums that can be turned (machined) will have a specification on how much they can be turned cast into the metal of the drum somewhere. Otherwise it is at the brake shop's discretion. Drums do not have to be turned unless there is…

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Answer 2

There really isn't a particular maximum trailer weight that is used to determine when brakes need to be added to both axles of a tandem axle setup. While I do still recommend checking your local laws, I am also not aware of any general laws that…

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Answer 3

If the surface on the inside of the drum where the shoe pads make contact isn't smooth then a brake shop may be able to turn the drums. If that surface or the surface where the magnet makes contact (called the armature surface) is discolored then…

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Answer 4

Are there any visible signs of wear on the magnets like exposed windings then that would indicate they need replacing. Magnets can go bad without showing visible signs of wear though. To see how to troubleshoot them check out the help article I…

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Answer 5

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 6

Even though I cannot comment specifically on the grease you used because I am not familiar with it, I can tell you the best grease for trailer bearings is a a grease with a rating of GC-LB, which just means it is made to withstand very high…

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Answer 7

To determine the size of the brake assemblies you need you have to measure the depth and width of the hub drum on the axle like what you see in the picture I attached. The most common size is 2-1/4 inch wide like the #T4071600-500 that you…

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Answer 8

Hey Richard, thanks for reaching out! The Dexter DX7.5 Drop-N-Go Brake Actuator #099-175-00 is a great option for a replacement actuator because it's a direct replacement for the common Model 60 actuators that were popular in the '90s.…

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Answer 9

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 10

The difference between an load range C and load range D tire in the same size is the capacity and psi rating. The two tires will still have the same dimensions and fit on the same wheel. The D rated tire has a higher capacity. For a ST175/80D13 like…

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Answer 11

To determine the size of the hub assembly you need to purchase you have to determine which bearings are in the old assembly. If the old assembly has L44649 inner bearings, you would use the hub you chose #8-258-5UC1. If the inner bearings are marked…

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Answer 12

I spoke to Dexter and they said there is a bit of a process for installing the spindle nut properly. 1. You will need to thread on the inner nut, rotate the hub, then tighten the nut to 100 foot pounds. 2. Loosen the nut to remove the torque, making…

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