Converting 1957 Airstream Flying Cloud from Hydraulic Drum Brakes to Electric Drum Brakes

Question:

I have a 1957 Airstream Flying cloud and need to convert the original axil from Hydraulic to electric breaks. The Hub takes Timken 1779, 2788 bearings and has 12x2 drums. The drum does appear to have a side wall machined surface for the electric magnet. The break mount is 5 bolt. Will your std 5 hole 12x2 break setup work with this setup? Thanks

asked by: Brent

Expert Reply:

There are a couple of things you will want to check before converting your trailer to electric trailer brakes. First you will want to make sure that the drum face, the armature surface, is completely smooth and that a magnet can stick to it.

If that check out, then you will want to measure the 5-bolt brake mount to make sure the spacing matches up with the brake assemblies. Our etrailer Electric Trailer Brake Kit # AKEBRK-7-SA has a 5-bolt mounting pattern, but all bolts are not equally spaced. They are all 2-1/8 inches apart except for the two bolt holes nearest the magnet - those holes are 3 inches apart.

If your drums are compatible with electric brakes and you find that the 5-bolt pattern is compatible with today's brake assemblies, the Brake Kit # AKEBRK-7-SA is a great option. These self-adjusting brakes include both the left and right side assemblies and are designed to fit axles rated between 5,200 lbs to 7,000 lbs.

expert reply by: Victoria B