Trailer Disk Brakes?

[M4wdFab]

last towing trip with 2 cars in the 48' i really abused my truck brakes much more than normal.and smoked them twice in PA hills.
need to at least rebuild with new drum stuff or im thinking i might give a go at a DIY disk setup. 
The kits with everything that "might" bolt on is 3600$ now!!
not seeing anything that says it will fit torsion axles

id like to investigate if i can put my own 3 axle disk brake kit together using GM 3/4 ton disks and calipers that are common to what we all run on our D60 /14bolts.  turn down current drum hubs to accept an off the shelf rotor (and make my track width wider a rotor hat thickness to help tire to inner wheel well clearance (Less than 1/2" currently, with rub marks from turning)

rockauto can get your 6 rotors, 6 calipers, 6 brake hoses for 500$ shipped
same 3/4 ton 80s chevy stuff thats on most of our disk swapped offroad 1tons

Pump is next problem- looks like 900$ or so for off the shelf.
looking at brushless DC pumps for RC excavators that look like similar pressure for 50$.  hell even if 1 per axle, that might work.  fluid compatibility?

Plasma table out some brackets, bam?


The kits with everything that "might" bolt on is 3600$ now

turn down current drum hubs to accept an off the shelf rotor (and make my track width wider a rotor hat thickness to help tire to inner wheel well clearance (Less than 1/2" currently, with rub marks from turning)


just putting some thoughts down here. 

[mr.mindless]

that is a MUCH bigger caliper than the commercial kits use. I've got 1990ish Buick front calipers, midsize single piston mounted on 2 slide bolts. I can look that up or I may have dropped it in my trailer thread.

I'd like to get an off the shelf rotor figured out for better interchange. The one rotor I wore through and replaced based on wheel studs has a 1/8" different offset than the others and I had to grind the new caliper a bunch to allow it to center on that rotor, it was up against the bracket someplace.

standard trailer brake hoses are expensive to adapt to normal car calipers. better off to go automotive style plumbing front to back, and just run hard line.

I'd get the off the shelf pump that modulates pressure from input voltage and just throw money at that problem instead of gambling there. That said, I had issues with my first pump and bought a second, I think Dexter?, and it has a broken mounting flange now but I'll probably just run it until it falls off unless I can maybe scan the end and make a steel bolt on mount on the table?

I suppose an RC excavator needs to be able to vary pressure based on a voltage sweep of some sort though so if it'll do 0-1600 or whatever it is (that might be drum and disk might be 3000) then why not give it a shot for that price. You can easily keep it all out of the weather (and letting weather in was the failure mode of my first pumps)

[M4wdFab]

interesting on size comparison- the 3/4 ton front calipers are GVWR @6600lbs (or 60% of that as front?) so i was thinking they were sized about right for a 3 axle 21K trailer.

i had not considered the proportional part of braking, also noted.  not sure i want to be smart enough to figure that out for whats already available.

ya with the enclosed, i was planning on just mounting the pump inside the trailer, running hard line to 8$ auto hoses yes.


the pumps i was looking at were 10MPa or ~1450psi.  no clear data on flow rate. 

[M4wdFab]

pumps look like about 900$

there is a used dexter one on ebay for 450.

they dont really have useful specs on them published. 



1600$ in parts (new pump, rock auto), bracket development, hub machining (viable?) is where this looks to be as best case i guess. 

[gif]

current setup is standard electric/drum?  Built in controller or after market?

[mr.mindless]

yup, standard electric drum and built-in Ram controller.

I wonder if it knows about different brake types? My Prodigy P3 has electric and hydraulic modes, they come on differently and I think ramp differently.

I assume no noted issues in the miles with my goose, I know you've pulled it some.

I'd snatch that $450 Dexter pump right away... Tempted myself for a spare, knowing its there.

[M4wdFab]

the trailer has never really had good brakes or brakes at all.  i have relied on the 4500 brakes and exhaust brake for years

i have never serviced them other than pumping grease, they are the same brakes and seals that i bought the trailer with 10 years ago.  70k i have clocked on that trailer.


Im sure there are grease soaked shoes and possibly wiring issues.  positive not a truck issue.  you can select which type of brakes, it doesnt matter.  works fine with other trailers

i guess i have the winter to think on it.   

[Harrison]

Few years ago I found my shoes caked with grease and replaced them, figured seals went bad. Pumped grease through the fitting on the spindle and found half the grease pushed right past the new seal and trashed the new shoes. I was able to bake the grease out with mapp gas but I don't use that fitting at all anymore. Chad said he drives around to get the hubs warm then sticks the tube of grease in the microwave or some crazy Chad thing otherwise it's guaranteed the seals don't hold it.

Mine are supposed to be self adjust but have been losing performance the last couple years and are down to almost nothing. Been many years so maybe just worn out. My truck came with an inop aftermarket exhaust brake, I am going to try to make a point of getting it working for this coming season.

[cracker]

"Pumped grease through the fitting on the spindle"

I read somewhere that that fitting was only designed for boat trailers to push the water out of the bearings, they should never be used on other trailers, new grease should only be added by disassembling and packing.

Not so sure about the validity, but from as many people who have fouled their pads by over-greasing, I seem to believe it. 

[M4wdFab]

I'd snatch that $450 Dexter pump right away... Tempted myself for a spare, knowing its there.

This listing was ended by the seller on Wed, Dec 4 at 5:07 PM because the item was lost or broken.

[M4wdFab]

back on thinking of this.

also noted, last year was the first year i believe of non OEM truck brakes, and im wondering if my brake fade that was experienced was because of inferior truck brakes or less than what i have been use to.

anyhow, still on the hunt and i think my process will be:

take a peek at trailer hub/ torsion clearance.
order chevy rotors,pads,calipers, hoses for one axle and then see if i can make it work or not. 
order rest of parts for other two axles and pump. 

cant get it to work, just have spare parts for our king pin buggies. 

[M4wdFab]

looking again at this and now i find complete kit at 2200 or 2250 oil bath  and with 9/16" studs!

https://hydrastarusa.com/products/hydrastar-7k-axles-8-lug-integral-triple-axle-trailer-disc-brake-kit-9-16-in-e7k-tr9

hmm, thats better than i was going to do piecing it together, and having to make my own brackets.  still expensive calipers/rotors/pads to service though. 

id really like rock auto 31$ calipers, 31$ rotors, 10$ pads  available at any autoparts store (85k20)

bah

[M4wdFab]

$2200 kit (2.5" piston caliper, 13" rotor) or

off shelf pump $800
6 Idler hubs $400 (needed? can i just machine my current drums off?) 400 includes all new bearings/seals ect
6 calipers (3" piston), 6 rotors (12.5"), pads, hoses $600
need to figure out mounting brackets or mod ones we use for off road @50/pair?.
misc line/fittings on hand

hassel but for service:
200$ hub/rotor order only from kit vs 31$ rotor available anywhere
125$ caliper order only vs 35$ caliper available anywhere

[M4wdFab]

more thoughts aloud

front 4x4 3/4 ton rotors arent going to clear idler hubs or my hubs machined down.

discovered 2001 express van front hub/rotors are SUPER close to what i would need, and they are 39$ lol at Rockauto.  and i have a 2001 express chassis under the 52 IH build i could grab one from for testing.

just need to spec different cone bearings as trailer spindles are 1.25"/1.75" and 2001 express RA says they are 1.030"/1.625
def a possibility if i could track down bearing cones and seal that would work for massive cost savings and parts serviceability. 

[M4wdFab]

current 7k trailer stuff
outer bearing 25580(cone I.D:1.75",cup O.D:3.263")
inner bearing 14125A(cone I.D:1.25",cup O.D:2.716"),
oil seal(I.D: 2.229", O.D:3.372", height: 0.375")
dust cover(Mounting diameter:2.724")


2001 3500 van
outer bearing (cone I.D:1.625",cup O.D:2.891")
inner bearing (cone I.D:1.030",cup O.D:2.438"),
oil seal(I.D: 2.229", O.D:3.372", height: 0.375")
dust cover(Mounting diameter:2.724")



source combo bearings from timkin catalog to mix 7ktrailer spindle and 2001hub
pg114 outer Tapered Roller Bearing 15123 / 15245   ID 1.25, cup OD 2.4409  (cost 2sets 18$ amazon, win)
inner Tapered Roller Bearing cant find an option boo hiss