air over hydraulic brakes any way to do

[GMichaels]

I have a chance to pickup a gooseneck trailer at about 1/3 of the price of a new one. But it has air over hydaulic brakes. which means I must put in a compressor, tank, and master cylinder (for the air part). What other options do I have? can I convert to electric over hydraulic? The guy told me to convert the axles to electric brake would cost him2k.



Ideas?



will post more details after I go see it in a couple of days.



thanks





1993 5spdget no mods 353

 

[Casey Balvert]

Write Dexter Axle with your question. First find out what model axles the trailer has. I don't think that converting to electric brakes would be that big a deal. You can buy entire assemblies on the backing plate reasonably. All you would need to add is the wiring.



Casey

 

[bmoeller]

This was asked not very long ago. Doesn't sound to promising in finding a set-up to use hyd. over air or elec. over air. Wish there was. I like air brakes alot better. Much easier to service most parts.

 

[MicroOutlawRacer]

I just went through this on a flatbed that I bought. Electric over Hydro. is the easiest to convert to (just take all the air stuff off and put this controller on the break line) and not REAL expensive (about $565) I bought the BreakRite controller and so far I am happy with it. Hope this helps.

David

 

[jelag]

I have a couple of trailers with hyd disc brakes... . BF Goodrich makes for Dexter a device that takes the electric signal from a brake controler and builds hyd pressure in the brake system... . Called the Hydrastar... . I think... . MY dexter distributor across the street had never sold one..... but this thing is at least 10 times the quality of electric brakes.....



They build 2 units, one that goes to 1000 psi for drum brakes and one that goes to 1600 psi for power discs... . I've used the one for power disc's for 15 months and 100K miles with no problems... . The brake pads are at about 50% and at the 12 month mark we bleed the system and put in fresh fluid... . It mounts under the trailer and functions very well..... and has provisions for a break away circuit... .



It has 2 draw backs... . 1 - is that we don't have the control we'd like... we have lots of brakes no problem there but we want more control so we've added the brake smart controler to the new truck I just bought, if it ever gets here..... and 2 - there is about a 2 or 3 second delay for the unit to come up to power and turn on the brakes..... In normal operation its fine... but in a panic that 2 seconds might mean something.....



However the trailer this is mounted to weighs 24K and has 2 - 12K axles with duals and when the brakes come on there is enough force to stop the truck as welll as the trailer... .



One of the reasons we think the life of the brakes has been so good is that we use an exhaust brake on the truck... . the 04 that pulls this trailer now has 90K on it... and the brakes on the truck are about 40% and will be changed soon.....



Hope this helps... .



Jim

 

[RustyJC]

... . and 2 - there is about a 2 or 3 second delay for the unit to come up to power and turn on the brakes..... In normal operation its fine... but in a panic that 2 seconds might mean something.....

Jim,



Wow! My TDR membership has paid for itself again! I'd been thinking about converting my previous 5ver to electric-over-hydraulic discs and had even thought about it with my current 5ver (although its electric drum brakes work better than the previous 5ver). This 2-3 second delay is something you don't see in the advertising literature that makes this conversion a "non-starter" as far as I'm concerned.



Thanks for the feedback.



Rusty

 

[BigIronRam]

My advice, switch over to vacuum over hydraulic. I've had electric over hydraulic, as have some others I know, all of us switched.



Shameless pitch follows: I have a very good used vacuum over hydraulic unit I don't need anymore. If you're interested, I'll make you a good deal on it. Let me know.



Robert

 

[GMichaels]

air for dodge trucks

The trailer was in tough shape so not sure i will purchase it. But I did find a company that has a air system for dodge trucks. costs about 450. 00 includes compressor, res tank, control valve. don't have the name and number with me. . can post later if anyone interested.



thanks