Elec over Hydraulic Brakes

[GCroyle]

Dieselnerd,

Those are Dexter 4 piston calipers, any chance you can attach a pic of the hose to caliper connection they rigged up for you? Is it a banjo bolt style?

Thanks,

Gary

 

[Dieselnerd]

Gary,
You can see everything there is to see in the picture attached to my post. If you enlarge the picture it may be easier to see. Single line from pump upfront to fitting on frame that splits it off to go to each brake.

There is a brake line running across the axle to the other side as well but the main fittings are all in the picture.

 

[GCroyle]

OK, so its just a flex hose going into an adapter?

No inboard bleeding provisions? Then I predict you have an air bubble and its stuck in the inboard calipers. I could be wrong of course, but here's my write up about my Dexter air bubble including a video of PSI vs. time.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f439/disc-brake-lag-pressure-vs-time-96724-new-post.html

 

[Dieselnerd]

Gary,
My brakes work great, no lag that I can detect. When I step on the truck brakes with the trailer attached it feels like one unit. The place that installed my suspension assured me that there was no air in the brake system. I have no reason to doubt them.

 

[GCroyle]

Ron,

You're describing brakes working correctly, feels like one unit. I had several do-overs on mine and I got pretty adept at team bleeding. The Dexter caliper doesn't address this but it traps air in the inboard caliper. I added that ability to bleed mine at the connection.

Strong brakes. Good thing.

Gary

 

[GAmes]

You might consider installing brakes on the boat trailer, it wouldn't cost much.

Nick

Thanks, but I guess you need to define "much". Hydraulic surge kits with disk brakes run about $500, then for me, involve cutting & welding to install the actuator. Rather than spend over $500 on the boat trailer, that seldom is behind the 5er, I'd much rather spend $1500 on the RV and get the best of both. The problem is my lazy attempt to search for 6 lug hub kits was fruitless, and I'm not dedicated enough to call around. I was hoping for an easy answer.

 

[NIsaacs]

I was just figuring electric like I assume your RV is, that way when you tow it solo with your '54 Ford Custom you can have brakes

Did you check with Southwest Wheel? They show this kit, that should have a 6 bolt pattern: https://www.southwestwheel.com/p-94-ultimate212.aspx

Nick

 

[GAmes]

Thanks for the link. I've done business with them before but didn't think to look there.

Once the '54 is complete I doubt I'll be pulling a boat with it. 2 speed auto and 130 hp 239 V8.

 

[6speed]

Well ordered the setup today. They had everything but 1 set of brakes. Said it would all ship at once. Went with 8K as I am replacing the Al-Ko with Dexter. Still have to order axles. Need those measurements. Should be an easy swap. I have the Kelderman Air Ride, talked to them, just need to make sure the Dexter is the correct size for his swing arms. I was not looking forward to getting under the trailer running the hydraulic lines, even though it would have wooden blocks along with jack stands. Now I can assemble the lines, and brakes to the axle, then slide it all under, then bolt the swing arms and attach the air bags. Hope to do all this in about 2 days. I'll let ya'll know later how everything is going.

 

[GCroyle]

6speed,

Dexter, good choice. I'm assuming 4 piston/caliper setup, right?

IF so, you really need to rig your supply line connection (pretty sure at the caliper its M10 bubble) so you can crack it for bleeding purposes. Twisting the hose in and out ain't a nice way to set this up.

Holler if you need better details.

Gary

 

[NIsaacs]

Can you order the axles with the brakes on them? 8k axles are 3.5" tubes, 7k are 3".

Nick

 

[Hoefler]

I had it done at a custom trailer builder here in MN. They did a complete job including brake pump, wiring, new G rated tires. They do quite a few of these, only took a couple of days after the parts came in. I had them do lifts on previous fifth wheels and knew that they did excellent work. They will build you a trailer from scratch or almost any kind of modification you can think of.

It's not inexpensive but my trailer is almost like new, inside and out. My wife and I were trying to decide between a new trailer or rebuild the worn out suspension on the current one. The quality of a HitchHiker trailer is pretty good and something of similar quality today is quite expensive.

We decided on a rebuild. It cost a little over $9000 including tax. That was a 3 inch lift, independent suspension 8K axles with never lube bearings and disc brakes, new Goodyear made in USA G rated tires, Dexter hydraulic brake pump and wiring, all the brake lines, brake pump mounted inside custom welded aluminum box to contain the fluid in case of leaks and all lines bled and road tested before they gave it to me.

Looking in your pictures of the brakes, they are plumbed backwards, the line needs to go to the bottom of the caliper not the top. You will never get all the air out of the system.

 

[GCroyle]

Hoefler,

Dexter 4 piston calipers have 2 pistons in each caliper half and have a cross over line on the bottom. Caliper halves are identical. But you are right, a proper setup will allow for bleeding on the inboard caliper at the hose connection. I think asking Dexter if the port will work with a banjo bolt. That might allow a nice connection that you could crack or a fancy bolt with a bleed screw in the head.

Been here, got it right on my Airstream.

Gary
Gary

 

[6speed]

GCroyle

Right after I posted yesterday, etrailer calls and said Kodiak doesn't make the 8K disc brake setup anymore. I call Kodiak and tell me that they STILL DO make it. Kodiak gives me another supplier and he tells me I was ordering the wrong kits for the air ride I have until I tell him I am still using torsion axles with air ride. He thought I was utilizing solid axles. Kelderman told me in the beginning that they tried it with solid axles but it would break axles going over bumps, curbs, potholes etc. . I am sure I was ordering the correct pieces. I think what I'll do is have etrailer and Kodiak talk. All I lack to getting these parts is the 3rd brake set

 

[NIsaacs]

Can you order the axles with the brakes on them? 8k axles are 3.5" tubes, 7k are 3".

Nick

Okay, wow, torsion axles and air ride, that must be nice to tow. Never mind the tube size then I still think if you are buying axles it would be easier to include them with brakes?

Nick

 

[6speed]

Well all of the brakes are here. All 360 LBS. Thank goodness for the free shipping. Boxes got beat up pretty good in transit but nothing broken. Also what are the chances of the TDR doing a article on disc brakes in this quarters magazine. Now we need to get the axles measured so I can get replacements. Switching from 7K AL-KO to 8K Dexter. Comparing the drum brakes to the disc is no comparison. Showed the wife how the drum works, she could not believe it worked like they did. If you go back to the initial post I burnt a bearing to start all this. We put just hub on it for now, to get me thru Oct, then the work begins.

 

[GCroyle]

Yup, they are pretty massive. The fun is just around the calendar.

 

[jacknife]

I put them on my 5th wheel 2yrs ago . No problems no new pads yet . I have about 18,000 towing since installing. Just coming back from 3 months on the road . Flawless operation. I would never own a trailer again without them. I weight about 24,000 loaded

 

[6speed]

Well its been some tine since I posted about the brakes. Not having a computer at home was nice until I retired and then I had to pony up the money to get it all going. But after all the parts showed up it took about 2 weeks to get everything installed. In the short distance I drove, it was worth all the aggravation, time and money spent. I can not describe how well they work. If sex wasn't at the top of the list this would be. I went from 65 to about 15 in about 5 seconds. I recommend this setup to anyone who tows, I don't care how heavy or light your load is. DISC BRAKE ON and BE SATISFIED. Hell Yeah

 

[GCroyle]

Congrats.

I've never timed the braking, but my goal is unified braking, truck is not overbraking and trailer isn't either. Like two draft horses each working together. If you don't have one, get an IR temp gun and check rotor temps just for grins.

Gary