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Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly - 12" - Left Hand - 7,000 lbs
(133 reviews)
Price: $101.69
In Stock
Dexter
Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly - 12" - Left Hand - 7,000 lbs
Part Number: 23-180
In Stock
$101.69
$81.69 after $20.00 Mail-In Rebate 
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- All Info
- Reviews (133)
- Q & A (0)
- Photos
Dexter Accessories and Parts - 23-180
- Trailer Brakes
- Electric Drum Brakes
- Brake Assembly
- Dexter
- 12 x 2 Inch Drum
- Manual Adjust
- LH
- 7000 lbs
12" x 2" Driver's-side electric trailer brake assembly fits 7,000-lb axles. Mounting flange has a 5-bolt pattern. Fits 14-1/2", 15", 16", and 16-1/2" wheels.
Features:
- Electric brakes are easier to install and offer more user control than hydraulic brakes
- Requires only an electric brake controller (sold separately) - no actuator or hydraulic lines necessary
- Adjuster plugs (included) cover access holes to keep dirt and grime out of the assemblies and off of the shoes
- Mounting bolts sold separately
- Made in the USA
Specs:
- Application: most standard hub-and-drum assemblies, including Dexter, Lippert (LCI), and AL-KO
- Configuration: left hand (driver's side)
- Dimensions: 12" diameter x 2" wide
- Mounting flange bolt pattern: 5 bolt
- Wheel size: 14-1/2", 15", 16", and 16-1/2"
- Axle rating: 7,000 lbs
- Limited 5-year warranty
K23-180-00 12" x 2" LH Electric Brake Assembly - Drivers Side - 7.0K Axles
Replaces 23-180
Customer Satisfaction Score:
99% were satisfied with this product
1% of customers were not satisfied
- Arrived Damaged
- Wrong item was ordered
- Alternate product found
Ratings & Reviews
4.6
133 reviews
by:
Todd
10/06/2026
ordered two left hand brake assemblies. one was fine but the other had loose parts that I had to put together before installing the brake. Apparently whomever was working on the assembly at Dexter decided it was time to call it a day and just boxed up the spring and adjustment pin without installing it.
by:
Wayne
10/22/2026
well three worked fine and one for no reason locked up and took out a tire. then started to work again. only got about 5k miles on them.
by:
Jack
04/16/2025
Made in America, fits fine. Quick shipping. Same price as I would pay at Dexter plus shipping
by:
Smitty Smithsonite
11/05/2016
These things are major time-savers! Bolt the whole assembly on, wire it up, and go! Can't beat the price either - would cost quite a bit more buying the parts individually. Made a huge difference in stopping power on my 18' Dively car hauler, 9990 GVWR. The brakes were 6 years old at the time, and had tens of thousands of miles on them - abusive miles too, with shoes seizing and dragging, electrical failures causing some to work 3x as hard as others, stop and go MA traffic, etc.
While I was at it, I also grabbed 30' of Deka jacketed 2-wire 10 gauge brake wiring, and redid the whole system from the plug back. I also removed the drums, had them turned at a local garage, and installed brand new bearings, races, & seals. The improvement in stopping power was nothing short of amazing.
I went from having my Tekonsha P3 on boost level 3 at 11 volts +, trailer UNLOADED, to running boost level 1 at 6 volts with 4,000 lbs. on the 2k lb. trailer! BIG difference in stopping power!
While I was at it, I also grabbed 30' of Deka jacketed 2-wire 10 gauge brake wiring, and redid the whole system from the plug back. I also removed the drums, had them turned at a local garage, and installed brand new bearings, races, & seals. The improvement in stopping power was nothing short of amazing.
I went from having my Tekonsha P3 on boost level 3 at 11 volts +, trailer UNLOADED, to running boost level 1 at 6 volts with 4,000 lbs. on the 2k lb. trailer! BIG difference in stopping power!
Smitty S.
11/5/2017
So far so good! No problems with hanging brakes from being parked a majority of the time, on dirt, through wet and humid to freezing cold Massachusetts weather. Theyve also run through hundreds of miles of corrosive road salt. Had to make a few adjustments right out of the gate and am probably due for another after 2k or so miles, but thats normal break-in procedure. Well worth the price!
by:
Bob
02/27/2026
Prices change daily. Ordering a kit of two dexter trailer brakes,left and right, cost more than ordering the same two brakes separately
by:
Lynden
05/06/2025
Excellent value. Great product and great company to order from. If you order these make sure you get self adjusting. (Not manual adjusting) Since you have your trailer hubs apart great time to repack your bearings and get new seals. If you have any mechanical since I would rate this job a 3 on a scale of 1 to 5 on difficulty.
Gwendolyn Y.
5/9/2025
Repacking bearings while swapping out new brakes is such good advice, Lynden! Definitely helps keep everything is good working condition all towing season long.
by:
James
07/14/2026
Easy install. Good price
by:
Rick
09/07/2025
I needed Brakes in a hurry and made the phone call Tiffany was the agent that helped me I explained her what I had she said no problem had all four brake assemblies ordered and was at my house in 2 days took me all of about 3 hours to put them on great product great customer service I'll definitely be back they made it very easy to purchase parts.
by:
Scott
06/02/2026
William is very professional and personable.
by:
Chuck
01/14/2025
Perfect fit. Works like it should!
Chuck S.
1/15/2026
Wonderful. Very good product. Trailer stops on a dime.
Lazer S.
1/15/2026
@ChuckS Nice! Glad it's working for you, Chuck! Out of curiosity, what did you install it on?
by:
Ken
03/19/2026
Much better than self adjusting.
by:
Dean
03/16/2026
Perfect fit, easy install and the best price online
by:
Steven
04/18/2024
Dexter makes some of the highest quality trailer products!
Steven
4/19/2025
Working GREAT!
by:
James
09/02/2025
great way to redo your breaks. Wished you put in a rear seal.
by:
Tim
05/08/2025
PACKAGING DEPARTMENT IS TERRIBLE. RECIEVE MANY DAMAGED BRAKES
by:
Robby
09/16/2026
Zero packaging on heavy items, boxes all busted open and parts missing.
by:
George
07/15/2023
This part fit my Rockwood 5th wheel and arrived in good condition. I would give this 5 stars, but it arrived 2 days late. This was probably a UPS issue, but this is the second time an etrailer delivery was late. If time is critical, be wary of the estimated delivery date
by:
MJ Construction
01/21/2015
The Brakes were the correct ones and fit perfectly on the axles. Was a ten min replacement per axle. I only had a small decal to identify the original backing plate and the sales person was able to cross reference the number to drive at this set of brakes. Was very painless. Thanks Mike
by:
Errol
12/06/2021
Ordered the parts by phone. Melissa was highly knowledgeable and extremely professional. Would recommend eTrailer to anyone that needs trailer parts or trailer hitches.
by:
Jeff W
02/16/2017
Bought brake replacement kit for 20 ft gooseneck trailer, exact fit
by:
Brian R
05/06/2020
High quality Dexter parts at great prices. Along with fast shipping, what's not to like about buying from etrailer!
by:
Mike G.
11/15/2016
I have received and installed four of these products on my trailer. Two lefts and two rights. I've been very pleased with the service and responses from etrailer.com on their products. I would recommend this this company in the future. Thank you very much.
by:
Dustin
01/20/2022
I couldn't have been more excited about the service I received, after going to my local parts store I was able to service both axles with express shipping included for the price of 1 unit here. Mahalo Monroe for your excellent service.
by:
Better than auto adjust
04/25/2017
My No Adjust 12" brakes were completely shot after 3000 miles so I wanted to try the manual adjust. So far great. The fit well and were very easy to install.
by:
Paul H
02/14/2012
brake assemblies. such a easy task of installing. Quality is awsome.And you can not wire these wrong, and very fast delivery. Looking foward to continued buisness with etrailer. Thanks Paul
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See what our Experts say about this Dexter Accessories and Parts
- What Is The Difference Between the 6K and 7K Dexter Axle Electric Brake AssembliesYou are correct, the difference between the Electric Brake Assembly for 6K Axles, part # 23-458 / 23-459 and the Electric Brake Assembly for 7K axles, part # 23-180 / # 23-181, is that the 7K brake assembly has a stronger magnet, and also has a different compound on the brake shoes than the 6K electric brake assemblies for more stopping power. Both the 6k and 7K brake assemblies, fit the same axle. Yes, the 7K backing plates on part # 23-180 / 23-181, will fit on 6K pound axles.
view full answer... - Replacement Trailer Brake Assemblies 023-181-00 and 023-180-00 We have exactly what you would need. For the right hand side you would want part # 23-181, for the left hand side part # 23-180. I attached an install video for you to check out as well.
view full answer... - Recommended Left and Right Dexter Brakes for 7k AxlesDallas, I wasn't able to find the K22-181-00 anywhere so I'm thinking maybe you meant K23-180-00 instead, in which we do carry it with # 23-180 and for the other side, K23-181-00, we have # 23-181.
view full answer... - Finding The Correct Trailer Brakes For 2003 Pace American Tandem Axle Enclosed Trailer 7,000LB GVWRWell Steve, the only way for me to see exactly what brakes your trailer came with is by getting the serial number for each axle. I would say your trailer is most likely going to have 3,500lbs axles which would use a 10" brake like our etrailer Brakes # AKEBRK-35-SA. The 12" Brakes # 23-180 and # 23-181 you found are for larger 7,000lb axles.
view full answer... - Are 12"x2" Left Hand Brake Assemblies Available?Hi Robert! Single assemblies can be somewhat difficult to find on our website, but I have Dexter and etrailer options listed below. All are 12" x 2" left side electric brake assemblies, but the first set are manual adjusting and the second set are self adjusting. You didn't mention which style you were looking for, so I figured I would include both. Manual Adjust: Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly - 12" - Left Hand - 6,000 lbs # 23-105 Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly - 12"...
view full answer... - Replacement Left-Hand Brake Assembly For Dexter 7k Electric Drum Brake Assembly # 23-180-181Hi Seamus, You can get the left-hand assembly with part # 23-180. It really is recommended to swap out both sides though so that the brake shoes wear the same. If these aren't somewhat new I really do recommend swapping both the left and right sides with part # 23-180-181.
view full answer... - Replacement Brakes Needed for a #12 Dexter Torsion AxleThank you for the picture! I gave my contact at Dexter Axle the serial number off of your tag and he said that the replacement brakes for your #12 torsion axle include part # 23-180 for the left hand side and part # 23-181 for the right hand side. If you would like to upgrade to the Nev-R-Adjust brake assemblies then you would need part # 23-464 for the left hand and part # 23-465 for the right hand. The advantage to the Nev-R-Adjust assemblies is that you don't have to manually adjust...
view full answer...
- Can The Dexter 12" Brakes Be Oriented Differently For Easier Adjustment? Yes, the Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly # 23-181 must be oriented so the brake shoe pin is at the top and the adjusters are at the bottom. This is also only for mounting on the right side of your axle. We have the Assembly # 23-180 for the left. I recommend upgrading to the Self-Adjusting Brakes # AKEBRK-7-SA. These will replace your current 12" Dexter brakes and will self adjust as they wear down. There is no need to try and adjust them with the Adjustment Tool # 071-666-00 every...
view full answer... - Will Dexter Brake Assemblies Fit on a Lippert AxleYou will have no problem using a Dexter brake assembly on a Lippert 7K axle. We have installed several Dexter brake assemblies on Lippert axles at our shop. Lippert and Dexter use the same standard mounting pattern and brake sizes. If you want standard brake assemblies, you could go with the Right Hand brake # 23-181 and the Left Hand brake # 23-180. I recommend stepping up to the Dexter Nev-R-Adjust brakes, # 23-465 and # 23-464. The cost difference is very minimal compared to the standard...
view full answer... - Difference Between Dexter 6,000 Lb and 7,000 Lb Brake Assemblies The biggest difference between the 6,000 lbs Dexter Trailer Brake Assembly part # 23-106 for right hand and part # 23-105 for left hand and the 7,000 lbs Dexter Trailer Brake Assembly part # 23-181 for right hand and part # 23-180 for left hand is the axle rating they are used for. If your Dexter axle is rated for 6,000 lbs you would use the 6,000 lb set and if your Dexter axle is rated for 7,000 lb you would use the 7,000 lb set. Also the 6,000 lb Dexter Brake assemblies fit wheel sizes...
view full answer... - Are Dexter Electric Brakes Made in USAYes they are! The Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly # 23-180 (Left Hand) and # 23-181 (Right Hand) are made in the USA; the accompanying photo is from one of these assemblies with the "Made in U.S.A." sticker on it. These electric brake assemblies are 12" diameter x 2" wide, fit 7,000 lb axles and have a 5-bolt mounting flange pattern. I have added links to video reviews of both brake assemblies as well as a link to an install of 12 inch electric trailer brakes for you to take a look at.
view full answer...
- What is the Difference Between the 7K and 6K Electric Brake Assemblies from Dexter AxleThere are two differences between the 6K and 7K brake assemblies. For the 7K, they use a semi-metallic compound on the brake shoes instead of the composite compound, and the magnets are stronger. This gives the brake assemblies more stopping power. They fit the same axles and spindle mounts, the only difference is how much weight the assemblies can safely stop. Choose the brake assemblies that have the weight requirement you need. 6K Left: 23-105 6K Right: 23-106 7K Left: 23-180 7K...
view full answer... - Should 7k Trailer Brake Assemblies be Used on a 6k Trailer AxleDimensionally they'll fit and they will operate but you don't actually get a stronger braking action. Instead the brakes will be harder to setup and get the correct amount of braking action. The heavier duty assemblies have a magnet that's more sensitive which helps with heavier weights but when used on a lighter trailer they become harder to setup and not anymore powerful. Best option is go to with 6k brake assemblies like the part # 23-459 for the right hand side and part # 23-458 for...
view full answer... - Torque for 7,000 lb, 12 Inch x 2 Inch Dexter Electric BrakesThe Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly - 12" - Right Hand - 7,000 lbs # 23-181 and Left Hand # 23-180 should should be torqued to 30-50 foot/lbs.
view full answer... - Replacement Brake Shoes for Dexter Axle 023-181 Brake AssemblyThanks for reaching out! You have the Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly # 23-181 for your right hand side and the Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly # 23-180 for the left hand side so for your application you need the Replacement Shoe and Lining Kit # DX28FR which fits both sides. Depending on how much you're needing to replace you might also need the Replacement Magnet # BP01-225.
view full answer... - Comparing the etrailer Electric Brake Kit and the Dexter Electric Brake AssembliesIn all honesty I would go with the etrailer Electric Brake Kit # AKEBRK-7-SA for a few important reasons. They are self-Adjusting, and the brake pads themselves are fully bonded so that they last longer and offer more braking torque, plus they have less chance of cracking and crumbling due to the tapered edge circular grinding. Even though the Dexter Brake Assemblies, parts # 23-180 and # 23-181, are still durable, the etrailer kit definitely has more to offer in this situation. If...
view full answer... - Comparing Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assemblies 23-181/23-180 and 23-465/23-464The only difference between the Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly part # 23-181 for right hand or part # 23-180 for left hand and the Dexter Nev-R-Adjust Electric Trailer Brake Assembly part # 23-465 for right hand or part # 23-464 for left hand is the adjustment. The former are manual adjust brakes and the latter are self-adjust brakes. The manual adjust brakes require you to adjust them for even pad wear every so often whereas the self-adjust do this automatically. The adjustment...
view full answer... - 5200 lb Axle Brake Assembly Torque SpecsAccording to Dexter Axle, the attachment bolts for a 5-bolt brake assembly should be torqued to 30-50 foot/lbs. If you don't have a torque wrench handy, if you tighten the bolts until the lock washers flatten out, you'll be pretty darn close to that range.
view full answer... - Correct Replacement Brake Assemblies for 5,200 AL KO Trailer AxleFor your AL KO axle the correct brake assemblies are the ones you mentioned which are our part numbers # 23-181 and # 23-180.
view full answer... - Replacement Electric Brake Assemblies for Camper with AL-KO T52 Axles The Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assemblys - Left Hand # 23-180 referenced in your question is rated for 7,000 pound axles. For the AL-KO T52 5,200 pound axles on your trailer, I instead recommend the etrailer.com Electric Trailer Brake Kit # AKEBRK-7-SA. These assemblies are designed for your 5,200 pound axles, measure 12 inches x 2 inches, and will indeed work with your AL-KO drums. You will just want to make sure the 5 bolt mounting pattern on these units match the pattern on your axle's...
view full answer... - Difference Between the Two Types of 12x2 7000 lb. Brake AssembliesThe difference between the two brake assemblies comes down to one being self adjusting and one that is manually adjusted. I recommend the self adjusting because you will never have to crawl under the trailer to adjust the brakes. This can be a headache and we tend to not do it as often as we should which leads to poor performing brakes. With the self adjusting it automatically tightens as the shoes wear down keeping your trailer's braking performance optimized and working as safely as...
view full answer... - Replacement Hubs and Brake Assemblies for a 2014 Keystone Montana 3100rlHey Larry welcome back! To replace the braking hubs and self-adjusting brake assemblies on your 2014 Keystone Montana 3100rl you will need the following parts: Easy Grease Trailer Hub and Drum Assembly item # AKHD-865-7-2-EZ-K. This EZ lube hub is sold individually and comes with all new bearings, races, seal, grease cap, and lug nuts. Dexter Nev-R-Adjust Electric Trailer Brakes item # 23-464-465. This is a pair of self-adjusting brake assemblies. You'll need one set per axle. Are you...
view full answer... - Which Replacement Braking Assemblies For Axle Using 12 x 2 AL-KO BrakesBased on the information you provided your trailer uses 12" x 2" AL-KO Braking Assemblies which are unique in the fact that they use a different bolt pattern than the typical 12" x 2" brake. For replacements you will need the 12" x 2" Electric Brake Assembly Left Side # 23-180 and Right Side # 23-181. i included videos for each of the products mentioned for you to take a look at.
view full answer... - Replacement Electric Trailer Brakes for Dexter 7,000 Pound Trailer AxleFor trailer brake assembly # 23-428 to fit the drum will need to have an inner diameter of 12-1/4 inches and a width where the pads touch of 2-1/2 inches. I have included a picture showing these locations in a drum. This brake also mounts on a 4 bolt brake mounting flange. The 12-1/4 by 2-1/2 is not a common size though. The most common size brakes for a Dexter 7,000 pound axle is going to be 12 x 2 inch that mounts on a 5 bolt flange such as # 23-180 and # 23-181.
view full answer...
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Jack
4/17/2026
Just fine and dandy