Dexter Electric Brake Kit w/ Cast Backing - Self-Adjusting - 12-1/4" - Left/Right Hand - 15K

Video Transcript for Dexter Axle Trailer Brakes - Electric Drum Brakes - 23-446-447 Review

Today we're going to take a look at the Dexter 12 1/4" self adjusting electric trailer brake kit with the left and right hand brake assemblies for 15,000 pound axles. Electric brakes are easier to install, they offer more user control than hydraulic brakes. Basically they require only an electric brake controller, which we do sell separate on our website. There's no actuator or hydraulic lines necessary with electric brakes. These are self adjusting brakes, and you can tell that by, if you look at the assembly has the cable, goes around the pulley, attaches to the lever and that automatically adjusts to the gear down here. Self adjusting brakes will automatically adjust. They deliver optimum performance and braking power so there's no need for manual brake adjustments. Since they're automatically adjusted it'll give you proper adjustment which will lead to better brake efficiency and less wear on your tow vehicle brakes. These assemblies do use the cast backing plates on them which are durable and long lasting.

This part number will include both the left hand driver side assembly and the right hand passenger side assembly. The mounting bolts and hardware to install these is sold separately on our website. The dimensions on these brake assemblies is 12 1/4" diameter by 5" wide and where that's measured the diameter would be from this pad all the way over to this brake pad. So, if we put a ruler on that, there's your 12 1/4" diameter. The width would be the width of the pad on the brake shoe. So, if we put a ruler on that, there's your 5". The brake mounting flange, again, if you look at the back you'll see the seven holes.

It's a seven bolt hole brake mounting flange pattern. These do require the use of 12 1/4" brake drums. The wheel size that will fit on these is 15" or larger and the axles they're designed for are 15,000 pound axles. Again, we mentioned they are electric brakes. So, if you look in the back, there'll be two wires coming out the back of the assembly. These do need to be connected.

One goes to the brake feed. The other goes to a good clean ground. They're both blue wires so either wire can be used for either function. These are left hand and right hand design. I wanted to show you how you can tell the difference. On a new assembly, of course, you'll have a sticker that'll tell you left hand and this sticker will tell you right hand.

But if that sticker wasn't there, the easiest way to tell is you look at the length of the brake pad on the shoe. This pad goes from here all the way to here. This one's just from here to here so this is the shorter shoe. The shorter shoe is your primary shoe and that'll always face the front of the trailer. So, that'll tell you that this is the left hand driver side assembly. If you go to the other side, if you look at the pad, this one's here to here. This one's just here to here. This is the shorter pad, again the primary shoe. That means this one will go on the right hand driver side. That should do it for the review on the Dexter 12 1/4" self adjusting trailer brake kit with the left and right hand brake assemblies for 15,000 pound axles.