How To Tell The Difference From Right and Left Electric Brake Assemblies

Question

Question:

To determine Right and Left break assembly orientation is the trailer viewed from front or back? Thanks for your service.

asked by: Chuck M

0

Expert Reply:

The right and left orientation is determined if you are standing behind the trailer looking towards the tow vehicle. The left side is the drivers side and the right side is the passengers side.

Tthe shorter brake pad will always be in the front of the assembly and the longer brake pad on the rear of the assembly, the reason is that the shorter pad will contact the drum first to slow the trailer down and the larger pad will then contact the drum to finish stopping the trailer, so both pads will wear evenly.

I am including a video link that will describe the position of the trailer brake assembly.

expert reply by: Jeff D

0

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Jennifer P.

7/3/2025

Hi. My trailer brake is flashing I have a short. I just did new brakes on the trailer and it seemed pretty standard. Left side has 3!wires right side has 2. Dumb question - left side - all three wires get wired together right -3 from the trailer to 2 in the brake? Thanks.

Reply

Jon G.

7/3/2025

@JenniferP Not a dumb question - trailer wiring can definitely be confusing if you're new to it. I have a few starter questions for you to check into but also let me know if you've already done these: 1. Did you connect the wires per function? Trailer wire colors aren't always reliable so it's always best to make sure the functions match. 2. Are all of your wiring connections still solid? Sometimes when replacing things that connect to wiring it's easy to either not clamp something all the way down, or forget to clamp something all the way down. 3. Do you have a strong ground connection both for your brakes and for the controller? A weak ground connection or even one that has some corrosion can throw the "short" code as well. Check on all that and if you're still having issues, let me know and I can help you get this figured out!

Reply

Answer 1

The left side is the driver side, right side is passenger side. On a trailer brake assembly like #23-105 the arm that the magnet is on points to the front of the trailer and the magnet always will be on the bottom. I have included a picture that…

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Answer 2

Hey Joe, long time no see haha! So if you wanted the best cushioned equalizer for a 33 inch wheelbase the MORryde Alltrek 4000 kit part #MR89DR would be what you'd want. This is only option that has vertical and horizontal cushioning so it's…

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Answer 3

If you look at the backs of the brake assemblies there should be a hole where the magnet wires come out and a little opaque plastic strap. So if you are looking at the back of the assembly and those items are on the left then it is the left side…

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Answer 4

Hi Trip; it looks like you ended up replacing the pair with #K23-478-479 which was the right choice. Unfortunately, brands don't cross over with these 4,400 lb axles so Lippert isn't an option. The price is comparable for the pair of Lippert…

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Answer 5

We have an adjustable ball mount for you. First, though, the BulletProof Adjustable Ball Mount that you referenced, part #HD258, has only an 8" drop. Unfortunately, that is not enough for your lowest trailer. The top of your receiver to the…

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Answer 6

Hey Elias, thanks for reaching out! We have the parts #290-991 and #290-992 that you referenced, but the 290-993 for 2.72" OD Hubs was actually discontinued back in 2023 which is why you are having a hard time finding it. You can use a rubber…

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Answer 7

Hey Stephen! I see you already ordered replacement parts from our site. I double checked with Dexter, and the Dexter Trailer Hub and Drum Assembly #8-201-5UC3-EZ fits as long as you have a 6 on 5-1/2 bolt pattern. However, you will want to swap out…

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Answer 8

To determine the size of the brake assemblies you need you have to measure the depth and width of the hub drum on the axle like what you see in the picture I attached. The most common size is 2-1/4 inch wide like the #T4071600-500 that you…

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Answer 9

The attachment bolts for a 5-bolt brake assembly like the part #AKEBRK-6R 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…

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Answer 10

On a trailer electric brake assembly like the Dexter 6,000 Pound #23-105 you were looking at the magnet itself should be at the bottom. The arm that is attached to the magnet should then be located on the front side of the trailer (towards the…

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Answer 11

The axles cannot really be installed backwards but if the braking assemblies are on the wrong side then that would indeed be an issue. In order to check this you will simply need to pull one of the hubs and take a look at what direction the actuating…

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Answer 12

45 to 50 lbs is the recommended torque rating for the 4 bolts that hold 10 inch brake assemblies to a trailer like the part #AKEBRK-35L-SA.

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How To Tell The Difference From Right and Left Electric Brake Assemblies

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