Can a 1985 Palamino Trailer be Switch From Hydraulic Brakes to Electric Brakes

Updated 05/02/2011 | Published 04/28/2011

Products Featured in This Question

Dexter Hydraulic Drum Brake Assembly - Uni-Servo - 7" - Left Hand - 2,500 lbs

(25)

$107.34

Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly - 7" - Left Hand - - 2,000-lbs to 2,200-lbs

(56)

$118.22

Dexter Electric Trailer Brake Assembly - 7" - Right Hand - 2,000-lbs to 2,200-lbs

(56)

$101.04

Universal Installation Kit for Trailer Brake Controller - 7-Way RV and 4-Way Flat - 10 Gauge Wires

(3476)

$118.67

Question:

i have a 1985 palamino camper and it has atwood drums and brakes and atwood hydrolic surge brakes.every thing must be replaced.what i am concerned about is my spindles,i removed the life side the drums and pads are fine,but the spindle is a little worn, a grove about .005 is at the rear where the bearing sits. you can see it and if i rub my finger nail over it i can fell a little lip ,will it be ok to replace with new bearings and seal kit ?? spindle is 1 seal is 1.25 drum is 7do you measure the drums outside or inside diam to come up with 7??? mine is 7 1/2 outside and 6 7/8 inside. how can i change this over to electric brakes ? the drum looks like it will work for electric brake assy. how do measure them for electric brakes assy. one last question on the wheel cylinders.it has 2 allen bolts and 1 flat head screw that you have to remove with a screw driver to get cylinder off plate. how do you get out the flat head screw that goes through wheel cylinder for the spring ??? do you sell that screw just in case i have to drill it out. how dumb was that of atwood.

asked by: Robert E

Expert Reply:

If your spindle has wear, I recommend replacing it with a new spindle. The wear can become worse, not provide a good surface for the bearing/seal, and lead to other problems down the road. Better to take care of it ahead of time before it becomes a problem. I have included a link to our spindle main page for you to view.

The outside diameter of a drum will be larger than the inside and larger than the measurement we use. A 7 inch diameter listed will have a 7 inch inside diameter.

To change over to electric brakes, you will need a new coupler, wiring to go from the trail connector to the 3 brake assemblies, brakes that match the correct brake mounting flange that is on your trailer, and you will need a brake controller in the towing vehicle.

We have numerous trailer couplers depending on what will fit your trailer. I have included a link to our coupler main page. There are many options and you should be able to find one with the correct mounting pattern and capacity for your trailer. The other option would be to use the existing coupler and eliminate the the hydraulic lines provided that the coupler part is still functional.

For wiring, I recommend a 7-Way trailer connector. You can use something like the 7-Way Molded Trailer Wire Connector, # H20046. The wiring colors used on this harness are listed on the product page below the description. I have also included a a video that shows a typical installation.

For the brakes, the only 7 inch electric drum brakes we have are # 23-48, and # 23-47. They are 7 x 1-1/4 inch. They have a mounting pattern that requires a 4 bolt flange with mounting holes that are 2-7/8 inches apart on center. We have # 4-34 that could work for you.

For a brake controller, I recommend the Tekonsha Prodigy P2, # 90885 because it is easy to set up and easy to use. To add a 7-Way to your 2008 Town and Country, I recommend the 4 and 7 Way Installation Kit, # ETBC7. It comes with everything needed for installation.

For the wheel cylinder, I pulled the closest match I could to an Atwood 7 inch brake wheel cylinder but it does not have the same flat head screw as your wheel cylinder so I cannot say for sure how to remove or re-install it. As far as a replacement, we do not have that screw available as a separate part. But if you switch over to electric brakes, you will not need it. Another option would be to replace the whole hydraulic assembly so you will not have to drill out the original.