Can Hub and Brake Drum Be Replaced with Idler Hub on Tandem Axle Trailer

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Question:

I have a tandem Lamar trailer with one brake axle and one idler axle. I don’t need the brakes as the wires were cut and disabled before I bought the trailer. Im doing the wheel bearings maintenance and the brake back plates rattle from loose parts. Can I replace the entire hub assembly with an idler hub or can I remove the back plates and re-use the brake drum hub on the same axle ? Or does the back plate have to remain ?

asked by: Jimmy R

0

Expert Reply:

The short answer to both of your questions is yes. You can remove the backing plate or brake assembly and use the existing hub with integrated drum by itself, or, you can simply replace it with an idler hub.

Based on the photos, I would suggest carefully inspecting your hubs/drums, looking for any scoring both the armature and the shoe surface. I've linked a video at the bottom of the page that will show you the process in detail. If you find any abnormalities, your best bet is to replace the hub. You'll need to either find the inner and outer bearing and seal numbers or measure the portion of the spindle on which they ride. This is the information needed to identify a compatible replacement hub.

The most commonly seen spindle on a 3,500 lb axle is a #84 spindle which uses a hub like # 84545BX, with an L68149 inner bearing, L44649 outer bearing, and 58846 seal.

There is nothing that would prevent you from replacing a hub/drum assembly with an idler hub assembly and vice versa. However, if the trailer was once equipped with electric brakes, there is a good reason for it. In the US, brakes are required on all wheels for all trailers with a gross weight over 3,000 pounds - check your local laws as regulations can vary from state to state.

expert reply by: Carla M

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Answer 1

To determine the size of the hub assembly you need to purchase you have to determine which bearings are in the old assembly. If the old assembly has L44649 inner bearings, you would use the hub you chose #8-258-5UC1. If the inner bearings are marked…

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Answer 2

Physically? Yes. Legally? Maybe. Assuming your axle is a 3,500, which is by far the most common, you can remove the 10" brakes from the backing plate and replace the hub and drum assembly with an idler hub like #AKIHUB-545-35-K. With that said…

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Answer 3

If you replace the current brakes on your trailer with the same uni-servo drum brakes and no lockout actuator (like #T2351000), the brakes will deliver 20 percent braking when traveling in reverse. However, the more pressure you apply going backwards…

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Answer 4

Hey Jacob, if you were wanting something fancy looking we have the part #KE26EV for if you have a 5 lug bolt pattern or the part #KE86EV if you have a 4 lug bolt pattern. Otherwise if you wanted something more plain we have white wheel options like…

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Answer 5

In order to pick out the correct hub assembly for a trailer you are going to need know a few key pieces of information. The first thing you will need to know is the bolt pattern of your hubs. Since the figure you came up with doesn't match any of…

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Answer 6

You will need to measure the diameter of the spindles where the seal and bearings ride. Check out the picture I attached that shows where this is. You will need an exact measurement so either a digital or dial caliper will be needed. To pick out the…

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Answer 7

Hey Dave, thanks for all the information. Sounds like you're really in a box here. You're going to have to move the spring seats regardless if you replace the axle because none of ours are in the same 70" position. To get more clearance…

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Answer 8

The inner diameters of the LM67048 and 15123 both are the same (1.250 inches). That means that a hub with either bearing in the outer bearing would fit your spindle. The part #AKHD-655-6-EZ-K would fit your axle.

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Answer 9

The #84 spindle is just a common way to identify the spindle dimensions typically used for 3,500 lb axles. So instead of listing out the parts, people can just say they have #84 spindles and it's easier to know what fits it. The CE Smith Trailer…

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Answer 10

You can mount trailer axles above or below the leaf springs. The difference is just the amount of ground clearance that the trailer would end up having. The biggest advantage with the spring below the axle (trailer will be lower) is that you would…

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Answer 11

An unloaded trailer should have between 2 and 2-1/2 inches of clearance between the frame and the axle. Typically trailer leaf springs have a maximum deflection of 1-1/2 inches. First, I recommend checking your leaf springs. If they have some age on…

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Answer 12

The recommended amount of tire clearance to allow for suspension travel on virtually any trailer is 3" from the top of the tire to the bottom of the fender or frame and 1" from the inside of the tire to the frame. If you need to raise the…

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Can Hub and Brake Drum Be Replaced with Idler Hub on Tandem Axle Trailer

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