Parts Needed to Add Brakes to Second Axle on Tandem Axle Car Hauler
Updated 01/14/2021 | Published 12/31/2020
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Question:
I have 2 Dexter 3500 axles on a car trailer. Only 1 axle has electric brakes. Id like to add brakes to the other axle. Can this be easily done and what do I need? Do I just splice into the hot wire going to the current brakes?
asked by: Ron
Expert Reply:
Assuming that the axle that doesn't currently have brake assemblies has a brake mounting flange inboard from each spindle, you an easily install brakes on the second axle.
A standard 3500 lb axle would use 10 inch hubs with a L68149 inner and a L44649 outer wheel bearing (you'll want to check your existing bearings to confirm). If that indeed is what you have, I'd recommend the
# AKHD-545-35-EZ-K 3500 lb hub drum with a 5 on 4-1/2 wheel bolt pattern, which are sold individually.
You'll also want to confirm the bolt pattern by checking the hole spacing of your wheels. Center to center, if adjacent wheel studs are 2-5/8 inches apart, you have a 5 on 4-1/2 inch bolt pattern, which is the most common found on a 3500 lb axle. The hub drums include the inner and outer wheel bearing, races which are pre-installed, a dust cover for a standard and an E-Z lube spindle and lug nuts.
For brake assemblies, I'd recommend self adjusting brakes like # AKEBRK-35R-SA for the right and # AKEBRK-35L-SAf or the left.
The brake assemblies would install by tapping into the existing brake line using wire like # 10-1-1 which is sold by the foot. One wire from each brake magnet would ground to the trailer frame, the other would tap into the existing brake wire. I'll link to a help article that will explain further.
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Ron
1/11/2021
You would recommend going to a 10 ga wire from the current 12 ga brake wire? The added run is very short.