Comparing etrailer And Dexter 3,500lb 4 Drop Axles

Question:

I need a new axle for my trailer. 3500 lb 4inch drop with electric brakes 95 inch hub face 5 x 4.5 inch lug nut pattern I found 2 so far on your site. One is a dexter and one is not. I was wondering what the difference is. Ty

asked by: Jimmy

Expert Reply:

The two options you're referring to, the Dexter Trailer Axle w/ Electric Brakes # 7685269-EB and Trailer Axle w/ Electric Brakes # e52SR are essentially the same when it comes to their specs. The only difference is the manufacturer with one being Dexter, which is a very well known brand in the industry, and the other being manufactured by Axle-Tek.

Having worked with both I can say there isn't a real distinction in quality so I tend to go with the lower cost of with Axle-Tek components. There is one flaw with the # e45SR that would steer me towards the # 7685269-EB instead though. The brakes are not self-adjusting so you would have to manually adjust the brakes, but the # e45SR has drop spindle so close the opening in the back of the brake assemblies that the only way to really adjust the them would be to remove the hubs and adjust them from the front.

If you were going with a standard axle I'd choose the Axle-Tek/etrailer brand, but for the 4" drop models the Dexter definitely is the better choice.