Can I Add Electric Brakes To A 1993 EZ Loader Boat Trailer

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Question:

I have a 1993 EZ Loader boat trailer with a 17 foot Larson boat. The trailer weighs 665 pounds and is a single axle. Can you please tell me which one of your electronic brake kits would be the best to install? Thank you.

asked by: Mike R

0

Expert Reply:

Hello Mike. It sounds like you are wanting to add electric brakes to your boat trailer that currently has no brakes. This is possible, but you will first need to make sure that your axle is equipped with a brake flange at the base of the spindle. The brake flange is necessary for adding brakes.

If you do have a brake flange, you will next need to determine your bearing sizes. Electric brakes will require new hubs and drum assemblies, and we need to be sure that there is a drum available that will work with your spindle. The best way to determine this is to pull a hub and remove the bearings. Each bearing should have a number stamped on the edge, and I can use this number to find compatible hubs.

For example, the typical 3,500 lb axle uses the # L68149 (1.378" inner diameter) inner bearing and the # L44649 (1.063" inner diameter) outer bearing. This will use the # AKHD-545-35-EZ-K hub and the # AKEBRK-35-SA brake kit. Please let me know your bearing sizes and I am happy to recommend parts for you.

You will also need a 7-way harness for the trailer such as part # H20044. You will need an emergency breakaway # 3802308. You will also need an electric trailer brake controller like the Tekonsha P3 # 90195 in your tow vehicle.

We have a guide for adding electric brakes to a trailer, and I have provided a link to this guide for you below. Feel free to reach out if I can be of further assistance.

expert reply by: Jesse M

0

Mike R.

8/8/2024

Thank you Jesse for your awesome help. I will gather the information and get back to you.

Mike R.

8/9/2024

Hi Jesse. Yes, my boat trailer has a four hole brake flange. The inner bearing is L68149 and the outer bearing is L44649. I would appreciate it if you would recommend which parts I need to install brakes on my trailer that currently has no brakes. Thank you again.

Jesse M.

8/12/2024

@MikeR Ok great thanks for confirming. Your axle does use the standard 3,500 lb bearing sizes. Here are the parts I recommend: - etrailer Electric Trailer Brakes - 10" - Left/Right Hand Assemblies - 3,500 lbs # AKEBRK-35 - Easy Grease Trailer Hub and Drum Assembly for 3.5K Axles - 10" - 5 on 4-1/2 - Pre-Greased # AKHD-545-35-EZ-K - 7-Way Molded Trailer Wire Connector, 6' Long # H20044 - Trailer Wiring Junction Box - 7 Color Coded Terminals - ABS # 3375601101 - Bright Way Push-to-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with 1-Amp Charger and 5 Ah Battery - Top Load # 3802308 You will need additional wire to run to the brakes, and for that you can use butt connectors # DW05745-10 and some 12-gauge wire such as part # 12-2-1 which is sold by the foot. You will need some ring terminals # 44-5310A as well. You will also need to make sure your tow vehicle is equipped with a 7-way and an electric trailer brake controller. The Tekonsha Prodigy P3 # 90195 is what I recommend. Refer to the article I linked below for helpful install tips and instructions. Let me know if there is anything else I can do.

Helpful Links

faq-adding-electric-drum-brakes.aspx

Mike R.

8/9/2024

P.S. to the message I sent just a minute ago. Our hub has five bolts, and they are 4 1/2 inches.

Mike R.

1/9/2025

Hi Jesse. I am finally moving forward on my project. Can you please tell me if the hub assembly you recommend comes with one hub or two? I have a single axle trailer. Thanks so much.

Jesse M.

1/13/2025

@MikeR The # AKHD-545-35-EZ-K hub I mentioned above comes with one single hub. Bearings, seals, races, lug nuts and grease cap are included too.

Mike R.

2/23/2025

Hi Jesse. I love the new electric brakes and have a quick question for you. I installed the Tow-Pro Liberty Electric Trailer Brake Controller. Set-up went well using your online instructions. However, I am not sure how to set it, which number to start with on the 1-10 scale. Can you please advise me on this? I appreciate all of the help you have given me.

Jesse M.

2/24/2025

@MikeR So 1 will be the lowest amount of braking power, with 10 being the highest most aggressive braking. If you are just starting out I would start at 4 or 5 then see how that feels.

Mike R.

3/5/2025

Hi Jesse. I've finished installation of the electric brakes on my boat trailer, and they seem to be working well. I haven't adjusted the brakes, and they seem a little loose. I wasn't confident adjusting them on my own. Will they self-adjust as I drive it?

Jesse M.

3/5/2025

@MikeR Hey Mike. It is normal for brand new brakes and hubs to be weak at first. You need to go thru the bedding process. The break-in process applies to both manual adjusting and self-adjusting electric brakes. It's necessary to do this step when you install new brakes because it allows the brake shoes and magnet to seat into the drum. Drive the trailer out into an open area, like an empty parking lot. Get up to around 40 MPH and apply the manual override on your brake controller. Make sure the brake controller is set high enough where it will fully engage the trailer brakes (usually the middle setting will be just fine). Do not hit the brake pedal during this time, as you want to slow down your vehicle and trailer with only the trailer brakes. You’ll most likely have to do this about 20 to 30 times to properly seat the brakes. When you feel like your brakes are properly seated, pull over and check for signs that you're done: a bit of smoke is normal and your brakes should be very hot (brakes should read 350-400 degrees with a temperature gun). If you don't see these signs, then keep repeating the process until your brakes are properly seated.

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Answer 1

The best option we have for you would be the Rack'Em part #RA-28 which is designed to fit the roof of enclosed trailer and provides crossbars that are up to 8-1/2 feet in length but can adjust down to 4 feet.

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Answer 2

There really isn't a particular maximum trailer weight that is used to determine when brakes need to be added to both axles of a tandem axle setup. While I do still recommend checking your local laws, I am also not aware of any general laws that…

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Answer 3

The etrailer.com Electric Trailer Brake Kit #AKEBRK-35-SA referenced in your question feature a 4 bolt pattern on the assemblies. The bolts are spaced apart on center at just about 2-13/16 inches. This is a standard 4 bolt pattern that is found on…

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Answer 4

I currently have four different self-adjusting assemblies for your boat trailer with 10" x 2-1/4" electric drum brakes. You can choose from the following: -Terran Axle Electric Trailer Brakes #TX97ZJ (3,500 Axles) -etrailer Electric Trailer…

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Answer 5

We do have the Air Lift 1000 Air Helper Springs #AL77CD for the rear springs on your 2024 Ford Edge. These will inflate inside your coil springs and press between the spring coils to help reduce how much the springs are able to compress and reduce…

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Answer 6

Hey Eric, thanks for reaching out. The etrailer Electric Trailer Brakes #AKEBRK-35 are correct for a 3,500 lb axle, but first we'll need to make sure your axle is equipped with a brake mounting flange. That will be a square mounting plate with 4…

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Answer 7

The closest modern tire size to a 7.00-15 tire is a 225-75-15 like the #AM10256 tire you mentioned. Typically, a 225/75-15 tire will measure about 8-3/4 to 9 inches wide by around 28-1/2 inches in diameter. We offer the same size in a Load Range E as…

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Answer 8

Since we know you have 3,500 lb axles we can pretty easily pick out the correct parts you'd need to add brakes to your trailer. You'd need new hubs that have integrated drums like with the part #AKHD-545-35-EZ-K which have the very common 5…

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Answer 9

Hey Colsen. I have some bad news for you. There are no hubs with bearings item #LM48548 and M12649 available. I checked elsewhere and there isn't a hub I can find anywhere that uses those bearings. The only solution I have for you is to replace…

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Answer 10

If you are using a breakaway kit like the Hopkins Engager Trailer BreakAway Kit #20099 that features a sealed battery in an enclosure then you can mount it sideways if that is a better mounting solution on your trailer. We do often see trailers with…

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Answer 11

We offer break away systems from Hopkins and Tekonsha. Tekonsha uses glass mat batteries, while Hopkins uses gel filled batteries. Both types of batteries are sealed, and both manufacturers tell me that the batteries can be installed in any…

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Answer 12

The Dexter Nev-R-Adjust Electric Trailer Brake Kit part #23-468-469 does not come with drums, these will be purchased separately using the Dexter Trailer Hub and Drum Assembly for 3,500-lb Axles part #84546UC3 or part #84546UC3-EZ for EZ-Lube.

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Can I Add Electric Brakes To A 1993 EZ Loader Boat Trailer

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