Recommended Brake Upgrade For A 5th Wheel Trailer

Published 10/29/2024

Question:

I am wanting to upgrade my brakes and axels on my 2015 forest River high country cougar 328PAT What would you recommend?

asked by: Michael N

Expert Reply:

Hi Michael,

What is the reasoning behind upgrading your brakes and axles? Are you experiencing a lack of braking power or is there more going on? Based on the GVWR for your trailer I'm assuming you 5,200lb axles. If that's the case you could switch up to 7k brake assemblies if yours are only rated for 5k but most are really designed to work with 5.2K to 7k axles so you likely wouldn't notice a difference.

I also wouldn't really recommend increasing the capacity of the axles. The axles need to bend a bit to straighten out to prevent uneven tire wear so if you're going higher without having the weight to straighten the axles out you'll run into that uneven tire wear and handling issues while towing.

If you're really just looking for more stopping power then converting to electric-over-hydraulic disc brakes is going to be the biggest difference maker. It's not a cheap swap over but the difference between disc and drum brakes is night and day. I've attached a help article below for you to check out that goes over the basics but I'd be happy to help you find all the right components for this swap if you'd like.

expert reply by: Kevin C

Measuring For Wheel Bolt Pattern
(click to enlarge)

Spindle Diagram
(click to enlarge)

Michael

10/29/2024

Yes my axels are 5200 more breaking powers desired. I also have a broken spring hanger that was just found. Looking for something a little more stout then what is currently there.

Kevin C.

10/29/2024

@Michael If braking power is your goal then electric-over-hydraulic (EOH) disc brakes are the answer. Starting out we'll need to determine what bearings and grease seals fit your axle's spindle. You can do this by removing the hub and checking these components to see if the part numbers are still stamped onto them. If not you can use a caliper to measure the spindle at points B, C, and D from the diagram above. From there we'll also need to know the wheel bolt pattern to pick out the correct rotor/hub kit. For example, the DeeMaxx Disc Brake Kit # DE28YR uses bearings # 25580 and # 15123 and seal # GS-2125DL. It has a 6,000lb capacity and 6 on 5.5 wheel bolt pattern. Next you'll need an actuator like the Hydrastar # HBA16-252-82 in order to activate the brake assemblies. This is a kit with the actuator, hydraulic brake lines/fittings, and a breakaway battery/switch. If you want to measure from the nose back to the first axle I can see if there's a better kit option for your trailer's specific length. I've attached a video I made for this kit that shows how to install it so you can get a better idea of what this will entail. Let me know what you find and check out the videos I attached below. They have a wealth of information that can really be helpful with this transition.

Helpful Links

tv-customer-review-dee-maxx-disc-brakes-de34vr.aspx

tv-install-hydrastar-electric-over-hydraulic-actuator-kit-for-disc-brakes-hba16-252-82.aspx

Michael

10/29/2024

@KevinC Thank you. Will do my homework and get back to you. Thanks again!