Can Brake Assemblies be Installed With Brake Magnet Not At Bottom of Drum

Updated 04/17/2025 | Published 04/15/2025

Question:

I installed the AKEBRK-2 brakes on my Tow dolly. The brake assemblies are the same a the ones that were on the dolly. However, when I Install the brakes as instructed with the short pad towards the front and the magnet on the bottom left side, the adjuster port is blocked by the frame of the trailer. When I took this side apart, the magnet was on the top and the short pad to the back. When I look at the right side which I have not touched yet, I see that the brake is installed 90 degrees off with the magnet towards the front. I assume that the pads are on the top and bottom. Both of those installs give access to the adjusting port, but I am not sure that the brakes will work correctly. Any ideas on the best way to install these and still be able to adjust the brakes ?

asked by: Brad

Expert Reply:

Hey Brad, while most of the time the magnet is at the bottom of the assembly there's really no reason you couldn't rotate the assembly around the flange and install it in a different position so that you had access to the star adjuster wheel.

expert reply by: Jameson C