Electric Brakes for a Torflex #9 Axle?

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Electric Brakes for a Torflex #9 Axle?

Postby Hennesseystealth » Fri Apr 24, 2015 4:19 pm

My camper should come in under the 1500# limit but was thinking about adding some safety margins for braking by adding brakes. I checked with Redneck Trailer and they are pricing at $320 for the pair (drums and brakes). That seems high to me but I have never priced them out before. Anyone have any comments or suggestions where to look for better pricing?
Thanks
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Re: Electric Brakes for a Torflex #9 Axle?

Postby jss06 » Fri Apr 24, 2015 4:22 pm

That is about what I paid for the brakes and drums I purchased from etrailer.
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Re: Electric Brakes for a Torflex #9 Axle?

Postby KCStudly » Fri Apr 24, 2015 6:57 pm

My leaf sprung axle by itself, with loose spring perches, was only $120 dollars, but the bearing set/lug nut/drum hub kits, brake backing plate assemblies and u-bolts pushed it up into the high $400 range (I want to say $472 off the top of my head). So that doesn't sound off to me at all.

Don't forget to budget for a brake controller (for the TV), and breakaway kit. The breakaway kit gets mounted to the tongue and includes a lanyard actuated safety switch and small self charging 12v wet cell battery/holder. When you couple up you loop the lanyard thru where the safety chains attach. If the trailer uncouples and wanders away from the TV, the lanyard pulls a plastic pin out of the safety switch and uses the battery to activate the trailer brakes. The components are available separately, and I haven't found anything that says you can't use the "hotel" battery for the breakaway kit; so that's what I plan to do; wire the switch and brakes into my main camper battery. (If anyone knows differently why it shouldn't be done this way, please feel free to provide a reference.)
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Re: Electric Brakes for a Torflex #9 Axle?

Postby Nobody » Fri Apr 24, 2015 7:40 pm

KCStudly wrote:My leaf sprung axle by itself, with loose spring perches, was only $120 dollars, but the bearing set/lug nut/drum hub kits, brake backing plate assemblies and u-bolts pushed it up into the high $400 range (I want to say $472 off the top of my head). So that doesn't sound off to me at all.

Don't forget to budget for a brake controller (for the TV), and breakaway kit. The breakaway kit gets mounted to the tongue and includes a lanyard actuated safety switch and small self charging 12v wet cell battery/holder. When you couple up you loop the lanyard thru where the safety chains attach. If the trailer uncouples and wanders away from the TV, the lanyard pulls a plastic pin out of the safety switch and uses the battery to activate the trailer brakes. The components are available separately, and I haven't found anything that says you can't use the "hotel" battery for the breakaway kit; so that's what I plan to do; wire the switch and brakes into my main camper battery. (If anyone knows differently why it shouldn't be done this way, please feel free to provide a reference.)


KCS - I've owned 3 different factory RV trailers before the TD. All had the breakaway switch wired to the 'house' battery 'from the factory. I never needed the switch but I always kept the house battery charged so it would work if needed... We bought a 2001 Casita 17SD in January. It has brakes but no breakaway switch so I plan to add one & wire it to the house battery. Since my TD (1150lbs) doesn't have brakes I've bought a Tekonsha P3 brake controller to add to my TV.
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Re: Electric Brakes for a Torflex #9 Axle?

Postby KCStudly » Fri Apr 24, 2015 9:47 pm

Thanks Harvey! I think I may have asked that question before, but it is always nice to get first hand experience. :thumbsup:
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Re: Electric Brakes for a Torflex #9 Axle?

Postby Dale M. » Sat Apr 25, 2015 9:39 am

Check e-trailer, they have brake assemblies starting around $60 (each wheel) and drums about $60 (each wheel) depending on what you want or what will fit your axle you have starting price around $240 for 7 inch and actually a little less if you go 10 inch around $100 a side (brake assembly + drum) .....

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Parts

Plus controller and brake away switch.... And also upgrading to 7 pin connector if you are now using 4 pin connector...

Question is "does your axle have flanges to bolt brakes to?"...

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Re: Electric Brakes for a Torflex #9 Axle?

Postby Hennesseystealth » Sat Apr 25, 2015 10:27 am

Dale M. wrote:Check e-trailer, they have brake assemblies starting around $60 (each wheel) and drums about $60 (each wheel) depending on what you want or what will fit your axle you have starting price around $240 for 7 inch and actually a little less if you go 10 inch around $100 a side (brake assembly + drum) .....

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Parts

Plus controller and brake away switch.... And also upgrading to 7 pin connector if you are now using 4 pin connector...

Question is "does your axle have flanges to bolt brakes to?"...

Dale


Yes, I did order the axle with brake flanges just in case.
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Re: Electric Brakes for a Torflex #9 Axle?

Postby Hennesseystealth » Mon Apr 27, 2015 11:15 am

The guys at etrailer posted a great Q&A page answering all my questions and the pricing seems much more reasonable.

http://www.etrailer.com/question-115774.html?fb=yes
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