Replacing 7" brakes with 10"

[Shadow Catcher]

How difficult is it to replace/swap 7" brakes for 10"? I feel brakes are a must but find the 7" brakes on Compass Rose wimpy. With the controller set on max it should lock up the brakes, and does not. Not a big concern in the flat lands of Ohio but the journey out west presents some challenges and some of the passes I plan on taking i.e Tioga Pass, are a bit of a challenge.

[eamarquardt]

I bought a Little Guy this summer with a 2K axle and put brakes on it. At first I was told that 10" brakes would fit and bought a set. WRONG!!! The only brakes that I could find that would fit the 2k axle were 7". Confirmed this with LG folks.

I think to go to 10" brakes you'd have to upgrade to a 3500# axle. I don't think that electric brakes will lock up. When I apply them on the LG they definitely slow up the rig but it's not dramatic.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Gus

[Shadow Catcher]

Gus
Just out of curiosity what does not fit? Looking at the Dexter parts list for the 10 and 7" brakes they share outer bearing cone.
I am half way thinking of switching out my Dexter for a Flexride axle as I am already experiencing Dexter sag.

[bdosborn]

Are you sure its not your brake controller? I upgraded to a Tekonsha P3 and it works much better than my old Voyager ever did.

Bruce

[Shadow Catcher]

SC according to the instructions that came with my brake controller the procedure for setting the controller is to, on a flat surface up the controller until the trailer skids and then back off. You do not want the trailer brakes to lock up but you do want sufficient drag so that it does not try and pass you on the down hill.

[eamarquardt]

The spindles for the 2k axle and 3.5k axle are different sizes. As I remember both the inner and outer bearing on the 2k are the same (the spindle is the same diameter for its entire length where the 3.5k axle is stepped) and on the 3.5k the inner and outer bearings are different sizes. The 7" drums have the same bearings inner and outer where the 10" drum's bearings are sized for the 3.5k axle.

Maybe there someone that makes 10" drums for a 2k axle but I'm unaware of them.

One way to check to see if you can lock your brakes up is to just connect your brakes to straight 12 volts with no controller. I put an ampmeter in the circuit so I can see what is going on. Maybe a voltmeter would give you an idea also.

Cheers,

Gus

[Dale M.]

oh, by the way trailer brakes won't lock up on a electrical sytem on a small passenger rig.

slow. Gus is right.

Umm... Not so.... Have a 7000lb car carrier, with 10 inch brakes and can lock them anytime I want (loaded or empty) ..... I have yet to see any brake system on trailer you could not fully lock up...

One should be able to reach down (at slow speed) and manually apply brakes to the max at controller and it should lock them up....

Also under full lock each magnet draws about 2.5 - 3 amps so with ammeter inline a two brake system should draw about 5-6 amps under full 12 volt control...

http://www.portstrailersupply.com/index ... ceid/7718/

http://www.campertrailers.org/elect_bra ... hooter.htm

http://www.liningertrailers.com/howto/b ... 8-L-24.pdf

Real quick and dirty test is to jack up trailer... Connect + lead of a 5-10 AMP "BATTERY CHARGER" to "Brake" wire at plug and connect - lead of charger to chassis (if brake system uses chassis ground) or to "Ground" wire at plug.... Battery charge should show about 5-6 amp reading on gauge (beware gauge are inaccurate in inexpensive chargers) and brakes should be fully locked up (can not spin wheel) ...

IF you have "break away" battery and its charged, you should be able to "pull the pin" and also achieve full lockup....

IF that happens maybe it is controller or vehicle wiring that is problem...

Dale

[smatthew]

shadow catcher. I would defintly NOT lock your brakes up on a moutain pass out west!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you want a jackknife!!!!!!!!!!!!
SLow

As someone who has jackknifed, I can garuntee that you want good trailer brakes, and get rid of that voyager controller! When that trailer starts swaying there are only two things you can do - accelerate, and/or apply trailer brakes. Vehicle brakes just make the situation worse generally.

I set my brake controller so that the trailer brakes come on a little harder than the vehicle, so the vehicle is pulling the trailer forward.