truck axle as a trailer axle?

[hillbillyjake]

i've been a little bored lately and my mind has begun to wander. i have the rear axle out of an 83 toyota that i would like touse as a trailer axle(because i have it). my question is, can i some how hook up the factory brakes that are ont eh axle to work as trailer electric trailer brakes? i'm considering doing a budget trailer build because i have the axle and an old 5.5x6.5 flat bed and some cj-7 rear springs. i thought i would try to throw something together. i dont necessarily need the brakes but it would be a nice feature if i could make it work. thanks

 

[youwillforget]

Years ago late 80’s early 90's my Great Uncle had 2 dually axels on a big trailer he had built to use with his tow truck. He used a power steering pump on a small starter motor to actuate the brakes there was a battery on the trailer and the brake controller turned the on solenoid between the battery and starter motor. I never saw it in action but it is possible, works well or safe who knows? Boat trailers use a special coupler to actuate fluid brakes but I don’t know close the shoes have to be.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

I'd just use a hydraulic actuator like a boat trailer and be done with it.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_757383_757383?cm_mmc=Google-pla-_-Trailers%20+%20Trailer%20Parts-_-Trailer%20Brakes-_-128206&ci_sku=128206&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}

 

[Deleted member 9101]

I think it will not be a problem, the trailer actuators can usually do 4 brakes. For 140.00 from northern tools you can get one designed for 6,000lbs. I woudl think that woudl be enough pressure to actuate the tiny break cylinders on a toyota truck axle...lol

 

[hillbillyjake]

how exactly do the hydraulic actuators work?

 

[Deleted member 9101]

You hit the brakes, and it allow the trailer to move forward a little, depressing the actuator and causing hydraulic pressure to increase. Think of it this way, its like the trailer using its mass to hit its own break peddle when the tow vehicle stops.

 

[hillbillyjake]

started looking at some of these today. do i have to get out of the truck and release a lever in order to back up? am i reading this right?

 

[Hill Bill E.]

started looking at some of these today. do i have to get out of the truck and release a lever in order to back up? am i reading this right?

Depends on the actuator.

I have seen ones where you need to do this, but the smaller ones (like 8K and under) usually don't have this feature.

As long as you're backing up slow, there is no 'actuation'.

Problem is, when backing a load up an incline, then the actuator activates the brakes.

I prefer electric brakes, but when you're using what ya got handy, you use what works!:coffeedrink:

 

[hillbillyjake]

if i could get a set up that i only had to get out to unlock the lever on occasion, that woouldn't be that bad considering the situation. it wouldn't frustrate me enough to have to buy a new axle when i could just back up slow or get out of teh truck every once and a while. any idea which actuators don't lcok up when backing up?

 

[Deleted member 9101]

started looking at some of these today. do i have to get out of the truck and release a lever in order to back up? am i reading this right?

Depends, some have a solenoid that lock the actuator when you shift into reverse. I had a dump trailer years ago, if I needed to back up, I had a block of wood I slid in a channel between a notch on the frame and the actuator.

 

[hillbillyjake]

iwas looking at tteh $140 job from northern tool. it stated that if the trailer was equipt with free wheeling brakes that you would not have to get out of the truck to release the brakes to back up. my assumption is that i could normally back up with the axle in a truck, so why not when the axle is in the trailer? i think i'm reading thisi right. thanks for the info.