Brakes

[Family of 6]

I want to change the brakes but I am no sure what I need to buy. I have a 2006 2720. Anyone know what part I need to order?

 

[BrucePerens]

I want to change the brakes but I am no sure what I need to buy. I have a 2006 2720. Anyone know what part I need to order?

The hub and drum are one unit, so you will be pulling the entire wheel off of the axle. At this point it makes sense to completely clean out the axle, since you have to take it apart anyway, and replace the bearings, which you have to pull off of the old drum/hub and re-seat in the new one anyway.

You will need an entire new drum/hub (you can't get this kind re-ground), two bearings, a new magnet, the brake assembly, seals, several cans of brake cleaner, two full tubes of grease, a roll of paper towels, a grease gun, a bearing packer, a piece of wood and a rubber mallet to seat the seal, a tarp or something to keep your work area dust-free, personal protective equipment, time and patience. Brake cleaner and brake dust are harmful. Dexter has the instructions for the hub/drum and for the brakes where you will find the part numbers. Or at least a good start. There are videos on YouTube that show the entire process. ETrailer.com has the parts.

There are two different sizes of seal, so take a caliper and make sure you have the right one. Seals must be replaced every time you pull the wheel off of the axle. Clean the grease ducts out from the zerk fitting to the back of the axle using brake cleaner, then pump fresh grease through them before re-assembly, which will drive the last of the old grease out of the ducts.

I just hate that you can't inspect the brake without pulling the entire wheel. I would much rather have had a separate hub and drum. But it might be that all electric brakes are this way.

When re-assembled, do not expect tremendous braking power. Trailer brakes that lock at speed can grind the treads off of their tires within seconds. Yours will only be sufficient to keep the trailer from jack-knifing. Expect a longer stopping distance than when not towing.

 

[Family of 6]

Awesome. Thank you! Do you think the pulsing I am feeling during braking is due to the brakes on the TM, my car or my brake controller settings? My car seems to be fine on its own.

 

[BrucePerens]

pulsing I am feeling during braking

What model brake controller do you have?

 

[rmcconnell44]

You might consider replacing the drum brakes with disc brakes. You can order a kit that contains the new rotor hubs, calipers, brake line, and actuator. Cost is about $1000. I did this on mine and have pulled it in the northwest and last year to Alaska and back and have never regretted the cost. Never felt the TM pushing the TV when braking and stopping distance is very close to my stopping distance without the TM behind me.
Took me about 6 hours to make the change but pretty straight forward. The hardest challenge was to find a place to put the actuator. I ended up mounting it on the inside of the hitch frame on two short angle irons bolted to the bottom of the frame. It has never moved and some of the roads on the Alaska trip sure tested the mounting.

 

[tentcamper]

not sure about your axle, but when you figure it out? I would get the self adjuster brakes. Had them on two trailers and loved them. Right now I have the old manual adjusters which after 3K miles the brakes are poor unless you adjust them.