8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

[Silvertip]

Short question and then some details. Have any of you seen a supplier (other than Shorelander) for 8-1/2 inch brakes (electric or surge). None of the usual suppliers have them but Shorelander is getting them from somewhere. I can't believe they are making them. E-bay and web searches have come up empty.

Here's the issue. I have a new Shorelander pontoon trailer on order and since the dealer wanted over $700 for brakes I elected to go without since the axle has the brake mounting plate and I can add the brakes myself for roughtly half that -- or so I thought. This trailer has 20.5 x 8 x 10E tires so it has a fairly stout GVWR of 3000#. As such it has spindles that take a 1-1/16 inch outer bearing and a 1-3/8 inner. Normally a wheel that size would be fitted with 7-inch brakes and the hubs would have 1-1/16 inner AND outer bearings. A 3500# axle (which is what this trailer has) would normally have 10 inch brakes and it would have 13, 14, or 15 inch wheels. Axles up to 2200 pounds typically have 1-1/16 inner and outer bearings. So here's the problem. The axle I have requires a hub with 1-1/16 x 1-3/8 bearings. But I'm not able to find a 7-inch hub with those bearings (lots of 1-1/16 x 1-1/16 around). There is an option of putting 13-inch wheels on but since this is a bunk style trailer, it already sits high and can present a launch issue at shallow ramps. The chubby 8-inch wide tires also sink less on soft, unimproved ramps so I would like to retain them. Lastly, at the weight of this rig I don't really need brakes but I simply want the stopping help for those emergency situations. So my option is to install 7-inch brakes if I can find the right hub, or else find a supplier of 8-1/2 inch brakes.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Ayuh,......

Did you try Dexter Axle,..??

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Yes -- and Champion, Northern, and on and on and on. In fact in all the web searches I only turned up one hit for 8-1/2 inch brakes and that was in a "how trailer brakes work" article in an RV magazine. Guess I'll keep looking and make a few trips with the rig. If launching isn't an issue I may switch to 13 inch wheels.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Silvertip:

I have to agree with Bondo. If you can't find what you need exactly with Dexter/Redneck supply then you might want to change. A drop axle with a more popular tire will be a better choice than a specialty axle with a a tire that is hard to obtain.

I have been the route of oboslete/obsolescent brakes and had to change axles to get what I needed. Put the arm on Shorelander for choosing such rare items and get them to step up to the plate.

'Toon trailers are rarely a staple item no matter who makes them. Drop axles with tires inside the tubes or outside the tubes are readily available, so the odd sized tires are not a deal breaker.


Good luck to you.

You have been a great help here.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Can't use a drop axle on a bunk style pontoon trailer. Toons are 8 to 8-1/2 feet wide so the toons nest over the wheels. Besides, the axle isn't the issue as it has standard 3500 pound spindles. 8-1/2 inch brakes are not obsolete -- they are a relatively new size and as such, hard to find (and apparently also why they add $700 to the tab). 7-inch brakes were common on 10 inch wheels for years, but they are limited to the 1-1/16 spindles. Since 10-inch brakes won't fit into a 10-inch wheel, there is only one option -- 8-1/2 inch brakes on a 3500# axle. Actually, the Shorelander rep is the one that talked me out of the bigger wheels because of the shallow water launch issue.

Thanks for the suggestions but lets just let this thread die as I was only wondering if anyone had run across this size brake.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

You may want to look at other sources besides the marine trailer people, that size sounds about like the brakes and wheels that were on my Kodiak trailer which I used to use to haul a small Bobcat skid loader. That used industrial or construction type 20.5 x 8 x 10" wheels, I still have a spare set here. Tires aren't to hard to find, you just have to go to a tire dealer that handles that type of tire. They were also common on some older pop-up campers. Ditch witch also sells a trailer made to carry their machines with those size tires and brakes.
I think the last set I bought were from Duro and a local truck tire dealer who stocks both industrial and Ag tires had them in stock. The originals were Carlisle branded. Titan also lists that size.
Even if you find a set that will work and the bearing size is wrong, you may be able to just go to your local industrial supply house or bearing supplier and order the bearings simply by ID and OD dimensions. Just because they supply as certain size bearing with a hub doesn't mean you can't mix and match cups and cones to make it work. I've done that quite often on older mobile homes and vintage campers. There were some really odd combinations back in the 50's and 60's.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

We are jumping the rails here folks. Trailer manufacturers rarely manufacture their own hubs as there are a number of suppliers for brake and axle assemblies. It makes no economic sense to manufacture this stuff themselves. As for tires, this is a brand new trailer so I don't need them and I know where to get them when the time comes. Also, a 1-1/16 inner bearing cannot be swapped for a 1-3/8 bearing as the race and seal are larger diameter. The only way that would work is to have a 7-inch hub bored to accept the larger bearing race and seal. That presents a safety issue as the hub probably won't have enough material after machining to support the load.

 

[P51D]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Silvertip - back to your original question. I've purchased 8.5 inch brakes, for my Shor-Land'r trailer, from a supplier in Florida. This was about two years ago. I won't be able to put my hands on the paperwork until this evening, but I'll post the info here then.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Alright P51D. That's what I'm looking for and I appreciate the help. (Helluva airplane by the way!)

 

[jeeperman]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Silvertip,
You probaly already checked out Rocket Trailers but if not ..................
http://www.rockettrailers.com/PartsBook/HydraulicDrumBrakes.htm

They list the 8.5" hyd. drum brakes but cant confirm what bearing sizes they are using. Their charts and terminology are kinda not clear.

I have a tandem deck boat trailer (which looks like a pontoon trailer) with the 10" wheels. One axle has drum brakes (not sure of size).
I do know after ordering new tires on new wheels that the new wheels will not clear the drums.
So maybe they are the 8.5" drums, I will go look after work. If they are, I will look for a brand name cast into them for you.

My trailer is a EZ-Loader by the way.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

http://www.championtrailers.com/DRUM BRAKE CLUSTERS.htm

offers the 8.5" hyd. brake set-up but not the hub-drum.

DICO brand........

I think I found them.....http://www.titandist.com/pdfs/page12.pdf
First item is the drum-hub with the bearings you want.

This page gets you the brake assy.
http://www.titandist.com/pdfs/page08.pdf

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Champion has the backing plate. I don't see the drum on there though.

Look at the bottom of this page:

"http://www.championtrailers.com/DRUM%20BRAKE%20CLUSTERS.htm"

They are lot more expensive than the larger sizes for some reason...probably because of the smaller diameter, they have to have a larger 2 piston brake cylinder.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Thanks guys. Titan has both the drums and the brake assemblies. Unfortunately they also have a minimum quantity order but I may be able to sweet talk them into a one-shot deal.

 

[P51D]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Silvertip - My 8.5 inch Dico trailer brake cluster shipped from Quality Trailer Products in Mt. Pleasant, TX. Their customer svc. dept. is in Ocala, FL. Ph. 877-787-2453. Another number listed on the receipt is 800-243-4883. They were very helpful and easy to deal with.

I actually only needed the brake cluster for just one side, and they were willing to locate and sell me just the one. With tax and shipping it was just under $100, back in Nov 2005. Their item number was 444210 (that was for the left side cluster).

Your inner and outer axle dimensions sound like the same as mine. I bought a new hub from Champion Trailer that is working perfectly with the brakes. Champion's part number was 3048 for the hub.

The brakes have the duo servo cylinder as Jeeperman pointed out, and they look identical to the cluster on Champion's website.

Hope this helps.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 8-1/2 inch trailer brakes

Thanks again everyone. Now all I need is for about two feet of ice on our lakes to turn liquid again.