Need some trailer help

zach103

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Mar 11, 2008
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Ok so its not my boat trailer but i figured this was the appropriate section..

I have a 2 axle trailer.. with only one axle. the other one snapped.. now i dont need much so my plan is to just buy the 2000lbs kit.. but i want brakes.. but its expensive as hell to buy one with brakes.. so my plan is to buy separate brakes and put them on the new axle. .. now my only problem is that i don't know what size brakes to buy and what kind and all that.. . and if i buy the brakes wiring does it come with the part for the truck? and i would need a brake controller right?
 

kamby

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Jul 30, 2008
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Re: Need some trailer help

Ok so its not my boat trailer but i figured this was the appropriate section..

I have a 2 axle trailer.. with only one axle. the other one snapped.. now i dont need much so my plan is to just buy the 2000lbs kit.. but i want brakes.. but its expensive as hell to buy one with brakes.. so my plan is to buy separate brakes and put them on the new axle. .. now my only problem is that i don't know what size brakes to buy and what kind and all that.. . and if i buy the brakes wiring does it come with the part for the truck? and i would need a brake controller right?

If the new axle has the mount flanges, they just bolt and go. One thing i cant stress enough is make sure the bearings on the new drum/hub are the same size that will work with the spindle, ive seen it before when i get calls with people who cant get the hubs to stay on or there sloppy cause they dont fit the spindle or they fit the spindle but not the drums. Since you are getting new axle it should all be standard but do double check most 2k axles use the same inner and out bearing L44649 if i remember right. So a 2k rated hub/drum would be needed, the 2k axle also uses the smaller 7x 1.75" brake assembly wich are expensive at 75 per side. If not much more may want to look into 3500 axle that would use the more standard 10" and cheaper brake setup. Unless your 2k axle uses the same size bearings as the ones needed for the 10" drum they use the L68149 Inner and L44649 Outer (if memory serves)

Most states if not all require a breakaway box that activates the trailer brake in the event of truck/trailer seperation. The wire from the box gets spliced in with the wire from the connector on the trailer.

The connector on the truck needs to be a 6 or 7 way plug 1 has to be a 12v constant to keep the breakaway kit charged the other comes from the controller box in the truck that supplies the voltage to the magnets.

Yes a brake controller in the truck is needed unless u have one already. A lot of the guys like the prodigy controllers, to me it doesnt matter my truck has a kelsey in it works fine, truck before had a cheap hopkins branded on. Depending onyour rig you might be setup with all the wiring if not then need to run some. 12v from the batter, a connection off the break pedal light switch, and a wire to the back for the plug connector and then a ground from the frame to ground the connector. The wire from the battery should be fused mine is 40amp autoresetting.

a good place to look up parts and watch install videos check out etrailer.com
 

kamby

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Re: Need some trailer help

Also shop around on parts you might be able to snag a good deal on a setup on ebay or some other site. Good luck it sounds like a lot of work but is fairly simple doable in a day or, or a weekend if you take your time. :)
 

zach103

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Re: Need some trailer help

thats the site i was looking at.. ok so im just better off buying the 3500 axle because the brakes arent that expensive..
and can i do it so that i have my regular 4 pin and the 6/7 pin circular on.

ya ive seen the breakaways.

SO my list is.. 3500# axle with setup like springs and all that
ten inch brakes
Breakaway cable
Trailer brake wiring
truck wiring 6 or 7 pin
 

northernmerc

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Apr 6, 2009
Messages
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Re: Need some trailer help

and can i do it so that i have my regular 4 pin and the 6/7 pin circular on.

Not sure what you're asking. If you want brakes on the trailer, a four wire/pin set up won't work. You need the larger, round connector to handle the extra wires - it's usually 7 pin I think.

Then if you ever want to pull a smaller trailer that does not have brakes, just buy a 7 wire to 4 wire adapter to interface between the truck and trailer wiring.
 

kamby

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Re: Need some trailer help

Not sure what you're asking. If you want brakes on the trailer, a four wire/pin set up won't work. You need the larger, round connector to handle the extra wires - it's usually 7 pin I think.

Then if you ever want to pull a smaller trailer that does not have brakes, just buy a 7 wire to 4 wire adapter to interface between the truck and trailer wiring.


You can do the adapter like he said but if your like me your prone to lose the thing. Get your self a Hopkins multi tow adapter. It takes your 4 flat u got now it and converts its to a 7 way, the wires you add are 12v constant, trailer brake controller, and reverse connector. Beauty with this connector it also has a 4 flat on it. Best thing i bought and i dont have to worry about losing a 7 to 4 adapter.

Its a hopkins 37185 i got mine at wally world http://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Hopkins/37185.html
 

kamby

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336
Re: Need some trailer help

thats the site i was looking at.. ok so im just better off buying the 3500 axle because the brakes arent that expensive..
and can i do it so that i have my regular 4 pin and the 6/7 pin circular on.

ya ive seen the breakaways.

SO my list is.. 3500# axle with setup like springs and all that
ten inch brakes
Breakaway cable
Trailer brake wiring
truck wiring 6 or 7 pin


Dont forget new hub/drums unless your using the old ones of the broken axle be sure to check and see if bearings match with the new spindles

Wire from the battery to a fuse to the back fo the vehicle for constant 12v

make sure the brake kits have the mounting bolts and nuts not sure why but a lot of places dont include those.

Its kind of an expensive project those parts arent cheap, with there importance i wouldnt want them to be.

Otherwise good luck once you do it, it will be easier to maintain and replace parts.

What kind of tow vehicle you have? If its newer it might have a harness that plugs into the dash making it a lot easier to connect a brake controller box. My f250 had one just plugged in and you matched the wires to the control box wire. Some fuses and relays had to be added under the hood.

If its an older truck like mine then everything was a custom wire down to splicing off the switch on the brake pedal
 

northernmerc

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Apr 6, 2009
Messages
401
Re: Need some trailer help

You can do the adapter like he said but if your like me your prone to lose the thing.[/URL]

That's a nice looking Hopkins unit. And I know what you're saying about losing things. The 7 to 4 adapter is cheap - five or ten bucks around here - and no installation required other than plugging it in. If you only use it on one trailer, just leave it attached to the trailer wiring. Even tape it to the trailer plug and it's not going anywhere.
 

zach103

Commander
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Mar 11, 2008
Messages
2,233
Re: Need some trailer help

so are you saying that with the adapter i cant take the 7 pin from the trailer and plug it into a 4 pin?

i have a 2000 f150
 

surge006

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Sep 25, 2009
Messages
100
Re: Need some trailer help

if you have a 2000 you prob already have the truck wired for a 7 way if you look up by the spare tire and there is a blue, black, white, and red wire tied up with tape you just buy the adapter. i would just go to a uhaul and ask em what you have if you dont know what to look at, they wont charge you.
 

kamby

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Re: Need some trailer help

If your truck has a tow package

check this out

http://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Wiring/Ford/F-150/2000/118242.html?vehicleid=2000

also kinda shows where its at.


If the truck has a 4 pin then the Hopkins multi tow will help. Not all f150's came with a tow package.

If you have a tow package then it already has the wires ran for the 12v constant, reverse, and trailer brake. Then from the ford dealer you can get a wire harness that connects up under the dash.

I had an 01 F250 the dealer was kind enough to give me the adapters needed for the dash. My plug on the back also had the 4 flat and 7 way in one unit
 
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