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Old 10-11-2015, 12:54 PM   #1
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Name: Rollie
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Brakes on a Compact Jr.

Has anyone put brakes on a Compact Jr.. I picked up a 72 model and was thinking of maybe I need brakes on it. It has a 1550 pound axle on it with four lugs I am pulling with a Rav 4 V6 so I think the power is fine but here in Arizona we have lots of mountains and I have never pulled a trailer without brakes here. Suggestions....
If any of you have pulled this trailer with a Rav 4 any idea of the mileage?
Thanks
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Old 10-11-2015, 01:39 PM   #2
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I'd get brakes on the trailer. Cheaper than replacing brakes on the tow prematurely. It only takes one panic stop to glaze the brake pads. On my Subaru that cost me $300 after having had the brakes done a few weeks earlier.

I just had the brakes on my RAV4 V6 done, at 76,000 kilometers. They replaced the front rotors and brake pads for $411.80 CAN. Rear brakes needed pads and the rotors were machined for $294.38.
I have brakes on my trailer. I don't want to do the brakes more often than necessary.
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Old 10-11-2015, 04:52 PM   #3
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By all means look into getting brakes.


However, the bad news, if your Compact still has the 4" drop axle there is no provision for adding brakes to that axle and you will have to get an entire new axle with brakes, and that will also raise your frailer 3-4 inches as well. Sorry that it's not simpler



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Old 10-12-2015, 11:00 AM   #4
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My 1972 Hunter Compact Jr came with electric brakes although they obviously have not been used for many years. My VW Golf wagon handles the trailer very well even on two trips through the mountains (3000 miles) last summer. Appears to be the original drop axel with leaf springs.
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Old 10-12-2015, 11:56 AM   #5
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That's the first Hunter I have seen with brakes on the drop axle. I saw in the sales literature that it was a listed option, but I haven't seen any myself. Do you know if it was first sold in BC?



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Old 10-12-2015, 12:41 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arizona3313 View Post
Has anyone put brakes on a Compact Jr.. I picked up a 72 model and was thinking of maybe I need brakes on it. It has a 1550 pound axle on it with four lugs I am pulling with a Rav 4 V6 so I think the power is fine but here in Arizona we have lots of mountains and I have never pulled a trailer without brakes here. Suggestions....
If any of you have pulled this trailer with a Rav 4 any idea of the mileage?
Thanks
Congrats on your new trailer! Contact SPECTRAC parts & Service, 405 E. Baseline Rd. Gilbert, AZ. 85233. 480 545 5533. They had put a Flexiride adjustable axle with brakes, on our Scamp.
Dave & Paula
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Old 10-12-2015, 01:17 PM   #7
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The Hunter has leaf spring suspension so the axle change out to one with brakes is almost plug n' play and add the brake wiring. You just have to measure correctly, and order the axle with brakes included.



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Old 10-13-2015, 12:17 PM   #8
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I don't know where my trailer was first sold. I purchased it from California however I'm fairly sure it had more than one previous owner.
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