Electric Brake Selection

[GMike A]

Well after extending the axle 4 inches I thought it was time to tackle the electric brakes and find out why the wires were cut and taped below the shell. So off comes the drum and what to my surprise was (not 8 tiny reindeer) but no brakes at all. Bopka or as we say in Tejas Nada.
So now I seek some advise from the forum. I don't like the looks of the current Drum and although I could sandblast it back to pretty I am thinking about just getting the 10 in drum and electric brake kit from Northern Tool. For about $200 I can replace both sides. I'm not sure who makes them but its probably some OEM?? Anyone know of any reason not to use Northern Tool? I just got on etrailer and found some Dexter "never adjust" for about the same price.
I am going to go to 15 inch wheels, So would it be over kill or not recommended to go to a 12 inch assembly? I would have to go to a 6 bolt stud instead of 5. Is that an issue other then cost or commonality? What is the advantage of 6 over 5 for this size egg? I havent looked close yet but I am assuming the 12 inch that I was looking at has the Alko/Hayes 4 bolt pattern. I know that the 10 in did. [more Googling]
Maybe I don't need 12 in braking power or it may not be even recommended.
I am researching as fast as my little fingers type in Google but have found nothing definitive and would sure appreciate any recommendations or ideas.
Once I put new shoes on the frame then I can concentrate on the upper half.
Thanks in advance. I know this query seems a bit disjointed but have all these Qs popping up as I type. One reason I mentioned Northern is I can drive there in 20 minutes and bang I have my parts.

[Thomas G.]

When I was looking , Eastern Marine had the lowest prices on brakes.
Electric Trailer Brake Assemblies at Trailer Parts Superstore

I found the lowest prices on drum hubs at Southwest Wheel.

If you can pick up at Northern it may mitigate the shipping. The 12" brakes seem like overkill to me.

[David B.]

The advantage to the 6 lug set-up is that it would also fit your tow vehicle if it has 6 lungs also, giving you more spare tire options.

[Eddie Longest]

Mike
First let me say my Casita experence limited. Some of the older Casitas had 2.2K axles with 7" brakes. The 10" brakes normally are found on the 3.5K axles and the 12" brakes are found on larger axles. Even though the backer plates fit the spindles and bearings are different sizes on the different size axels.
Since you are dealing with an 86 Casita you would be better off to just to replace the axle. They run about $475 & install for a 3.5 K axle. I was just checking a Casita with a dead axle today and found cracks in its mounting plates on both sides.
Eddie
Since you just raised the trailer I guess the axle was checked and is good. Still, spindle size may be your issue if changing brake size.

[Dennis Clinton]

Lack of brakes sounds familiar. When I bought mine, the wires were just cut. When I pulled the drums, brakes had been gutted(and it looked like the bearings hadn't been regreased since new!) Both Northern Tool and Etrailer have good products and great service. Go with whoever has the best price-including shipping. It's an easy replacement.

[GMike A]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

Mike

Since you just raised the trailer I guess the axle was checked and is good. Still, spindle size may be your issue if changing brake size.

Thanks Eddie.

The axle was changed out by a PO to the 10 inch ALKO/Hayes 3500 Lb series but it looks as though they just kept the standard axle and did not install electric brakes (my guess thats all).

So I do have a beefier axle then from the factory. There is a manuf tag hanging off of the bottom of the axle and I need to get under there and see what it says. Perhaps just a model and serial number. That will give some more data to work with.

I see the logic in going to 6 as that would give me some options,however, my Oddessy Soccer Mom car has the little pretend tire inside and not a big boy. But that sure would have been nice to not carry a spare!! So I think I am stuck with the 10 inch. I sure would love to move that spare tire off of the back, I just dont like it hanging on the shell like that.

Good ideas coming in and will check out Tom's links too. There is a Dexter Store down the road from me, so guess I'd better check that out too.

[Eddie Longest]

I just saw a Casita for sale in Texas and it had the spare mounted in a rack under the rear dance floor. From what I know that real estate on a Casita is vacant since they put their holding tank in front of the axle. Scamp places their holding tank back there behind the axle.
Eddie
Picture from C L

[Francesca Knowles]

Dunno why everyone thinks the internet is the only place to shop...

Unless you live out in the middle of nowhere, go to your local Auto supply and have this convo with the guys behind the counter. Nine times out of ten prices will be competitive with online places. My local NAPA helped me figure out exactly what I needed for full brakes redo on my Trillium and had it for me the next day. Less than a hundred dollars a wheel, and NO shipping charges.

Note:
I mean a REAL Autoparts store, not Walmart or some such place. If the guys behind the counter don't have black fingernails, walk out and go someplace else.

Francesca

[GMike A]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

I just saw a Casita for sale in Texas and it had the spare mounted in a rack under the rear dance floor. From what I know that real estate on a Casita is vacant since they put their holding tank in front of the axle. Scamp places their holding tank back there behind the axle.
Eddie
Picture from C L

Thats pretty cool and a good idea, wonder how they kept it secured? Worth investigating. Definitely something to consider would free up some real estate on the backside.

[Glenn Baglo]

I recall getting a flat on my Jeep Cherokee Chief. The tire was under the vehicle and I was on a slope in 3 to 4" of mud. It was pouring rain. At least there was a mechanism for dropping the tire to the road.
Just how do you release the spare on that Casita? Crawl under with a wrench? With a flat, how much clearance would there be? Need to diet first?

baglo

[GMike A]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Note:
I mean a REAL Autoparts store, not Walmart or some such place. If the guys behind the counter don't have black fingernails, walk out and go someplace else.

Francesca

I used to go into Radio Shack and they would all say "you have questions, I have answers" and I would ask them for the negative temperature coefficient of their capacitors and they would usually go away. No dirty fingernails there either. Good point - we lost our NAPA store but do have an Auto Zone I can check out.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by GMike A

I used to go into Radio Shack and they would all say "you have questions, I have answers" and I would ask them for the negative temperature coefficient of their capacitors and they would usually go away. No dirty fingernails there either. Good point - we lost our NAPA store but do have an Auto Zone I can check out.

I must caution you as to the wisdom of asking the black-fingernails guys behind the counter similar questions! I doubt, for example, that they'll be able to give you a lucid explanation of the coefficient of drag or the Bernoulli equation...

But if you've chosen the right store, they'll know what will stop and (perhaps more important) FIT your rig- and what if any pitfalls await in the process. And at a competitive price!

What more can a do-it-yourselfer want?

Francesca

[GMike A]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

I must caution you as to the wisdom of asking the black-fingernails guys behind the counter similar questions! I doubt, for example, that they'll be able to give you a lucid explanation of the coefficient of drag or the Bernoulli equation...

But if you've chosen the right store, they'll know what will stop and (perhaps more important) FIT your rig- and what if any pitfalls await in the process. And at a competitive price!

What more can a do-it-yourselfer want?

Francesca

Ah yes I remember high school back in the 60s and Mr. Bernoulli. Sad to say that future generations know not of him or Aristotle, Euclid, Pythagoras,Thales, Boyle and I could go on and on. We truly are a generation lost. Whoops the "lost generation" was of Stein and Hemingway to name a few - what was I thinking.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by GMike A

Ah yes I remember high school back in the 60s and Mr. Bernoulli. Sad to say that future generations know not of him or Aristotle, Euclid, Pythagoras,Thales, Boyle and I could go on and on. We truly are a generation lost. Whoops the "lost generation" was of Stein and Hemingway to name a few - what was I thinking.

In a similar vein, there is no one in auto shop any more! When I was in high school, auto shop was one of the high demand classes, now no one, in my kids school, takes it. The teacher commented that there seems to be a lack of interest in owning a car among the young. Perhaps it is too expensive, or maybe they are too busy updating their Facebook page.
Technology is more like magic then science to todays generation, (how do I know I am getting old?). I weep for the species.

[ruscal]

Buying local does have its advantages. I purchased an item online ordered from Northern Tool that was defective right out of the box. I called them and explained the problem I had with the tool. The customer service guy said I must have been using it wrong and a little oil spewing out of the seal was normal. He did however give me a return authorization number and said I could return the item, but I had to pay the shipping to return the defective item. The shipping was about half the value of the tool, so I just threw it in the corner. I should have read the fine print before ordering from them.

[Perry J]

Mike, I have bought 5 sets of brakes from Northern Tool for Egggs I have refurbished.
Their shipping is fast and I've never had a problem.
John

[GMike A]

Thanks Perry. I have 5 Northern Tools here in the Greater Dallas area. I am heading over to Plano to get a pair. (no pun intended). I am going to use the old hubs since they are matched to the spindle and after reading up on etrailer I don't want to mess with any new issues. I will just get new bearings while they are out. At first I wanted to buy no adjust'ems model but heck I have adjusted brakes forever on cars. NBD. Russ - yes you are right. I too have bought some junk at both HF and Northern and regretted it. Now I am much more selective especially with HF BUT they have some stuff that I could not have afforded if I went the regular route. Don't know why but they always have a 20% off coupon on any single item and I print it out and take it any and away I go. Anyway off track. I will have the brakes on today and tires too and then wheels down for now so I can pull it back outside to continue scrapping off old contact cement. I found a adhesive scrapper for my reciprocating saw which will do the mechanical motion for me now instead of my wrists.

[Daniel A.]

I replaced my brakes last summer with Dexter "never adjust" as well as new hubs.

For the money its a good investment I know the brakes will wear evenly.
Buying as a complete set met also getting new bearings and seals.

[GMike A]

The issue I had was people that I took my drum too really couldnt identify it per se. So I ended up using the same drum and then since I could read the seal and bearing numbers I just went ahead and replaced those items with locally purchased parts from an auto store. The issue was not that I couldn't get new drums its just that there are (were) too many spindle sizes to contend with and even though I could read the stud, inner and outer diameters etc with my caliper it never seemed to jibe and I wouldn't be sure the seal would work - So I thought no problem I will just rebuild the old drums and be done with it.
Time to start the next phase.
Appreciate again all the input which allows me to jump to the next hurdle.
Mike

[GMike A]

Well my brakes have been replaced now and time to move on. Only comment I could make is that at the local auto parts store I spent $45.00 for 2 sets of bearings and seals (no races). On etrailer.com I could have had the bearings,races,seals,washers and cotter pins for $11.88. With that being said I now have new bearings which I can grease and take care of probably until the end of my time.