Dexter & AL-KO hub interchangability - Fiberglass RV
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Old 06-23-2006, 03:49 PM   #1
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Trailer: 1997 13 ft Scamp Deluxe and 2006 Airstream 75th Anniversary International Bambi Prototype
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Hi there...I'm looking for new hubs for my Dexter 8-257's as my originals don't have studs and I need studs for my new wheels. I have found the replacement Dexter kit thanks to help from this site, K08-257-91. Its a little pricey, and the AL-KO kits I've found are nearly $20 cheaper. SO....


Does anyone know if there is an exact AL-KO replacement that interchanges exactly with the 8-257 Dexter 7" X 1.25" 5 lug by 4.5" hub? I have found a few different listings, but none state which is the exact replacement...

Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks again!!!!

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Old 06-24-2006, 05:01 AM   #2
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Jeff,
This is not as hard as you may think. I know that it sounds confusing but with a little knowledge, you may be able to sort this out. First, you need to know that most electric trailer brakes are made by Dexter. Interchangeability of parts is common. There are only two 7”X 1.25” hub and drum assemblies available to fit virtually all electric brakes of that size. All you need to know is the spindle diameter or bearing number. Dexter axles with a spindle diameter of 1 1/6” (1.0625) use the 8-257 hub with 1-1/16" ID inner & outer bearing cones. The bearing number is L44649. They are referred to as “BT9” in some catalogs. The clue here is the bearing number. Some axle manufacturers have adapted the Dexter brakes to fit 1” spindles (BT8) and those use bearing L44643 but as far as I know, these were never used on a Dexter made axle. You can take you old hub to almost any marine or farm supply store for a match. Yes, they are high and for some unknown reason the hub and drum sets for 7” brakes are higher that those for 10” brakes. I have seen them priced from $57 to $69.
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Old 06-24-2006, 07:57 PM   #3
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According to a PDF on the #9 (1,000-2,200 lbs) Dexter axle that I downloaded from their site, the part numbers are as follows:

Drums
008-173-16 ½" Studs, elec. brakes ONLY 4 on 4.00
008-276-05 ½" Studs, hyd. brakes ONLY 4 on 4.00
008-257-05 ½" Studs, elec. brakes ONLY 5 on 4.50 <<<
008-271-07 ½" Studs, hyd. brakes ONLY 5 on 4.50
008-173-15 ½" Tapped, elec. brakes ONLY 4 on 4.00
008-276-04 ½" Tapped, hyd. brakes ONLY 4 on 4.00
008-257-04 ½" Tapped, elec. brakes ONLY 5 on 4.50 <<<
008-271-04 ½" Tapped, hyd. brakes ONLY 5 on 4.50I

If there is a Redneck Trailer Supply near you, I would suggest getting a price from them; and also check with Scamp -- Drums are heavy to ship.

Hydraulic brakes use 7"x1 3/4" shoes, so I presume those drums are bigger.

Jeff, the hub-drums are the most expensive part of the brakes, so after you have done your conversion, I suggest you list the old drums in the For Sale section so someone else can upgrade to brakes (all they would have to add to the axle is the hardware plate with the shoes and magnets, plus the wiring, breakaway switch and brake controller).
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Old 06-25-2006, 12:17 AM   #4
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Thanks again for the information, Pete.

I was mainly looking for the exact AL-KO kit that is comparable to my Dexter 8-257 hub. I can find the Dexter hubs no problem, but I was looking for the compatible AL-KO as their prices are nearly $30 cheaper at RV supply shops on average. The problem is finding the exact AL-KO equivalent to the Dexter. AL-KO's site and product list is a hodgepodge, and is very confusing. Let alone the fact that trailer supply catalogs that I've looked at list the top of the hubs page as "Hayes Dexter AL-KO" without specifying which part is for which manufacturer. The 4636 and 4637 part numbers listed in most RV parts catalogs don't specify the brand, and don't cross reference to either Dexter or AL-KO's own sites...none are compatible with my hubs. Two are listed. The 4636 is apparently a 7" X 1 1/4" electric brake hub, but with a 4 on 4 bolt circle. The 4637 is a 7" X 1 3/4" hydraulic brake hub, on the correct 5 on 4.5 bolt circle. But, no listing exists in these books for the 7" X 1 1/4" electric brake combined with the 5 on 4.5 bolt circle hub. I'm shocked that this is such a quest. Why can't AL-KO supply a kit number rather than all the individual parts? Its very frustrating to find the exact hub...and I have no clue as to why none of the parts supply books I've looked at at local RV supply shops/trailer fabricators list any other 7" hubs than the mystery 4636 and 4637 I described above.

Anyhoo...what I'm looking at doing now is simply installing studs in my hubs as another member here suggested. I've found 1/2" X 20 1.75" long studs, that screw in, but I'm concerned as to the length they screw into the hub themselves...I've got emails to companies that sell them and am awaiting a response. The studs don't LOOK in the pictures that they go in the hubs very far, and I don't know what determines how far they go, whether it be the depth of the preexisting bolthole, or the design of the stud itself. My bolts go into my hubs about 5/8" to 3/4" when the wheel is mounted...I want at least that with a stud conversion. Does anyone have any ideas on this scenario???

I will definitely let everyone know if I purchase new hubs that I will be selling my old ones. They only have maybe 5000 miles TOTAL on them; 3000 maximum with the breaks actually hooked up.

Thanks again everyone!!!


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Old 06-25-2006, 06:47 AM   #5
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I see that you are still having a hard time understanding the relationship between Hayes, Dexter and AL-CO and the reason that they are grouped together in some catalogs. I can tell you that prior to 1988, there were two basic types of electric trailer brakes. Sometime in 1988, Dexter became the only surviving manufacturer of electric trailer brakes and all axle manufacturers were forced to switch to that design. As you already know, the 4636 and 4637 hub part numbers will not fit your application. The reason that you don’t find AL-CO listings for 7" X 1 1/4" electric brake combined with the 5 on 4.5 bolt circle hub is simply that none were ever made. In fact, Dexter has been the only company, as far as I can tell, to ever make 7” electric brakes. Thus, there is no substitute for the Dexter 8-257 hub. The real mystery is why Scamp used lug bolts rather than studs in the first place.

Now, forget all that. There is absolutely no difference between your hubs and the available replacements that come with studs. As you have no doubt noticed, Dexter does not give the thread length for the K71-407-00, 1/2 - 20 studs. If you don’t get them from Dexter, make sure that the ¾ length studs don’t bottom out before being fully seated. Almost any good auto parts store will have an assortment of wheel studs and nuts. In Houma, help is only a phone call away: (985) 851-6421.
If you don’t want the studs to come out when you change wheels, use Threadlocker 270 - Maximum Strength Stud Locker by Loctite.
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Old 06-25-2006, 03:57 PM   #6
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Thank you, Craig, VERY much for clearing that up about the wheel hub manufacturers. Now it makes sense.

As far as wheel studs go, I've had difficulty finding screw-in studs at local auto shops here in Miami (I'm here since Katrina). I can find push in and headed screw-in's, but not non-headed screw-in's. The kids working at these stores (Napa included) have no clue what I'm talking about when I inquire about what I'm trying to do.

I've found some online, like I stated...but I'd like to get them locally, and I want to know exactly what I should be getting. You mention the 3/4"...I'm not sure how far any different screw-in studs will go; I simply measured the length of my bolts from the backside of my rim to find out that 5/8" to 3/4" of my bolts defintely screw into the hub. 1" will easily screw into the hub without hitting the backside of the hub. But, I don't know how far in is acceptable, nor do I know what stops them at a certain spot on the stud; I'm assuming the flat portion of the stud. Also, I need to find out how much stud length I will need from the mounting surface itself to mount the aluminum Torq Thrust rims on. I'm still trying to find out this information. I know I want at least 1/2" stud past the rim for the lugnuts to grab, but I don't know how much stud length I need overall to provide at least 1/2" for the lugnuts as I don't know the thickness on this part of the rim. I assumed it would be standard, but I can't find it anywhere online for any aluminum rim.

Thanks again,
Jeff
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Old 06-26-2006, 06:08 AM   #7
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Jeff,
If you look at the photo of the K71-407-00 studs in the Dexter catalog, you will see that the threads have a built in stop to, prevent them from hitting bottom in the hub. The short thread goes into the hub. A half inch is not nearly enough thread to hold the wheel. Your old bolts have a thread length of 0.88 in. From that, I am guessing that the Dexter studs are ¾ (0.75). If you don’t order the Dexter studs, you must measure the depth of the threaded hole in the hub.
http://dexteraxle.com/wheel_mounting_hardware
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