Is my axel on backwards?

[AlanKilian]

I just did the basic electric brake adjustment for my new Flexiride axle and it was pretty much in correct adjustment from the factory.

This was SUPER simple compared to all that old rusty junk I had on all my cars in the 1980s and 1990s. Probably because it's BRAND NEW!

I'm going to hook up and do the brake shoe bedding-in and brake controller tests next.
If I don't come back from my trip, you know what happened.

🙂

[AlanKilian]

Hmmmm.........

I didn't seem to get much braking action from the trailer using the override button on the remote.

So I adjusted tighter and got a little more.
So I went a click or two tighter and got a bit.

It does slow down, but with very light braking pressure.
I don't know if that's what I should expect or not.

I think there's no way it would lock the tires on gravel at all.

My trailer is basically empty 13', so it doesn't weigh a lot.

Hubs got warm and the brake drums got hot. Not super hot. I could touch them, but they were uncomfortably warm to my fingers. I know my brake rotors get so hot that when I touch them, I can only hold my finger on them for 1/4 second, and the brake drums were MUCH cooler than that, but hot.

I'll jack it up and see if anything is dragging and then watch some more videos.

And probably disconnect the brake wire output from the controller and put an ammeter inline to see what kind of current I'm getting.

[Kenny Strong]

Jon I have a question concerning Flexiride, or Dexter or any other axle with brake drums. When I bought new brake shoes and backing plates they were marked right and left. The brakes are set on the backing plate to actuate with more pressure on the primary shoe and less on the other. There is a front shoe and rear shoe. The backing plates are not for either side. they are one sided. So in my thinking, if I take, say a Flexiride axle and the directions show it mounting as a trailing link; If I mount any axle not set up by the manufacturer as leading link, and I mount it as leading link. I have to change the backing plates and shoes to the other side so the brakes work correctly.
Does this make sense ? I can't just put a new axle on any way I want without, thinking about how the brakes are affected ?
A change in thought. I ordered a new Dexter axle, It is trailing link, my trailer was set up with a Dexter leading link. I am not going to change my new axle to leading link. I can't place the new axle in the same place, because the mounting brackets on the old axle are angled at 15 degrees out of square and are part of the frame The axle goes thru the center of the frame not under the frame. Dexter does not build a new axle this way. It is a real mess. I have to weld special mounting plates 1 foot farther forward of the current axles position. (on the out of square frame).
The Frame on the 13' Bigfoot trailer has caused great stress for people changing axles.

Later Kenny

[AlanKilian]

When I jacked it up indeed I had adjusted the brakes so that they were slightly dragging. Too much dragging I think.

So I adjusted them a little looser and the wheels turn freely with a little skrithch skritch skritch onve-per-revolution so I think I'm OK with adjustment.

I pulled a wire and measured about 5.6 Amps when the brakes are on full and I hit the button. I read on one website that two coils on a 7" brake set should draw 6.2 to 6.8 Amps, so I think all my wiring and brake controller are fine.

I went out on the highway and hit the button for 1-2 seconds and then cooled for a minute or so and it seemed like the brakes were getting a little more aggressive, so I'm going to let it be and see how it goes.

[AlanKilian]

Well, I didn't study the geometry quite enough before mounting the brake controller so THIS happened. Conflict on the tongue!

I couldn't move it forward enough to make it clear in either orientation so I had to relocate it to the other side. Of course, the breakaway switch was over there, so I relocated that to THIS side. (If it's not one thing, it's TWO things.)

And I stripped a bolt/nut doing so, so I got to scooter in to the hardware store. It wasn't all bad.

Back in action.

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Kenny Strong

Jon ....The axle goes thru the center of the frame not under the frame. Dexter does not build a new axle this way. It is a real mess. I have to weld special mounting plates 1 foot farther forward of the current axles position. (on the out of square frame).
The Frame on the 13' Bigfoot trailer has caused great stress for people changing axles.

Later Kenny

Kenny, I think we had the same mess when we did our axle.



New plates had to be welded, yada yada.