Which Axle to Brake first, Front or Back?

[dcyrilc]

Mine has them on all three axles.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

but reality is parts are like $300 an axle. why wouldn't you do both?

Because I only paid $300 for the trailer. I don't want to sink too much into the trailer until I've proven to myself that it's worth it. I'm planning to do lights and a single brake axle to get me going. If I like it enough to keep it, I'll eventually add the brakes to the second axle.

See the attached pic. The trailer in the foreground is the new one. The one to the left of it is my old one. It's a good trailer, but I really miss the tilt feature I had on the shorter trailer I had before. The white one in the background is the neighbor's.

 

[CurlyDave]

Because I only paid $300 for the trailer. I don't want to sink too much into the trailer until I've proven to myself that it's worth it.

I tend to look at these things more along the lines of "how much is my life worth?"

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Because I only paid $300 for the trailer. I don't want to sink too much into the trailer until I've proven to myself that it's worth it.

I tend to look at these things more along the lines of "how much is my life worth?"

My life is probably worth about twice what I paid for the trailer. I don't aspire to be too awfully important.

Besides, my tractor is a Massey 1215!! It may weigh 2500 lbs caked with mud and full of fuel. I think the situations where brakes on the front axle will make a life and death difference are very few and far between. I've spent many years pulling much heavier trailers than this with maybe a few lights that work, let alone brakes. I'm just happy to have any brakes at all.

 

[MikeD74T]

Never given "which axle" much thought as my trailer has brakes on both but if I unload & forget to reduce the setting on my controller it's always the front axle that locks up & drags the tires. MikeD74T

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would worry about that tongue way before I worried about brakes.

Chris

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Never given "which axle" much thought as my trailer has brakes on both but if I unload & forget to reduce the setting on my controller it's always the front axle that locks up & drags the tires. MikeD74T

That's another vote for the first set of brakes on the rears. If the fronts lock up first the rears are still braking after the fronts have quit.

 

[LBrown59]

Never given "which axle" much thot.

Put 1 brake on one side of the front axle and the other on the opposite side ot the rear axle. :thumbsup:

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Put 1 brake on one side of the front axle and the other on the opposite side ot the rear axle. :thumbsup:

I guess then, in the most technical sense, I would actually have brakes on both axles.

Right now I'm hoping that I can save enough on shipping if I buy two sets that I can justify getting both now.

 

[FlaDon]

Great site Don. Thanks.

I see only 6 states require them on all wheels and also the District of Columbia and on some of them its only over/after a certain weight.

Looking at the list none of the 10 or so states I commonly travel require them on all wheels.

Chris

Bad, or good part, is that the main states I travel in do. Simplest to go for the highest requirement and not worry about it in any state. Florida requires the high standard, all wheels if over 3K as does GA. Rest of the states are not as specific.


And as MikeD74T says, empty, my front wheels are first to lock if the controller isn't cut back. I set it so in an emergency, the brakes will come on when empty. When doing normal stops, the truck handles it. Change in weight on the axles can be over 4K lbs between empty and loaded on a 7K GVWR trailer. That make a big difference in wheel grip. Tires chirping to a stop means excess tire wear.