Dual braking axles

[Eric_Phillips]

My wife bought a used 2 horse trailer with dual axles. I pulled the wheels off to get the tires changed and noticed both axles have brake hubs but only one axle has electricity to it. Is there a reason they would have put dual brake axles on but only activate one? Would there be any problem running a brake line to the second axle?

 

[oosik]

I'll take a guess. Certain jurisdictions would require both axels have brakes and certain ones may only require a single.

 

[ovrszd]

No reason not to. I'm assumimg there are wires hanging out of the backing plates?

 

[Eric_Phillips]

There are no wires at all going to the rear axle. The front axle is hooked up.

 

[newbury]

Reads like someone had to meet the letter of the law for "brakes on all axles".

 

[Rock knocker]

They may have unhooked one because if the trailer was level, the rear axle may have been so unloaded it was locking up all the time.

 

[ovrszd]

There are no wires at all going to the rear axle. The front axle is hooked up.

Yeah, I get it that the wiring harness doesn't go to the rear axle. I'm questioning whether there are wire stubs sticking out of the backing plate. For example, look at your front axle wiring harness. Follow it to the wheel backing plate. Where the wires go thru the backing plate. Are there wires in that location on the rear axle?? This will indicate that the brake assembly is present and has simply been "cut" loose. At that location if there is no evidence of previous wiring and/or and empty hole thru the backing plate this will indicate that there is no brake assembly inside.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

After getting in there and pulling the hubs I found the wires to the rear axle. They are all hooked up.

 

[ovrszd]

Do you understand how electric brakes work?

 

[robertsa]

Do you understand how electric brakes work?

:laughing: You are showing a lot of patience here.