Another trailer brake question

[Jstpssng]

(We almost need a separate Trailering forum)
As several here have pointed out, the mobile home axles on my trailer aren't legal to use. It needs new brakes anyways, can anyone tell me if a generic 12" brake assembly will work on a mobile home axle?

Thanks.

RHW

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

I don't know much about tractors, but I do know a little about mobile home axles, maybe enough to be helpful. Mobile home axles get used and re-used by mobile home movers. Somewhere around your neck of the woods, there is probably somebody who deals in these axles, a mobile home axle boneyard so to speak.

If you can find this person, you could probably swap out for some decent brakes for your trailer pretty cheaply. They are pretty universal, only a few kinds as I understand it. I doubt if any non-mobile home brake assemblies will fit your axles.

 

[OffBalance]

The brake backing plates on old MH axles are welded on. You will have to knock them off, and weld on a fitting for the new style electric brake backing plates to bolt to. BUT before you go to the trouble, you need to make sure that the brakes will fit properly into your old drums.

Another consideration is that the spindles on MH axles are not designed to be replaced, and are not very well made, and are usually substandard metal. They only have to last a few miles, you know...

Also, can you still get seals/bearings for the MH wheels?

 

[OffBalance]

If you find some old MH axles, you will probably need to change their length by cutting and re-welding.

 

[George2615]

I have the same problem with my 16' homemade beavertail trailer. After 7 years use the brakes are shot. The backing plates are welded in place and the brake pivot points are riveted. I cut the axles to the length I needed, sleeved them and re-welded back together to fit when I built it. My spring center spacing is not standard so I would have to obtain and fab newer MH axles with good brakes and go through this again down the road or cut off the backing plates and replace them with brake kits sold at TSC stores. This time I chose to cut my losses and sell mine as-is without working brakes. If registered under 3000# in NY, it doesn't need them. I just ordered a new factory built 20' Hyd. tilt flatbed for under $3200. With steel and fuel prices what they are today I figured it would be cost prohibitive for materials/labor/ fuel/electric etc. for me to build a new one. If your a good fabricator, you could probably replace your MH brakes with the brake kits sold at TSC stores. I needed a bigger trailer so chose not to go that way.

 

[htiek126]

MH brakes and standard trailer brakes have different bolt patterns and a different size center hole. It is my understanding that they are specifically made such that the standard brakes are not compatiable with the MH axles. Otherwise, I suspect they will work just fine. I have two mobile home axles on my homemade trailer, and they need to be replaced after only 2 years. I hope to fabricate some sort of adapter on my current axles, but I have had time to start this project.

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( With steel and fuel prices what they are today I figured it would be cost prohibitive for materials/labor/ fuel/electric etc. for me to build a new one. If your a good fabricator, you could probably replace your MH brakes with the brake kits sold at TSC stores. I needed a bigger trailer so chose not to go that way.)</font>

George makes a very good point here. I am a very proficient welder, and several of my family members work every single day as fabricators and welders. In the past, I've strengthened my trailers, replaced axles, strengthened tongues, straightened bent trailers etc. However, as George pointed out, with material prices skyrocketing up, if there is any chance that you may need a larger/better/newer/stronger trailer, if you can, now may very well be a great time to do so.

I bought a 20' heavy duty gooseneck trailer with a 5' dovetail complete for less than what my parts cost would have been. This trailer has 12" I beam frame running down each side and up in the "gooseneck" portion. By the time I priced the same sized steel that was used and axles and brakes, I had already reached the purchase price; and I hadn't even gotten to the price of the bed, wheels and tires, or wiring! There are some great deals to be had if you can possibly swing a new trailer.

 

[George2615]

I just posted some pics of the trailer I recently picked up. They are in the members photo area. As I said before. I needed a larger trailer and didn't want to go through a major job of removing the MH backing plates and adapting new brakes to the MH axles. Also did not have enough time to build a new trailer nor could I have built it for under the price of this trailer.
George