Calling All Gear Heads -Need Brake Drum Help

[Travelover]

I think you are over looking a majior problem. On drums for electric brakes the face of the drum where the magnets rub is machined flat. I have never seen a car or truck drum like that.
Bill

Ouch, that could be a problem.

You are going to have to go to an integrated drum&hub assembly for the electric brakes to work. The next problem is that all of the drum hub assemblies are 5 on 4 1/2. Now your rims won't fit The other problem I see is the width of the brake shoes.The shoes have to match the drums. You might be better off adding surge brakes. Then you could use automotive brake assemblies.
Bill

Good thoughts. I think Car Doc helped me with converting the 4.75 circle to 4.5.

The other issues are a concern.

 

[Taylortractornut]

I thought I was the only one with this head ache lol. Last year I did one of these conversions for a friends trailer also an ex uhaul. We had done one other trailer he had but found the brke drum on my old Hill trailer would work. I lost the ordering information. I got tired and and went to the local trailer maker and bought 3 bent axles at 25 cents a pound. I just ground the welds out ot 2 of the scrapped axles spindles and did the same on the Uhaul. then pressed them in and rewelded them. Used the old hubs on a trailer and a log arch.

 

[Travelover]

I thought I was the only one with this head ache lol. Last year I did one of these conversions for a friends trailer also an ex uhaul. We had done one other trailer he had but found the brke drum on my old Hill trailer would work. I lost the ordering information. I got tired and and went to the local trailer maker and bought 3 bent axles at 25 cents a pound. I just ground the welds out ot 2 of the scrapped axles spindles and did the same on the Uhaul. then pressed them in and rewelded them. Used the old hubs on a trailer and a log arch.

Thanks for the reply. The weird thing about the UHaul is that it doesn't use a spindle like an ordinary trailer axle. It looks like the photo below. If I was a better machinist, I could buy some loose spindles and make a hub adapter that would bolt up where the UHaul hubs bolt on. But if I had to pay someone to make it, I'd be better off with buying a whole new axle.

 

[Taylortractornut]

I used to cut off Chevy Citation rear axle for single axle trailers. Id cut the the end flanges off and weld them to the pipe i wanted and then bolt on the spindles. One of my old Mud pumps had the axle made from a set of front hubs/ wheel bearings off a the front of a montana van. It had a roar i nthe front end about mile 75 of a hundred mile trip. I got them from the garage and made some flanges and welded them to the axle. and bolted them on. SInce the pump was just local use.


Take one of yor hubs and go to a late model car yard, That looks alot like some of the rear bearings of a montana mini van rearend.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Have you tried Reneck trailer supplies? THey have alot of connections to other mfg's and older conversions.

 

[Travelover]

Have you tried Reneck trailer supplies? THey have alot of connections to other mfg's and older conversions.

Thanks, yes, I've combed the internet.

My current plan is to build a hub adapter so I'll end up with a standard trailer spindle which will accept brakes. I bought some 2.75 OD / 1.75 ID tubing and 1/2" plate (4"x4"). I will buy some spindles with a 1.75" shank and insert them into the tubing. Then I'll bore a 2.75" hole in the plate and weld it in the appropriate position so it can be bolted to the trailer flange.

I'm only a so-so welder and machinist, but this should be way overkill for a 1250# trailer.

 

[Car Doc]

Travelover,

Just as an after thought I have used fwd car REAR axles for lawnmower trailers quite a few times the fwd dodge k-cars are a dime a dozen and cavilers and citations same thing.

Mainly because its extremely simple and they come with std automotive wheels and tires and readily available parts and I usually only pay 100-150 for a complete one with tires and all just throwing that out. Plus they are in alignment with each other makes for good tread life.

edit; oops I see the fwd rear axle has been mentioned already so +1 on that idea.

 

[Travelover]

Travelover,

Just as an after thought I have used fwd car REAR axles for lawnmower trailers quite a few times the fwd dodge k-cars are a dime a dozen and cavilers and citations same thing.

Mainly because its extremely simple and they come with std automotive wheels and tires and readily available parts and I usually only pay 100-150 for a complete one with tires and all just throwing that out. Plus they are in alignment with each other makes for good tread life.

edit; oops I see the fwd rear axle has been mentioned already so +1 on that idea.

Thanks for the suggestion. This is a kind of a weird travel trailer with tight wheel well space, so I need to meet a bunch of parameters at once to make it all work, look decent and be safe. I think I have it covered now - just need to machine up my adapters.

I appreciate the advice I've gotten here, even when it was bad news.