Brake Assemblies

GreyWolfWpg · 03-10-2022, 10:22 AM

Hello all,

I’m looking for some suggestions regarding quality of after market parts for our trailer. We own a 2017 174BH which requires replacement brake drum assemblies and bearings. I would like to know what manufacturer’s you would recommend as replacements for the factory components. I would like to get better quality items that will last longer than what an RV service center would install. I will be doing the work myself.

Marcm157 · 03-10-2022, 10:41 AM

I can't speak to the brake part of this but When I got my last trailer, a 2016 28BHBE the very first thing I did was replace all the bearings and seals with Timkens. I pulled the wheels when I got it home and 1 bearing was so tight I could barely spin the tire, 1 had almost no grease at all. I just traded that one after 5 years and as soon as the snow clears here, I will be doing the same thing to my new one.

garywilson · 03-10-2022, 08:47 PM

If it is a Dexter axle, get Dexter brakes/drums.
Mine came with manual adjusting, upgraded to self-adjusting.
Shop around for Dexter parts- many (many) vendors sell the parts. E-trailer, Amazon, etc.

crockettlarry · 03-10-2022, 09:53 PM

Etrailer.com

Great support before the sale, and after if you need it.

mrmom · 03-11-2022, 06:06 AM

X2 on E-Trailer. Great products and great customer service plus pretty good prices.

RogerR · 03-11-2022, 02:53 PM

Over greased my bearings, ruined the brake pads.

Called E Trailer and they got me complete replacements with 2 wires and a couple of bolts on each side. No fighting with springs, got self adjusting brakes. Way better.

ETrailer is my go to place for parts and help!

BuddyRay · 03-11-2022, 03:53 PM

Just be aware, after you replace the brake assemblies with self adjusting ones that it can take 500 miles or more for those brakes to "Settle in". After I had mine replaced I thought they weren't working. The shop kinda laughed at me and said "give it some miles", sure enough they now work great.
OH, and WHY did I need to replace my brakes? Let's just say that I'm never pumping grease into "Easy Lube" hubs again. It's manually packing bearing from now on.

One other tip - if you don't want to do the work yourself. We all know that most RV shops are backed up for months and nobody wants to do business with the "Evil Empire". I discovered that dealers that sell construction, landscape, and motor transport trailers use all the exact same axels, springs, break assemblies and wiring as RV's. They may not know how to fix your RV refrigerator but they probably know a LOT more about what's under the chassi than Camping World does. My local trailer dealer does bearing repacks and inspections for 1/4 what Camping World charges and can frequently do it "same day".

crockettlarry · 03-11-2022, 04:49 PM

Great tip. Thanks!

16WhiteColly · 03-11-2022, 05:36 PM

As said above, you may think the brakes are defective at first, I was cranking up the brake controller settings when the brakes were new, then a couple of trips later, they started grabbing so hard, I had to back off the settings.

ttavasc · 03-11-2022, 05:56 PM

I replaced the OEM Dexter brake assemblies with Husky Tow brake assemblies after discovering a couple of them came from the factory with the grease seals blown. So far I've been pleased with the performance of them though once I found the greased pads it explained the less than ideal performance of the OEM Dexter's.

garywilson · 03-11-2022, 08:31 PM

When putting on any new brakes/shoes, they must be initially adjusted, self-adjusting or not. If they were close to the right adjustment you would never get the drum on.

If properly adjusted they will work immediately just as manual adjusting do. Either one, burnish them the way the manufacturer's instructions say to or the 'break-in' will take longer.

GraphiteDriver · 03-31-2022, 10:43 AM

Our trailer came stock with Lippert axles and Lippert self adjusting brake assemblies. I replaced the Drums and brake shoe assemblies with Dexter, along with Timken bearings. I also went with larger magnets and manual adjusters. The auto adjusting shoes on the Lippert brakes never seemed to correctly adjust. Always had to run my gain at 7 or above. It takes me about an hour to adjust the brakes at the beginning of each season, but well worth it. Now I keep the gain at 4 and that's plenty.

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