Electric Brakes

[Michael Fowler]

I am getting my 5th wheel ready for the season. It needs needs brake shoes.
It is equipped with 10 X 1 1/2 from Dexter Brake.
It seems that this brake has been "obsoleted"--parts are available; but not complete assemblies.
Would I be better off to swap in new larger, loaded backing plates ( New shoes, magnets hardware) and install new drums and bearings? Or is that extra braking capacity not needed? New size is 10 X 2 1/4 for a 50% increase.
What would you do?
Where would you set the price point? IOW--if it cost $100 for the replacement shoes, how much more would you spend to upgrade to the larger set up?

 

[sle2115]

I added brakes to my boat trailer for about $150, drums, backing plates and all. They are the larger size as well. That's been a few years ago, but I would still think $200 would do it and I would do that before $100 shoes, cause there are other parts that wear as well and the extra stopping power wouldn't hurt.

 

[RLDSL]

What is the weight rating on your axles?
I just got through doing some major reworking on my brakes and there's a trailer parts distributor nearby that suplies trailer manufacturers and I got one of their catalogs right here.
It shows all the different possible combinations currently available.

 

[Mike]

I am getting my 5th wheel ready for the season. It needs needs brake shoes.
It is equipped with 10 X 1 1/2 from Dexter Brake.
It seems that this brake has been "obsoleted"--parts are available; but not complete assemblies.
Would I be better off to swap in new larger, loaded backing plates ( New shoes, magnets hardware) and install new drums and bearings? Or is that extra braking capacity not needed? New size is 10 X 2 1/4 for a 50% increase.
What would you do?
Where would you set the price point? IOW--if it cost $100 for the replacement shoes, how much more would you spend to upgrade to the larger set up?

I cant answer whether or not you need the larger capacity, but if it were my fiver and I intended on keeping it and knew that down the road I would be in the brake repair game again I would change up to whatever is on the shelf available even if it cost me double.