Electric brakes, is Al KO as good as any for outback travel? 10" or 12"?

Submitted: Tuesday, Aug 31, 2010 at 20:14
ThreadID: 81076 Views:4228 Replies:6 FollowUps:11
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Hi all

Just looking for electric brakes for a trailer and wondered what the best type were for outback travel?

10"or 12"?

Regards
GN
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Reply By: Bushranger1 - Tuesday, Aug 31, 2010 at 21:22

Tuesday, Aug 31, 2010 at 21:22
Make sure you get some that are designed for off road use.

I literally shook apart the inner workings of my electric brakes on the corrugated roads of the outback before a mechanic realised that the wrong ones had been fitted to my off road trailer. Never had any other problems after I got the right ones fitted.

Can't beat electric brakes when the going gets tough. Saved me from being dragged backwards by my loaded trailer on loose steep tracks on more than one occasion. Overide brakes are useless in this situation.
If your going to be heavily loaded up with fuel & water I would go for the bigger ones.
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Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 07:51

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 07:51
Hi Bushranger

Thanks for info, had not considered the backwards help, as i was originaly looking at overide.

Was told 10" fine but i felt 12" would be worth it in the long run but wasnt sure.

regards
GN
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Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Tuesday, Aug 31, 2010 at 23:20

Tuesday, Aug 31, 2010 at 23:20
10" brakes are generally used on 13 & 14" wheels and 12" brakes on 15 & 16" wheels. If you use 10" brakes on the larger wheels then the axle carrying capacity is reduced due to the small brakes not being as effective on the larger wheels. 12" brakes will not fit in 14" wheels (or if they do the cooling will be insufficient.)

I am not sure, but Al-Ko may be the only supplier of off road magnets.
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Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 07:53

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 07:53
Hi Nomadic Navara

again thanks, so its 12" and not much to worry about camparing for the offroad side, just go AL KO!

Regards
GN
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 11:28

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 11:28
GN - if the weight of your trailer is well within the specifications of the 10" drums then you could use them and save some weight. The 12" drums are extremely heavy. I had my 1600 kg axle upgraded to a 2,000 kg one, it took 3 blokes to get the new one under the van.

For a selection of brakes see this link.

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Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 11:41

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 11:41
Hi Nomadic Navara

so what size is the 1600kg axle vs the size of the 2200kg axle?

Ho much of the weight is in the brakes vs the axle size do you think?

Regards
GN
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 16:44

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 16:44
GN - it went from a 50 mm square overlay to a 50 mm square straight. If there was any difference in weight the straight one would have been lighter.

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Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 17:12

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 17:12
Hi Nomadic Navara

So you are saying all the extra weight was in the larger brakes?

How much heavier would you guess it was ?

I thought a 50mm square axle only gave you about 1500-1700kg depending on bearing type?

Regards
GN
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 18:02

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 18:02
1600 kg for overlay axles - 2,000 kg for straight axles.
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Reply By: skmaint - Tuesday, Aug 31, 2010 at 23:22

Tuesday, Aug 31, 2010 at 23:22
10 inch are fine for up to about 1500kg.....but like Bushranger1 said make sure they are offroad and not standard or yes they will fall to pieces.

Cheers
Simon.
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Reply By: On Patrol & TONI - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 05:52

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 05:52
G N (VIC)
AL-KO are a major supplier of trailer products and as such would be the better supplier, an added advantage would also be replacement parts availability that comes from being the market leader.

AL-KO also are, I believe, the sole supplier of dedicated off road magnets, this makes AL-KO the obvious supplier for outback travel.
Cheers, Colin.
AnswerID: 429075

Reply By: JAX W - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 07:36

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 07:36
Don't overlook electric/hydraulic disc brakes if you are serious about fitting the best system.

Regards, Jack
AnswerID: 429080

Follow Up By: Member - G N (VIC) - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 07:55

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 07:55
Hi Jack

did consider at one point but thought cost bit high, but also have been put off disk brakes where they cop all the rocks, local bloke has seen a lot of buggered disks in this situation, so happy with the drums

thanks GN
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 11:07

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 11:07
For something like a camping trailer this would double its price, wouldn't it.

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Reply By: Member - Nick (TAS) - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 08:47

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 08:47
Sorry for the hijack but when people say "dedicated" off road brake set-up, is there a complete brake assy. for offroad or is it just the magnets.
We shook apart a set of onroad magnets in 15000kms last year but have updated to offroad magnets now.
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 11:08

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 11:08
It's just the magnets that differ.

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Follow Up By: Bushranger1 - Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 17:41

Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010 at 17:41
Yep. Just the magnets are different.

When my magnets broke they damaged other parts inside the hub assy which I might add were all supplied to me free of charge from the trailer manufacturer.
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