Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

M

maxistar

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Hi all

I am about to start adventure of re-installation of the entire hydraulic drum brake system and I need some tips and tops.

The trailer is two axels approximately 26’ long and 8’ wide, please see the picture. The brake actuator is DICO model 60.

What length Brake Line Kit do I need?

trailer1.jpg

trailer2.JPG

By the way, does anyone knows what is the brand/type/manufacturer of this trailer? I could not find any tag or serial number on it.
 
Lou C

Lou C

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

You will have to measure from the rear of the actuator, following along the side of the trailer frame till you get to a spot near the axles where you can anchor the line to the frame (some snake the line inside the frame, others attach it to the underside of the frame with brackets). The from that point you can run flexible rubber lines to the axles. I suggest that you go to
www.championtrailers.com
And look in the tech section. There is a very good article on how to install a whole brake system.
 
S

Silly Seville

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

maxistar said:
By the way, does anyone knows what is the brand/type/manufacturer of this trailer?
Click to expand...

How did you title/register the trailer without this info?

Never mind...I just read in another thread that the OP is in Serbia...:facepalm:
 
M

maxistar

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

@Lou Thanks! I will have a look at the champion site
@Silly Yes it is far away in Europe and trailer is still not registered. In effort to get it registered first I have to fix the brakes. Than it goes for so called homologation and technical attest. After that I can get the registration.

I took the measures and the distance from actuator to the point Lou suggested is approximately 16.5’. I spotted some brake line kits but the shortest is 20’. Is this going to be too long? Can I cut it to fit or do I need shorter brake line kit?
 
theBrownskull

theBrownskull

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

You can cut the line to any length desired just use a tubing cutter and flare the end. Remember to put the fitting on the brake line, after you cut it to the desired length, before you flare the end or it will not go on the line.
 
Lou C

Lou C

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

According to Champion they do not want you citing the hard line. If its too long it is not a problem, you can wrap it around a piece of pipe to take up the excess, I see this on new trailers.
If you need to take up some excess just coil it around a length of pipe, the slide the pipe out.
 
theBrownskull

theBrownskull

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

Lou you are correct, especially if it is stainless steel. It is always better to keep the line intact but sometimes it is not possible.

If the line is stainless steel you will have to be careful of cutting the line and will need a collar to prevent the line from splitting when flaring it. Some people use single flares on stainless. If it is regular steel it is more forgiving and can be double flared.

Since the trailer has to be inspected I would check and see what parameters are allowed when repairing the brakes.
 
FastFission

FastFission

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

From what I read when I was planning out my system, most of the manufacturer's do not recommend you cut and flare the tubing yourself. I believe there are some issues with US regulations regarding flaring stainless steel lines without the proper flaring equipment. You can just loop the excess tubing like some of the other posters have recommended. I did that on my flexible lines, and it worked fine. I would make sure you have the loops below the run on the lines so that you don't trap air in the loops when you bleed the system.
maxistar said:
@Lou Thanks! I will have a look at the champion site
@Silly Yes it is far away in Europe and trailer is still not registered. In effort to get it registered first I have to fix the brakes. Than it goes for so called homologation and technical attest. After that I can get the registration.

I took the measures and the distance from actuator to the point Lou suggested is approximately 16.5’. I spotted some brake line kits but the shortest is 20’. Is this going to be too long? Can I cut it to fit or do I need shorter brake line kit?
Click to expand...
 
M

maxistar

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

Ok it is clear; no cutting and improvisation. Then, I will buy the shortest brake line kit and that seems to be 20’ as far as I could find. If necessary, I will wrap the remaining line and fixate it somewhere safe. Although I am going to order everything from USA I am sure I can find some compatible material also locally. Thanks for the tips folks!
 
M

maxistar

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

The following issue I would like your opinion on is regarding manual park brake.

As already explained, in effort to register the trailer in Europe I have to possess manual park/emergency brake system which is operating independently from the working brake.
I found handbrake set for $160 and 10? drum brake assembly with manual park brake lever for $150 a peace. Yes, it is very expensive but I cannot avoid it.

Since it is very expensive to put this brake assembly on both axels I am wondering if it is going to be enough to install it only on one axle. The regulation is not specific about it. It says you only must have independently operating manual park/emergency brake system on the trailer.

Next question is where to mount it: on the front or rear axle?
 
Lou C

Lou C

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

Load Rite sells American trailers set up with euro style brake systems, I think they are cable operated drums with a parking brake. Try contacting them.
 
M

maxistar

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

Thanx Lou
I could not find any relevant parts in the catalogue so I guess I have to pay full price.

How about placing the emergency brakes? Front or rear axel and only one axel or both?
 
U

UncleWillie

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

maxistar said:
Thanx Lou
I could not find any relevant parts in the catalog so I guess I have to pay full price.

How about placing the emergency brakes? Front or rear axle and only one axle or both?
Click to expand...

On the Disco 60 actuator the Manual/Parking/Emergency brakes are built into the actuator.
There is nothing else to buy.
The lever on the top actuates the brakes manually if the lever is pulled forward.
There is a cable attached to the tow vehicle; if the trailer separates from the truck, this will pull the cable and operate the brakes manually.
 
Lou C

Lou C

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

I have never seen this set up in person, but I know it uses cable actuated drums with a parking brake, it is not a hydraulic surge system. You would have to contact a trailer dealer in Europe to find out about parts, and to find out it those brakes will fit on the US axle spindles. The catalog you looked at is a US catalog I bet those parts are not sold here and probably are only available in the markets where the trailers are sold.
 
M

maxistar

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

@Uncle Willie
@Lou
I appreciate it. I understand that Dico 60 has emergency/park brake built in. However, that brake operates on the same system as normal working brake(by pushing the hydraulic cylinder). There is some stupid rule in Europe which says that emergency/park brake cannot be operating on the same system as working brake. It needs to be separate and above that it cannot be hydraulic but mechanic. This is what I bought.

http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Titan/T2385200.html

http://www.etrailer.com/p-T4423700.html

The question still remains both axels or not?
 
U

UncleWillie

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

Logic would say parking brakes only on the front axle.
Seeing how it is truly manual, you could only apply them if you were already stopped.
Trying to balance 4 brakes on one cable would be problematic.
Two parking brake systems would be an ugly mess.
And if one axles parking brakes would not hold in position on a slight slope, you are on a hill that is way too steep to leave a detached trailer anyway.
Some kid would release the handle and then ..... well, let's not try to visualize that! :eek:

A set of chocks are always a good idea!
 
Lou C

Lou C

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

That should work fine, vehicles including big SUVs have them on only 1 axle. The other question you need to get answered is if you can use US style surge/hydraulic brakes for your primary system, because all the euro spec trailers I have see use mechanical for them too.
 
M

maxistar

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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

Once again many thanks for the tips. So it will be front axle and only on that one.
Yes Lou, it is possible to register trailer with primary hydraulic brake system IF you also have mechanic emergency/brake system besides.

Now I experience problem with placing the order on etrailer and easternmarine. They both do not have option to order the items by using credit card issued in Europe.
What a nightmare!
 
E

eddyjas

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May 26, 2012
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Re: Help needed with installation of hydraulic drum brake system

hydraulic brake system is now older one why you should try for the new latest technology called Hydrastar brakes which is really beneficial to avoid any kind of irregularity while traveling along to provide safety...
 
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