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Changing drums to disc braks???

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Old 10-18-2003 | 05:59 AM
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Default Changing drums to disc braks???

My brother wants to change the drum brakes on his loadrite to disc brakes. Anyone know a good place to buy from? What brand? I have kodiak disc brakes on my trailer and have been happy with them.

As for installation, just removing all the drum, put on the new disc assemblies, maybe a few short pieces of flexible hose and and a backup solonoid at the actuator seems all there should be. Anything I missed?

Anyone done this? What kind of price are we looking at for two axles?
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Old 10-18-2003 | 08:10 AM
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www.championtrailers.com they have a kit that I have used with great sucess.

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Old 10-18-2003 | 08:12 AM
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Default Drum to Disc

I changed out my brakes last year on my tri-axle trailer to disc. I bought my kits from Northern Tools (formerly Northern Hydralic) and it was a direct bolt on. No special tools, no drilling. Hubs come complete.
The only thing I had to do was on my surge brake actuator, I had to take a pick and punch a hole in the end of the master cylinder to release pressure. This was all in the instructions that came with the disc
I believe the kits are about $90 each.
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Old 10-18-2003 | 09:07 AM
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Thanks Steet!!! Just checked them out, 120 each.... Much appreciated!!!! I'm good to go!!!
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Old 10-19-2003 | 08:46 PM
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What ever you do, add the deluxe back up solonoid, not the cheaper basic one. Best extra $20 ever spent. Disc brakes will not budge in reverse if there is any pressure still in the line when put into reverse.
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Old 10-19-2003 | 10:12 PM
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The trick is...you cannot stop and immediately backup.
You have to come to a stop , release the brakes and role forward just enough to release the trailer brakes , then put it in reverse and close the solenoid with no pressure in the system.
You wouldn't believe the people I've seem spinning their wheels in the stone parking lot at the marina I launch at while trying to back up with discs
Did mine two years ago and aside from the solenoid going bad , probably a month after I did it , they have been money well spent
Less labor intensive than drums with fewer moving parts and stop like hell .
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Old 10-20-2003 | 05:39 AM
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To combat the backup issue.. What I did on mine is not hook the solonoid 12v line to my backup lights. I ran the 12v line to a switch in my cab. Now when I come up the street which is up hill, I hit the switch on. Now I know the coupler isn't putting pressure on the brakes. I turn around and come back down hill in order to back in my drive way. Prior to the switch I would have to pull forward down hill quick to release pressure on actuator and then hit reverse quick... what a pain... You could run a double 12 line also, one from the backup lights and one to the cab switch. I did that, but found the cab switch worked just fine...
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Old 10-20-2003 | 06:51 AM
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US1 Fountain... Where did you get this deluxe backup solonoid???
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Old 10-20-2003 | 07:10 AM
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From the Champion website in post #2.
It is only $60. You will need to drill and tap a 1/8 NPT in the back of the master cyl for the return line. I just changed mine over last week to the deluxe. Got tired of using a jumper wire to lock out the cheaper solonoid every time I backed into my garage, which is up hill. And to think, this was a $200 option on my Eagle when I ordered it this spring and they installed the CHEAP one.
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Old 10-20-2003 | 09:11 PM
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If you have the big round trailer plug with 6 or 7 pins on your truck, the center pin is connected to the backup lights. You can then buy the adapter to convert from the round plug to a flat 5 pin plug that most trailers use that have disc brakes.
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