Teach me about axles and brakes

[tr250]

Just looking into buying a new livestock trailer and looking at brakes and axles. Looking at 10 ton trailer with one manafacturer having 300x135 on 8 stud 90mm axle and another having 350x60 on 80mm 8 stud. Which way round is best?

 

[ridger]

90 mm is a lot stronger

 

[mo!]

300x135 is the area of the brake shoe which is bigger than the other one.

I'd go 10 stud commercial with air and then it will be future proofed. Or 10 stud without and then adding air is a bolt on at a later date.

 

[tr250]

90 mm is a lot stronger

Yes other option is 10 stud 127mm 406x120 but they all tell me that’s not needed on a 10 ton and it’s dear enough as it is.

 

[Tarw Coch]

As said, the 300x135 should be the better brakes, on the face of it the 90mm axle should be stronger than the 80mm but that would be assuming they’re the same steel thickness. The fact that the 80mm has bigger brakes does make me wonder if it’s also a heavier steel section.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

As said, the 300x135 should be the better brakes, on the face of it the 90mm axle should be stronger than the 80mm but that would be assuming they’re the same steel thickness. The fact that the 80mm has bigger brakes does make me wonder if it’s also a heavier steel section.

80 and 90mm square axles will usually be solid. The 80mm one has a larger diameter drum but actually less braking surface area due to the very narrow brake shoes.

 

[Tarw Coch]

80 and 90mm square axles will usually be solid. The 80mm one has a larger diameter drum but actually less braking surface area due to the very narrow brake shoes.

Sorry my mistake on previous post, I got it Wrong way round thinking the smaller axle had the bigger brakes, it doesn’t, making my previous post bollox.

 

[quattro]

Go for 10stud commercial axle it will be cheaper and easier to maintain
Especially if the others aren’t commercial spec

 

[Andrew]

I wouldn’t buy a trailer now without S cam brakes.

 

[tr250]

I wouldn’t buy a trailer now without S cam brakes.

Sorry to be thick but what are they?

 

[ridger]

Sorry to be thick but what are they?

Ones that adjust with a socket

 

[Andrew]

Sorry to be thick but what are they?

The cam in the drum on the end of the rotating shaft is S shape rather than flat.

Also fit proper slack adjusters rather than those bits of scrap you take off and rotate rhe shaft. Basically get proper commercial brakes.

 

[Zetor]

10 stud commercial axle will be by far the cheapest to own

 

[tr250]

Ones that adjust with a socket

Oh I know the ones

 

[Andrew]

10 stud commercial axle will be by far the cheapest to own

Definitely. Last time I brought some new commercial axles they were £600 each so not hugely expensive. It was also only £30 ish extra to have ABS sensors fitted so I’d get them too, just to let you upgrade in future if you wanted.

 

[quattro]

Sorry to be thick but what are they?

All commercial axles should be a s type camshaft which are smother for applying brakes,greasable bushes on both ends and proper greasable slack adjusters as others have said adjustable with a spanner/socket
also usually brake linings which are riveted on and more readily available

 

[ridger]

Need these

 

[bez]

Definitely. Last time I brought some new commercial axles they were £600 each so not hugely expensive. It was also only £30 ish extra to have ABS sensors fitted so I’d get them too, just to let you upgrade in future if you wanted.

Looking for new axles also, do you mind me asking who it was you got them off?

 

[Andrew]

Looking for new axles also, do you mind me asking who it was you got them off?

Brought them direct from Granning UK. 2 axles, all the suspension kit etc.
Then sent all the specs to Erentek and they supplied a complete brake kit with appropriate sized actuators for the weight.