Has anyone made a setup to use air brake trailers behind a truck without air? I've thought of this for a long time just never had the time to pursue it. Maybe a bigger 12 volt compressor and electric solenoids to operate them with regulated pressure. Kind of like the way they do electric over hydraulic brakes, vary the pressure depending on load.
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air brakes
- Thread starter gwhammy
- Start date
I had a 2 friends that rigged up air brake set ups on trucks with out air . The first was on a pickup to pull a homemade trailer that he built a air over hyd to run homemade axles with hyd brakes . Same guy did it agin on a c60 to pull a factory built pup grain trailer. He used York ac compressors . I havent saw the other rig he died but a friend ended up with his 1ton its a 1977 f350. It had a air brake set up he moved here from Arizona i think he pulled a full size van trailer with air brakes to move here. I have thought alot about this but now i have a truck with air brakes.
I worked with a guy back in the 80's that had a one ton a mechanic had switched to air over hydraulic brakes. Worst part of it was you had no brakes till the air came up and it was a manual transmission. I just get tired of keeping electric brakes working, they just seem to have a lot of problems. I've had electric over hydraulic and had some problems with the pump units on them. Never had the vacuum over hydraulic and you really don't see them much anymore. Air over hydraulic would be the basic same controls as air brakes.
Birken Vogt
Charter Member
That sheet says it is for mineral hydraulic oil though. Most rubber parts are for one fluid or the other and not compatible, at least that is what I thought.
Truck Shop
Senior Member
Against better judgement-I will add to this.
John Deere is responsible for the development of that valve I read.
John Deere is responsible for the development of that valve I read.
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They aren't as good, but going 6 months is not long at all something isn't right. Old trailer I bought new in 2 years all I did was adjust them, newer one is 1 year old and same thing only adjusted them a few times. If you have employees pulling the trailers and guys yanking on cords etc or dragging them on the ground they have a lot more issues, but IMO electric brakes are pretty dang reliable if looked after. Also i've never had to replace shoes/pads because trailer sat a fair bit with electric, whereas my air brake trailer I had to do a set of shoes for that reason. In my time of owning both, air brake trailers have given me more brake related issues hands down. Also no risk of losing tires from a frozen brake if someone isn't paying attention.
I just can't seem to keep them working. My gooseneck has all new wiring put together last year. They worked but now I can barely feel them. They should be self adjusting shouldn't they?
My air brake trailer had used pads on the axles and they worked great. I saw a couple getting thin so I replaced all of them last year or the year before and haven't touched them since. I'm the only driver of both and try to be careful since I'm the one who has to fix them. It never has less than 40,000 lbs.
The electric brake axles are two 12,000 lb. axles. I haven't looked at the brakes but the trailer just pulled chemicals for the farmer I bought it from in the spring and never went over 10 miles from his house. I do pull it a lot local loaded with a 18,000 lb. excavator or 95 Kubota.
My air brake trailer had used pads on the axles and they worked great. I saw a couple getting thin so I replaced all of them last year or the year before and haven't touched them since. I'm the only driver of both and try to be careful since I'm the one who has to fix them. It never has less than 40,000 lbs.
The electric brake axles are two 12,000 lb. axles. I haven't looked at the brakes but the trailer just pulled chemicals for the farmer I bought it from in the spring and never went over 10 miles from his house. I do pull it a lot local loaded with a 18,000 lb. excavator or 95 Kubota.
Junkyard
Senior Member
We have every kind of trailer brake setup there is at work. Lots of electric. Here’s what I find to be the most common issue in order of frequency.
#1 Bad ground. Anytime I make a repair I run a nice heavy ground from the trailer plug to the trailer frame. Clean all the paint off etc and get a good clean contact. Go from there to junction box. Make sure truck ground is good and if there’s doubt, run one and ditch the factory ground if need be.
#2 Factory brake controls suck. They’re tied into all kinds of other sensors and switches in the truck. Our GM stuff is the worst. See what you get for voltage from the control. Most electric brakes work well when they’re done right, have a good ground and are getting proper voltage.
#3 Not all brake parts are created equal. I’ve had brand new magnets and complete backing plates that wouldn’t grab a washer from 2” away.
#4 Make sure the correct plate is on the correct side of the trailer. I’ve run into this twice after somebody else did repairs.
#1 Bad ground. Anytime I make a repair I run a nice heavy ground from the trailer plug to the trailer frame. Clean all the paint off etc and get a good clean contact. Go from there to junction box. Make sure truck ground is good and if there’s doubt, run one and ditch the factory ground if need be.
#2 Factory brake controls suck. They’re tied into all kinds of other sensors and switches in the truck. Our GM stuff is the worst. See what you get for voltage from the control. Most electric brakes work well when they’re done right, have a good ground and are getting proper voltage.
#3 Not all brake parts are created equal. I’ve had brand new magnets and complete backing plates that wouldn’t grab a washer from 2” away.
#4 Make sure the correct plate is on the correct side of the trailer. I’ve run into this twice after somebody else did repairs.
I started off with a HYD brake controller it worked great but was N O S made in 1976. It went bad and i found another it was used didnt last very long . I have had several of the new electric ones they dont work as good. When I am pulling a trailer with my pickup i drive it like the trailer brakes dont work just in case.
I alway thought some kind of surge brake on a gooseneck with electric lockout for reverse would be nice. Never seen surge brakes on a gooseneck. I've learned to leave lots of distance in front of me from years of not having trailer brakes. Old enough now I'm not it a hurry either.
Junkyard
Senior Member
I’d like to see that too. All of our smaller bumper hitch trailers are surge. If I ever bought a new trailer that’s what I’d get.
I only drive Dodge, but the factory controllers have never given me any issues, I really prefer them actually. I find if i'm pulling the same machine I don't need to adjust it, whereas the aftermarket I am adjusting constantly to fine tune it, and I find factory controller is way better at applying the same breaking force on trailer as truck and way better in a panic stop for that reason.
I'd be happy to never pull surge brakes again, only ever pulled a few rentals but found the things so bad for locking up and backing up is a pain in the butt.
Junkyard
Senior Member
If they’re taken care of those issues do not happen.
I have seen more than one home made goose neck surge brake set up i dont know any thing about them.