OK, I got the car hauler. Hauled the car to Maine and now am trying to sell the trailer. Turns out, ME requires brakes "on all axles and wheels" for trailers over 3000#.

The trailer I got only has single axle brakes - and they work great! But it's not enough, I guess.

How much should I expect to pay (or knock off the price of the trailer) to add a second set of brakes? And how hard are they to install? Thanks.

 

I'm assuming you're talking about a 7k trailer (2 - 3.5k axles) and you say it has brakes on one axle already. Now, if the other axle already has the brake mounting flange on it, then it's just a matter of bolting on the brake assemblies and installing hub drums in place of the existing idler hubs. A pair of 10" electric brake asseblies can be had for $75 and the hub drums go for about $40 each..... so it would set you back $155 or so (+ shipping if your mail order them).

Now, if the axle without the brakes does not have the mounting flange there, then you'd have to have a trailer shop weld them on (assuming you don't have your own welder) and then bolt up the assemblies.....

OR

replace the non-braked axle for one that is already setup with brakes. Such an axle can be had for $210 (+ shipping, etc. etc.)

check out etrailer part

 

I sold trailers for a few years and we got 200 per axle to add brakes. Also, if the trailer has brakes on 1 axle, there is most likely mounts for them on the other one as well.

Jason

 

I was in the same boat, after looking at the price difference and hassle in adding brakes to the existing axle, and just putting on a new axle, I added the new axle. I now have a axle to make a smaller trailer with (or trip over for the next several years).

Bryan

 

I don't know if I'd bother adding the braking axle. We just sold a trailer with a 9k lb rating, it only had one braking axle. Our state also requires all axles to be braking with that high of a gvw. Oh yea, did I mention it was a cop who bought the trailer? He didn't seem to be concerned with it having only one braking axle. Actually looking back that trailer only met one requirement of the many, it had brake lights.