Axle

[tothemillers]

Anyone know the axle weight and maker on a 2004 17 ft towlite. I’m replacing the electric brakes. I’m assuming 3500# or 4400#

 

[JackandJanet]

Hi and welcome! I just looked at the brochure for 2004 Towlites, and it doesn't say, but I'm reasonably sure it's the same as mine - A 3500# torsion bar axle made by Dexter. I don't think the axle has anything to do with the brakes, you just need the drum size, which, as I recall is 10".

My trailer is a 2007 17 Ft Towlite.

- Jack

 

[tothemillers]

Awesome thank you

 

[JackandJanet]

I lied - You DO need to know the weight rating of the axle for the brakes. Use 3500#. I got self-adjusting brakes from etrailer.com when I replaced mine.

- Jack

 

[tothemillers]

Yes I was looking at etrailer also and the info asked about axle weight. I will still have to measure the width of the brake shoes according to a video I watched

 

[JackandJanet]

I suspect they are 10" in diameter and 2-1/4" wide. My OEM brake assemblies BOTH failed due to breakage in the adjusters, which put pieces of the adjuster mechanism loose in the brake drums. This cause the wheels to lock up when I backed up, but fortunately only caused noise when going forward. It took me a bit of time to figure out what was going on, and I pulled the trailer close to 1000 miles in this condition. Like most new owners, I was very ignorant about many things in the trailer when I first got it.

Once I replaced the brakes, I've had no further problems in that area.

- Jack