brake shoe replacement
 

Does anyone have the information for ordering brake shoes for my 2604T Tow Lite Trailer? I have checked the various threads but if the information is on this forum I have missed it. I would like to have the shoes in hand before changing. I called a local automotive store and they said to take the shoes off and bring them in and they would 'try' to match them.

I'm thinking the last two Hi-Lo's we had were equipped with brake pads rather than shoes. Is that correct and if so, wonder why they changed? The axle's on this trailer do have the torsion bar suspension, would that have anything to do with the switch?

I need to change these before we leave on a trip in two weeks so thanks for any help.

Jerry Curtis
2406T

I think they have always had brake shoes. Brake pads are usually identified with disk brakes. Drum type brakes have shoes. They used to replace the brake linings on shoes when they used rivets but now everything is bonded to the shoes and can't be replaced.

See my 3 brake work inputs starting 8/4/2010 on a 2306C at : https://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f24/...-213/#post1947 I believed I ordered from etrailer.com and received parts in a few days.

Kengsr

I bet if you contacted Dexter with the serial number of your axle, they could tell you what exact shoe you would need.

https://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f54/...ce-manual-102/

Remove a drum, you have to do that anyway, measure the inside diameter any tape measure will do, they will be either 10 or 12 inch diameter. Then measure the width of the shoe, that's all you need, to get replacement shoes for a Dexter axle.
Might be 12 1/4 diameter also.

Brake shoes
 

Thanks to Pop Ritchie for the information on determining the brake shoes needed for my Hi-Lo. I would think that most of the later Hi-los would fit into either the 10" x 2-1/4" or 12" x 2" sizes. I found no post that specified which size to use so I wanted to inform everyone that eventually will have to replace the brake shoes on your Hi-Lo what I found out. I found several sites online where you can order the shoes, in my case for our 2406T Towlite, the 10" x 2-1/4" were the shoes I needed. I did make a call to the local NAPA store here in Fredericksbburg, TX, [where a lot of trailers are in use by local farmers and ranchers] and found they had the original Dexter brake shoe replacements in stock for my 2406 Hi-Lo. The shoes were in a Dexter Original Equipment Box with the designation K71-047-00. This should save a lot of legwork when the time comes for you to replace your brake shoes.

I had just recently greased the axles/bearings when I thought the existing brake shoes needed replacing due to the ply remaining on the shoes.
One thing I found out after I had purchased the [4] sets is that I could have waited awhile. I read on the Dexter site [ How to tell if my Dexter Electric Brake Shoes and Lining need Replaced | eHow.com ] that when the thickness gets to less than 1/16", they should be replaced. Evidently, the thickness of the brake material they put on the trailer shoes are less than that found on truck and car brakes. The new brake shoes have just 3/16" of [asbestos type] material. My existing shoes still have 1/8" [2/16"] so they do not need replacing yet. I decided to keep the shoes for that eventuality for they will need replacing within the next year or so due to the trips we have planned.

I hope this information will be helpful to you.

Jerry Curtis
2406T Towlite
Ford F250 7.3 4wd ext cab

You can buy complete backing plates also, there maybe 4 or 5 bolts that you need to loosen up and just replace everything, I sell the complete backing plate for a 7K axle for under $80, the 3.5K axle is around $50, you can also find them at redneck trailer, the CSR are very helpful and know there stuff unlike the local NAPA's in your area

Jerry,

Much thanks for following up with the Forum and providing all of us with the good info. you learned! Kudos!

Jim