#3 October 23, 2000 9:51 PM Subject: RE: Questions on a new truck
Kent-
Thanks for your reply. The information you gave is very helpful.
I have one other question: I mentioned that I have a metal fab business, and I have decided to build a new gooseneck trailer. It just so happens that we use a supplier for our regular business that also has a complete line of trailer parts. So, as I thumb through the catalogue, I see that you can go the vacuum/hydraulic route for trailer brakes instead of the conventional electric. I share your lack of complete confidence in electric trailer brakes, but I was wondering what you thought of the hydraulic jobs. My number one priority in all of this is to come up with something that will get us downhill safely.
Also, any other features that you really like on a trailer would be helpful. We plan to build a 24', and I am thinking that I will go with triple axles, probably 6000#. That should give us some extra margin for weight, and I am just guessing that the bigger the axle, the bigger and better the brakes? Thanks again,
David
Oh- I just remembered another question: What do you think of aftermarket exhaust brakes?

David,
I had 7000 # axles on my gooseneck and usually hauled 25,000#'s. The way we used to figure payload too clear ports and those wonderful portable scales in the old days, was you could haul what your axle rating was, because the weight of the trailer would transfer to the truck. I used triples because they were cheaper than tandem duallies which would have been the best. With triple axles, when you turn, the front and rear axle tires are in a severe bind. On a lower ply tire they can pop the bead. I would go with two axles. Also the tires throw things at each other, like nails and glass on trailer axles because they are close together. So the more axles the more flats.

I like the vacuum/hydraulic brakes. You usually see them on heavy-duty applications. Usually you have to go to at least a 7000# axle to get 8 bolt hubs that might match your truck wheel pattern. On the trailer you are building, I would use 8, 9, or 10,000# axles. And get slipper springs or torsion axles. Don't get what they put on most of the RV 5th wheel trailers, which is shackle springs with hangers, the bushings wear out way too often. Slipper springs are like what's on a semi, and torsion axles are on Air Stream trailers. They are an axle inside of square tubing surrounded with rubber. Torsion axles are the nicest, easiest to attach and of course the most expensive axles.

I like the aftermarket exhaust brakes. There are links to those sites at the bottom of page 2 on my site. But the truck manufacture warranties may not cover anything they can link to those brakes, so there is a gray area. It's an option on the Dodge from the factory. Some day if the competition between the manufactures gets close enough, we will see Jacob brakes like on the big rigs. If you get a new truck and you don't want to risk losing the warranty, with as much mountain hauling as you do I would get the 6 -speed manual and just down shift. The 4 wheel disc brakes on the Ford and GM will fade the heat better and cost about 1/2 as much for the brakes, plus your don't have to pull the rear axles to change the pads. Good luck and don't use those runaway truck ramps! MrTruck