How did those Funny Brakes Make You Replace the Axle?

 

Warner Electric Brake

The inside of the hub (the wheel bolts to lug nuts on the other side)

The Warner Brake Hubs Lined up for a "Perp Walk"

This might look like a disc brake, but it's not. It's called a Warner brake. How they work is simple but very complicated to explain. I'm told they work really well however they don't make them any more. Most RV trailer brakes use a totally different and now standardized mechanism. If these Warner brakes need service (say to replace the brake pads) you need to rework the existing parts or find them used in the "vintage trailer" section on eBay if something wears out. I looked and couldn't find any listings, anywhere.

Worse, the way these brakes attach to the axle is not consistent with today's (or yesterdays) mechanical standards, so you can't just swap out the brakes. If you're going to do it, then you need to swap out the entire axle and brakes.

I thought about it for a week or so. It's a costly and time consuming action, but with the floor out it would be much easier because you can get at some of the pieces much easier. (As it turns out I don't know how you'd do it without the floor out.) I got a couple quotes and pulled the trigger: I ordered a "Flexiride" axle with self-adjusting brakes. The Flexiride is modular in construction but have to be made to meet your specific dimensions (frame spacing and hub-to-hub width are the key measurements).

[In case you're wondering, the other option I priced was a Dexter torsion axle. The technologies are very similar and construction techniques almost identical. However the Dexter was significantly more expensive, had a month lead time, and the spindle "drop" angle is not adjustable like the Flexiride. Also I could order a spare spindle for the Flexiride in case the bearing ever decided to let loose.]

So with the axle in transit from Texas I took up the task of removing the old axle. It was NOT easy. The axle was welded in with no thought to ever being removed with anything other than an Oxy Acetylene torch. I don't have one of those (yet) so I needed to find a way to do it with a standard 4.5" grinder.

I tried really hard to get it out reasonably intact so that someone with more ambitious restoration (vs renovation) plans might make use of it. In the end though I ended up cutting it into pieces to get it out.

The Weird Torsion Axle in Pieces on the Ground

After the hard work and frustration of trying to get the axle out, I was very happy when it was done. But I also felt bad, probably something like a surgeon that has to amputate an arm or leg. It felt necessary but somehow strangely wrong.


The real cool thing is that removing the axle marks the final stage in teardown of the '48 Boles Aero. Moving forward I'll be making improvements. I'm really excited!





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