Hello all. I just bought a little truck ('91 Chevy Kodiak) equipped with air brakes, but has no provisions for trailer air brakes. I want to use it to move my backhoe on a dovetail trailer (which I've yet to buy) How involved would it be to install a trailer air brake system, or would it be smarter to just plan for an electric brake trailer?
Installing trailer air brake system
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by rreidnauer, Mar 22, 2009.
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electric would be easier....most of them already have it
bigger problem is that kodiac GVW'd high enuff to pull the trailer and backhoe?
better check.........all the ones i know of are only rated to 25,900 lbs, and a decent sized 'hoe is 20,00 lbs, it wont leave alot for the truck or trailerLast edited: Mar 22, 2009
rreidnauer Thanks this. -
The truck is 23,900 GVW. I figure the hoe is 12K, and a 9 ton trailer will probably come in around 5K. The truck itself is probably 12K, so yes, that's over it's GVW, but isn't GCWR always higher? (like my Dodge Cummins is 8,510 GVW but GCWR is 16,000) Granted, I don't currently know the Kodiak's GCWR, or if it's even accounted for.
Oddly, the truck has a pintle, but no brake provisions. I don't mind installing an electric controller, but I've been finding several nice air brake equipped trailers that I have had to currently rule out. -
You could install glad hands by the pintle hook but the cost for all parts would be prohibitive . You'd need more gauges , regulators and controls . You air tank would possibly have to be relaced with a larger unit . The output of your compressor also has to be considered . If you have the mechanical ability and can get parts from a salvage yard it may be doable .
rreidnauer Thanks this. -
Ah ha, yea, that's what I was suspecting. Just trying to determine proper capacities of tanks and compressors sounds a little too much like trial and error, and I don't want the error! BTW, I did note the truck is equipped with three air tanks, with the third one all the way behind the rear axle. I thought this to be unusual unless set up for a trailer, no?
So anyhow, it looks like it's gonna be electric brakes then. i can live with that. -
I know what is going to happen for saying this but just get a gn trailer to pull that hoe behind the dodge. I have driven a kodiac and have pulled some heavy loads with my dodge and frankly I feel safer and can get the job done faster with my dodge. With that being said I don't need 50 people to post telling me how wrong this is because we have discussed this before on this board
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OTR part number otr289714 you will need this trailer relay valve to supply your cans.
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lovesthedrive Thanks this.
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