Disc brakes here, axles on the way

[Golfmedik]

Well, after a long discussion with my wife and digging further into the pocket than I wanted to, these showed up today for my next mod. The 8K axles are due any day now.

[Ram Montana High Country]

Approx - materials package value?

[Golfmedik]

Originally Posted by Ram Montana High Country

Approx - materials package value?

With the axles, around $3400.....Just discs, $2200. shipping included

[Ram Montana High Country]

Not far off the "IS" package

[Golfmedik]

Originally Posted by Ram Montana High Country

Not far off the "IS" package

It's about half of what a friend just had his XLR tandem axle done for at around $5900..

[jcurtis934]

8k is with disc brakes is 6000 plus.

[PNW Fireguy]

Originally Posted by Golfmedik

Well, after a long discussion with my wife and digging further into the pocket than I wanted to, these showed up today for my next mod. The 8K axles are due any day now.

You are going to be a happy camper once you get them installed. It will make the your lighter pockets not so burdensome.

[Golfmedik]

Originally Posted by PNW Fireguy

You are going to be a happy camper once you get them installed. It will make the your lighter pockets not so burdensome.

I'm hoping so. Several near misses in the past 6 months and just feels like the right thing to do as I carry my family with me. Been using a dashcam for two years now, but all that will do is determine fault. Won't help repair or heal.

[PNW Fireguy]

Night and day difference. I feel much safer hauling our rig after changing the brakes. You won’t be disappointed

[Five O'clock Somewhere]

I have a 2018 3731FL pulled by a 2000 F350 dully with a 7.3 power stroke. I don't have a exhaust brake, as such I am having disc brakes installed at the rally in September.

What I can't make up my mind on is the value of upgrading to 8K axles. I currently has 7K axles

We are fulltime so likely loaded heavy. Understand the 7K axles will give a softer ride then 8K.

Price difference is around $2K, and while every penny hurts it's not out of range.

PLEASE help me make up my mind on which way to go.

[AZ Traveler]

Your 7K axles will do fine unless you load well past the GVWR of your trailer. Assuming your pin weight is around 2800, your 7K axles will support 16,800 trailer.

[Golfmedik]

All installed, just no electrical connections yet. Then have to bleed them. Weather delay.

[MARK A]

Looks great! Be sure and get some heavier black zip ties for the flex lines on the axles, mine came with white smaller ones and someone on this forum explained to me the white ones don't resist UV. You're going to love those brakes!



Mark

[Texan]

Originally Posted by Five O'clock Somewhere

I have a 2018 3731FL pulled by a 2000 F350 dully with a 7.3 power stroke. I don't have a exhaust brake, as such I am having disc brakes installed at the rally in September.

What I can't make up my mind on is the value of upgrading to 8K axles. I currently has 7K axles

We are fulltime so likely loaded heavy. Understand the 7K axles will give a softer ride then 8K.

Price difference is around $2K, and while every penny hurts it's not out of range.

PLEASE help me make up my mind on which way to go.

You need to get on a cat scale to know the axle and hitch weight. Very few people really need the 8k axles but they like the thought of being able to carry more weight. I have the 7k independent suspension and my axles have 12,620 pounds on them and the hitch is 3480 pounds. Let the scales make your decision.

[PNW Fireguy]

Originally Posted by Texan

You need to get on a cat scale to know the axle and hitch weight. Very few people really need the 8k axles but they like the thought of being able to carry more weight. I have the 7k independent suspension and my axles have 12,620 pounds on them and the hitch is 3480 pounds. Let the scales make your decision.

Totally agree

[Renegade1LI]

Looks Great! Nice job!

[Golfmedik]

Axles in, discs on, lines bled and a huge difference in stopping even first time out. My brake controller was at a 9-9.5 before the upgrade and is now sitting at a 6.0 as of now with only 30 miles on the brakes. Once they get the surfaces slick, it may even go down another setting or two. The axles made a huge difference in the way the rig sits behind the truck. It no longer just "lumbers" around behind it. I could have just put new springs on the unit, but most all of Dexter's are made in China with less than optimum steel, but since I had it that far down, I decided to add the new axles. Even the new 8k springs are made there in China Keystone has said on numerous occasions that the rigs are targeted for people who load the units to around a 1,000 pounds and with my Onan and the Legacy Package, I was way into the amount of weight they target for, especially since I travel with water on most trips. I'm happy with the upgrade so far, and will see how well it does on the trip this weekend. Not terribly far from home, but about a 170 miles round trip.
The guys at Performance Trailer Braking were true to their advertisement that they would be available to answer any questions. I had to ask a couple about the torque on the tie plates and an electrical issue and they returned my calls within a few minutes both times. The one thing I had to custom make was a couple of brackets to attach the right hard side lines to since the crossover lines are only 66" in length. I simply cut a piece of angle iron I had and bolted them to the frame to attach the hangars to. Overall it may have taken me approximately 9 hours or so if I had worked continuously on it, but had to take breaks due to weather and a few back spasms. Not a bad install at all.
While I was under the rig, I notice most all of the bolts on the rear J panels had worn through the panel itself, so I used some fender washers to put them back in to help hold the panel in place. I suspect this is the case on many Montanas out there as these have already been put back into place when it went back to the factory for the front frame issue. So you guys may want to check your panels to see if they have wallowed out the bolt holes. Especially on the door side.

[Anthony T]

Originally Posted by Golfmedik

All installed, just no electrical connections yet. Then have to bleed them. Weather delay.

How did u run the hard brake line? Did u take the belly cover down?

[Golfmedik]

I ran it down the frame flange on the outside until the drop frame ends and then went behind the J panel and then when going side to side, I ran it above the coroplast and under the other insulation just like the electric brake lines were ran. The crossover lines are only 66" which will come up short, so I made a couple of brackets out of angle iron to enable the connections to be made.

[Golfmedik]

Here are a few pics.