Mechanical Brakes Installation on Squaredrop Camper Trailer

In this video I share detailed steps of how I installed a mechanical brakes kit including full axle and wheel assembly, as well as new brake enabled coupling on my squaredrop camper trailer.
When I first built my squaredrop camper, I used an axle kit from an old trailer. That proved to be one of the biggest mistakes of my build as the old kit just wasn't adequate nor good enough. Eventually I ended up installing stronger suspension springs and now a much better axle kit with mechanical brakes and coupling. I hope that you find this video useful. Feel free to drop a comment and subscribe if interested in similar content.
Thank you for watching. Wishing you good chilled vibes.
Elvis

[@waynedoss8475]

The explanation you provided as you progressed took me from not knowing anything about how the brakes on my trailer worked to now having a good understanding. My first job for today is to relubricate and adjust the brakes on my Chinese trailer so they work (Something they have never done since the day I purchased it.

[@1800dontcare]

Loved the video. I have an electric brake controller on my Ute so I’ll be utilising electric brakes on my trailer when I can get it done

[@krsix-7561]

Perfect video mate exactly what I needed

[@mikescomputercorner1204]

Thx for a great well explained video I have to assemble and instal a similar system to a caravan and wasn't sure how everything went but this explained it well ty!!

[@benjensen8700]

Thankyou i needed help with one section of this ..

[@iwe7078]

Great video, thank you

[@NickTomSanjay]

Thank you for such an easy video. Can you please share of post or video on how these mechanical brakes work and how much tightness should be in cable?

[@draganvidic8177]

Hey mate, very helpful video, thank you! Helped me build my first breaker trailer. Small issue tho…the leaver as well as it’s entire assembly moves when I pull on it, causing the shoes to scape once it’s realised. It only moves by a few mm but enough to throw the shoes off centre. Is it supposed to be fully fixed with only the leaver moving or some movement is ok? Thanks!

[@BenMitro]

Very informative, thanks. I have a similar trailer with mechanical disk brakes.. At present, I am wondering how I can increase the height (drop the axle) to accommodate larger wheels (same size as vehicle) and shocks. I have eye to eye leaf springs too. Any suggestions welcome!

[@ChilledBeans]

Hi Benny. It's hard without seing it, but I suspect you would need to cut the existing hangers that hold the eye-2-eye springs, and then weld some sort of extensions that will bring hangers down more, therefore increasing the clearance between the wheels and mudguards.

[@BenMitro]

@@ChilledBeans I can see that the easiest way is to replace the shackle plates with longer ones, but that means, for an extra 2 cm of extra length of the shackle plate, I get only 1 cm extra clearance at the wheel, so you may be right, I have to extend the hangers down and somehow keep the inherent strength of the system. (the trailer is rated for 1400kg) It just occurred to me that I can put the axle under the springs and rotate and switch left to right the backing plates - that should give me around 75mm of additional clearance. Thanks...that is what your video and comment did for me - solved my problem, I think!! Thanks.

[@ChilledBeans]

@@BenMitro Oh yes, axle yunder the springs is definitely step 1. That's how I run my setup.

[@bradycorbett5661]

Thanks for the helpful video. Where did you get the coupling from?

[@ChilledBeans]

The silver coupling with the internal spring trigger came with the brake kit, purchased from a local trailer shop. But i've seen these kits online too (ebay)

[@craigelliott2524]

How much more expensive is rego now you have brakes?

[@ChilledBeans]

It made no difference at all. There was no cost in updating the rego.

[@craigelliott2524]

@@ChilledBeans okay… once you have brakes I think you need a yearly inspection? Or there are some additional requirements?

[@ChilledBeans]

@@craigelliott2524 I live in Victoria/Australia and they don't require any inspections. My trailer ATM is 1150kg (920 tare), and for this type of trailer they dont require any sort of inspections. I'm not sure what the rules are for much bigger trailers.

[@oldschooldiy3240]

So the brakes don't actually help stop the trailer when driving? I thought that was the purpose of putting them on....

[@ChilledBeans]

They do when you enable them by lifting the latch. When you brake with the vehicle, the forward momentum pressure engages the brakes on the trailer.

[@oldschooldiy3240]

@@ChilledBeans Okay, I had to watch a separate video on how they worked! I don't think I had ever seen anything like that hitch....

[@ChilledBeans]

@@oldschooldiy3240 Ah cool. I probably should have added more info on that in the video ...