Trailer Air Brakes for a Dodge Pickup
Yes, the big pickups can pull an M105, 30 KW gen-sets, a pair of 10 KW gen-sets, and even a 2.5 ton M1082A1 trailer but how well can the vehicle stop it and can it be done safely. This is especially important since I do not run a dully Dodge. Its a 2500 diesel with an extra heavy suspension.
What follows is my solution. It is an external, mobile, airbrake system, that rides in the bed of the truck. I first began with a good, new, 12-volt aircompressor. It was mounted on an aluminum cut off from a 10 KW generator mount from a Humvee.
The stock air tank on the compressor is too small for the job, so an air-tank off a duce was mounted alongside the standard tank. We gained capacity for the 3.5 CFM pump. We installed a 12-volt plug running under the cab from the engine compartment and terminated between the truck bed and cab. (See photo for location)
Standard military air-hoses were installed running from the tanks, one line being service and the other emergency. Air pressure is controlled at the compressor. See gage on the photo) We can manually adjust the air flow from the tanks allowing faster or slower braking depending upon the empty weight of the trailer and the load.
Everything else is run through a controller mounted on the truck dash. We can turn the system on and off, monitor the total air pressure in the system, and the actual air available at any one moment in time.
We are ready to roll when the pressure peaks and the compressure shuts off at 120 psi. The cpmpressor turns on when the air pressure drops below 85 psi. Yes, there is a night light on the controller but there is not a horn or warning buzzer.
We have less than $300 invested in the thing and it has worked flawlessly for the past three years. We do keep a small piece of green tarp over the thing when not in use.
Yes, the big pickups can pull an M105, 30 KW gen-sets, a pair of 10 KW gen-sets, and even a 2.5 ton M1082A1 trailer but how well can the vehicle stop it and can it be done safely. This is especially important since I do not run a dully Dodge. Its a 2500 diesel with an extra heavy suspension.
What follows is my solution. It is an external, mobile, airbrake system, that rides in the bed of the truck. I first began with a good, new, 12-volt aircompressor. It was mounted on an aluminum cut off from a 10 KW generator mount from a Humvee.
The stock air tank on the compressor is too small for the job, so an air-tank off a duce was mounted alongside the standard tank. We gained capacity for the 3.5 CFM pump. We installed a 12-volt plug running under the cab from the engine compartment and terminated between the truck bed and cab. (See photo for location)
Standard military air-hoses were installed running from the tanks, one line being service and the other emergency. Air pressure is controlled at the compressor. See gage on the photo) We can manually adjust the air flow from the tanks allowing faster or slower braking depending upon the empty weight of the trailer and the load.
Everything else is run through a controller mounted on the truck dash. We can turn the system on and off, monitor the total air pressure in the system, and the actual air available at any one moment in time.
We are ready to roll when the pressure peaks and the compressure shuts off at 120 psi. The cpmpressor turns on when the air pressure drops below 85 psi. Yes, there is a night light on the controller but there is not a horn or warning buzzer.
We have less than $300 invested in the thing and it has worked flawlessly for the past three years. We do keep a small piece of green tarp over the thing when not in use.
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