Electric brakes?

[JRJ]

Can you get a boat trailer with electric brakes and how do they compare with surge as far as troubles? I'll be in fresh and salt water.

 

[tommays]

Re: Electric brakes?

they are makeing better ones BUT i dont no anybody who has used them<br /><br /> http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.prodInfo&productID=5539&categoryID=149

<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Electric brakes?

I've used both and both work well when properly maintained. Salt water is tough on either type. Surge brakes don't require a controller so thats one less expense, but they are not as "adjustable" as electric which allows adjustment from the controller. Surge brakes are "self modulating" so they won't lock up (except very briefly) in a panic stop. Once the trailer begins stopping at a greater rate than the tow vehicle the brakes release slightly. I will be adding electric brakes to my trailer over the coming winter.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Electric brakes?

Do they have electric disk brakes? Thanks for the replies.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Electric brakes?

never have seen electric disc brakes, only the drum type like tommays posted.<br />As far as salt water use goes, how often in salt?<br />The best is stainless disc but they are also the most pricey. Kodiak is the favored brand by many, although Tie Down now is selling coated vented disc brakes that I am seeing on a lot of new Load Rites and Venture Trailers. <br />I have the Tie Down surge drum (galvax coated) but only have them on for 1 year so can't comment on long term lifespan.<br />If I get 3 years I'll be happy!

 

[dingbat]

Re: Electric brakes?

Drum brakes are trouble in SW no matter how you look at it. I've got electric on the horse trailer and they work well but they don't negate the issues that drum brakes incur in SW use.<br /><br />On my 3rd summer of usage on a set of Tiedown SS disc and their still going strong although I’lll probably need a new set of pads by the end of the year.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Electric brakes?

I picked up an EZ LOADER catalog and they show "state of the art" electric drum brakes. They show disc brakes also but don't mention electric with them. Thanks for all your efforts.

 

[islandboat]

Re: Electric brakes?

While researching a way to get the surge brakes on the company trailers to pass DOT regulations without changing about 25 trailers over to electric brakes, I found an ad that offered an electric controled brake "motor/pump assembly" that takes the place of the surge brake mechanism. It would allow hydraulic brakes (disc or drum) to be controlled by an electric brake controller on the vehicle and the surge mechanism could be eliminated. The cost of this kit was nearly $500. It was decided not to modify the brake systems with something that was not yet proven and may not have solved our DOT regulation problems so we ordered several pallets of electric brake drums and backing plates, break-away kits, batteries, wiring and all the extra stuff needed to swap over to the electric brakes. You may not want to spend that kind of money to get electric controled hydraulic disc brakes on your boat trailer even if they were going to be stainless brakes that could last many years. The surge brake system on most boat trailers work fine if maintained. The only reason surge brakes were not legal on commercial trailers is that they are reguired to hold the trailer and load on an uphill grade. Surge brakes will stop the trailer fine but will not hold the trailer on an uphill grade after you stop like electric brakes can.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Electric brakes?

After 35 years of dropping trailers in salt and having both surge drum and disk brakes it is my strong recommendation to go the disk route. Drums work fine until you have to dunk them - then forget it - - even with the fresh water flush kits. Disks will freeze-up with the salt water crud but it takes a couple of years and even then you can disassemble the calipers, clean & reassemble.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Electric brakes?

Thanks SoLittle. I respect 35 years of knowledge and I'll be going with stainless disks on my next trailer.

 

[jeff_nicholas]

Re: Electric brakes?

http://boards.trailerboats.com/cgi-bin/trailerboats/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=001381 <br /><br /> http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=22;t=001890

 

[JRJ]

Re: Electric brakes?

Thanks Nick. Looks like you have been through brakes 101

 

[ufm82]

Re: Electric brakes?

JRJ- I have electric brakes on my trailer right now. It was originally equipped with surge brakes but the tongue unit was gone when I bought the boat. I don't like surge brakes and was going to swap anyway. I purchased 2 new backing plate assemblies in the "sharkskin" finish (anti-rust), wiring and a controller for not much more than just what the surge unit would have cost me. Plus the wheel cylinders and brake hardware was shot on the surge system. I ditched everything but the drums. I spent an afternoon re-installing the new hardware including the controller for the truck. That required crimping a connector on the controller leads and plugging it into my truck, a not-real-tough job. <br /><br /> They've been on all summer, they work great, I can turn them off when I back down a ramp unloaded, I can back up hills with no effort and I can adjust them for brake force. When they wear out, I'll buy the entire assemblies for about $60 each and they be done in 20 minutes. Couldn't be easier. <br /><br />UFM82

 

[jeff_nicholas]

Re: Electric brakes?

Thanks UFM82<br />I just ordered my electric brakes -- got the notice they've been shipped. I'm very familiar w/ surge brake problems...overheating discs, broken bleeder screws, frozen hydraulic fittings and sticky couplers/calipers.<br /><br />I'm primarily in salt water, but even if I have to replace the backing plate assemblies every other year I'll be ahead in dollars, reliability and convenience, not to mention ease of replacement.