Surge Brake replacement parts

[bjlakatos]

2010 Tahoe Q7i, trailer with swing-away hitch. The integrated surge brake is Tie Down engineering model 70LP.

The plastic slider plate(inside the surge brake) is breaking up and needs to be replaced. it is what separates the actuator housing (Tongue) from the coupler (hitch).

Tie Down engineering does not make parts for this model and neither does any third party that I can find.

Have any of you run into this situation? Wondering what my options are...seems with the custom trailer, the housing is essentially the swing-away tongue. See pic

 

[dingbat]

Tie Down engineering does not make parts for this model and neither does any third party that I can find.

Have any of you run into this situation? Wondering what my options are...seems with the custom trailer, the housing is essentially the swing-away tongue. See pic

Actuator Repair Tie Down Model 70LP , 7000LP, 80LP. 85LP

Actuator Repair Tie Down Model 70LP , 7000LP, 80LP. 85LP at Trailer Parts Depot

www.trailerpartsdepot.com

 

[Scott Danforth]

are you talking the bit of plastic with the 2 slots? if so, make your own. I believe that is 0.060" thick (1.5mm) I would cut it out of garolite sheet available from McMaster Carr.

 

[bjlakatos]

@dingbat thanks for the post. I had seen this kit and should have mentioned that on the website https://trailerparts.com/trailer-br...s-fits-tie-down-reg-models-lp70-and-lp75.html the following statement at the bottom of the page:

No Longer Includes:

• Plastic Wear Sleeves

 

[bjlakatos]

@Scott Danforth looking at the plastic sleeve in this instruction sheet from TDE it looks like it might be a challenge. I do have a bit of the whiteplastic that fell out of the actuator. It is 0.155" thick material with grooves cut about half way through.

 

[bjlakatos]

Here is a pic of the swing-away tongue. I was looking at it considering replacing it with a 3"x4" tube and bolting on an actuator.

I had planned to use this actuator

https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Actuator/Dexter/DX83FR.html

The original trailer tongue is a nice piece of design work from Tracker Marine...integrated safety cables, sleek one-piece look.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Get a piece of 1/8" garolite G10

 

[dingbat]

Get a piece of 1/8" garolite G10

Had to look that one up.
Been using G10 for PCB fabrication since the late 70’s. Never heard it called garolite before

 

[dingbat]

Not a fan of integrated anything
I would pull the pin from the hinge and rebuild from there

 

[Lou C]

Agreed anything that’s totally integrated can be difficult to upgrade/repair due to non standard installation. I was able to buy a rebuild kit for my old Tie Down 66 actuator some years back but it still works fine so have not had to take it apart. They apparently got bought out by Dexter a few years ago so now I see what looked like Tie Down actuators with Dexter badging on them. Don’t know if spares are still available….

 

[bruceb58]

If it was my trailer, I would be 3d printing the spacer!

Unfortunately, my new pontoon trailer came with a Tie Down surge brake coupler.

 

[Lou C]

The one I installed in 2004 still works go figure!

 

[bruceb58]

The one I installed in 2004 still works go figure!

What was your longest trip with it? How many miles a year?

 

[Lou C]

Maybe 15 miles? Never leaves Long Island. For that matter I have a 98 Grand Cherokee with the OEM master cylinder! And that has 183,000 on it!
I think with these things you never know.

 

[bruceb58]

I have 450 miles on mine with one trip. No wonder yours lasted so long. You have maybe 300 miles on yours.

 

[Lou C]

Yep that makes sense; I live about a mile from my local boat ramp and the boat sits on a mooring all season so the trailer gets used at most 4 times a year. However in my experience besides physical wear, moisture plays a role in how long hydraulic cylinders/ brake parts last. We live in a more or less perpetually damp climate with a lot of condensation which causes significant corrosion, mildew and wood rot. Look under a vehicle owned here that’s parked outside and compare that to what you’d see out west where you are…you’d be shocked! If you get 10-15 years before the frame rots out you’re lucky, unless stored inside or regularly rustproofed. Uncoated brake rotors are shot from corrosion around the edges in 4-5 seasons. I have gotten better life from zinc coated brake drums with galvanized backing plates than people I know with regular marine disc brakes. Hard to believe but that’s how it is here. If you use non stainless rotors on a boat trailer in 4-5 years the rotors are shot; the friction surfaces are rough & pitted and there are chunks of cast iron falling off around the circumference of the rotors. I have had the zinc coated drums last over 15 seasons. The most I might have to do is replace a wheel cylinder…not until I’ve used them at least 6-8 seasons…

 

[dingbat]

If you use non stainless rotors on a boat trailer in 4-5 years the rotors are shot; the friction surfaces are rough & pitted and there are chunks of cast iron falling off around the circumference of the rotors.

Must be from setting around….
The kodiak dacromet rotors on my old trailer had no such damage after 20 years of service. Easily put 4-5K miles per year on them.

Had a Tiedown 66 on it as well. Had no issues with it other than replacing the master cylinder because of excessive corrosion

 

[bruceb58]

My last boat, that I used in salt water and fresh, had brake rotors that were 15 years old when I sold it. Regular metal rotors. Of course I rinsed the rotors after I dunked the trailer in salt.

I had some stainless Tiedown disc brakes that I threw in the trash after a year because they warped like crazy and the calipers stuck. I wouldn't wish the Tiedown surge couplers on my worst enemy.

 

[Lou C]

Their disc brakes were terrible that’s why I went with drums when I put brakes on this trailer back in 2004. But as I said the coupler still works fine. The hill I have to go down to get to the ramp is so steep trust me you’d know if it wasn’t working.

 

[bruceb58]

Their disc brakes were terrible that’s why I went with drums when I put brakes on this trailer back in 2004. But as I said the coupler still works fine. The hill I have to go down to get to the ramp is so steep trust me you’d know if it wasn’t working.

Fortunately, every trailer I have now has discs including my travel trailer. Two of them have EOH.

No need for discs if all you go is 15 miles a year.