Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

[Retoxtony]

I'm wondering if anyone has ever went from discs to drums on their surge brakes and what the results were like. I'll explain why I'm thinking of doing this. Bought a boat and trailer, trailer has UFP discs but on my last outing one of them came apart destroying the backing plate, the caliper, pads, and lost the retaining clips. Basically I need to replace everything on the right side except the disc. The problem is nobody in Canada can get me parts for UFP trailer brakes without a 2 week wait. I can order the parts from numerous places in the USA but I will have to wait around 2 weeks to have them. So after talking to my local trailer place they suggested swapping the disc setup out for drums. The cost will be slightly more but it will be done in time for the weekend and in the future parts will be easy to get in any trailer store. So anyone have any thoughts? Good idea, stupid idea? Should I just order the parts for the discs and go without brakes for the weekend?

 

[DanMC]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

Why would you go backwords...kinda like moving out of your 4 bedroom house to a cave somewhere in Afganistan that does not have eveb indoor plumbing...stay disc and forget the Victorian era...
Dan

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

....instead of reverting to drum brakes, why not upgrade to a more common disk system. Going this way you probably could retain all your hardware, lines and coupler.

 

[Retoxtony]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

....instead of reverting to drum brakes, why not upgrade to a more common disk system. Going this way you probably could retain all your hardware, lines and coupler.

If I go to other discs the biggest problem is im still going to be sitting and waiting for them to show up. Which means I still have a trailer that shouldn't be used. Price is also a factor. Going to drums is cheap now plus parts in the future are gonna be cheap.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

You would also have to replace your master cylinder so consider that expense as well. Personally, changing to drums is a poor choice regardless.

 

[Retoxtony]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

You would also have to replace your master cylinder so consider that expense as well. Personally, changing to drums is a poor choice regardless.

I was wondering about having to change the master cylinder in the actuator. The trailer place here keeps telling me it's not necessary, the pressures should be similar. Not sure about that. Seems to me that discs would require more pressure so I don't know what kind of problem thats gonna cause.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

Drum brakes require a residual pressure be kept in the line when brakes are not being applied which disk brakes can't have. There is a valve in the back of the master cylinder that does this. Disc brake master cylinders don't have this valve.

This article talks about the residual valve. It is an article of how to remove it for converting drum to disc but at least it gives you an idea of what it is for:
http://www.championtrailers.com/remove_residual_valve.htm

 

[Retoxtony]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

Drum brakes require a residual pressure be kept in the line when brakes are not being applied which disk brakes can't have. There is a valve in the back of the master cylinder that does this. Disc brake master cylinders don't have this valve.

I guess either they didn't know that or neglected to tell me so they could make a sale. Kinda sucks though. Definitely changes things if I have to swap master cylinders aswell. Guess I have to do some more thinking.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

It might work but I wouldn't do it. As food for thought, if your brakes are that old, the master cylinder doesn't last much longer.

Again, I would stick with disc and go with the Kodiac brand. DO NOT go with TieDown at all for anything!

 

[Retoxtony]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

It might work but I wouldn't do it. As food for thought, if your brakes are that old, the master cylinder doesn't last much longer.

Again, I would stick with disc and go with the Kodiac brand. DO NOT go with TieDown at all for anything!

The trailer and brakes really aren't that old. The trailer came with the boat which is a 99 and has just over 300 hours on it. The trailer looks like new, the only problem is the brake on the one side. I'll probably just order the parts I need for the UFP discs and wait for them. After calling around it seems like kodiacs are not any easier to get around here. People can get them but it's all special order. Sometimes I hate living in the middle of nowhere.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

Try these guys all accross Canada.
http://www.barrettmarketingltd.com/div_marine.asp

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

UFP is just a 1 1/2 hour drive for me down the freeway! I am spoiled

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Surge brakes- disc to drum conversion?

If I had a choice disc v drum it's disc all the way. I have had drums on two trailers and discs on one and there is no comparison in performance.Current trailer has drum and more adjusting and bleeding to keep thing right,but only use it twice a year.