Disk, Drum or No trailer brakes?

[Crumm]

I bought a new boat this summer and it came with a single axle no brake trailer. For the rough roads up here I don't like single axle trailers so I ordered a dual axle trailer. The trailer I was upgrading to was suppose to be just like the one I have but with two axles. It came in a couple of days ago and instead of having two non braked axles it has 4 wheel hydraulic disk brakes. I have no problem with having brakes other than in my experience electric drum brakes on a boat trailer last about two launches and they are toast. Now that I see the hydraulic surge disk brake system it looks like it might just be the way to go on a boat trailer. Question is this system trouble free or am I headed for maintenance issues? I don't really need brakes since the boat is a lightweight shallow water unit that weighs less than 2000lbs dry and well under 3000 loaded with gear but since the trailer came with brakes I figure why change the axles out. I won't need the trailer until spring so they can get another one without brakes but if they are dependable I might as well get this one. Anyone have any experience with hydraulic surge disk brakes???

 

[DaveBen]

Crumm, I had a Jeep trailer with dual axles and surge brakes. They worked just like a dream. The only thing you have to look out for is the backup feature. Some surge brakes needed a pin installed in the hitch to prevent the brakes from applying when backing up. Some have a cam inside that moved the adjusting rod out of the way and accomplished the same thing. I don't think you will have a problem, as this is not new technology.

Dave

 

[Crumm]

I had an old horse trailer with surge brakes(I think it was like a 1970 or older)so I know surge is not new but isn't disk brakes on a trailer new? I have never seen one?

 

[N_P]

You are seeing more and more surge disk brakes on the market. I bought a new boat trailer back in 2001 and it came with the disk brakes on one axle. They worked very well.

The trailer also had an electric overide for backing up. It was wired into the backup light circuit. When you put the vehicle in reverse, a bypass valve would open and allow the brake fluid to be returned back into the master cylinder.

 

[Crumm]

The trailer also had an electric override for backing up.

I like the sounds of an electric backup override. That would be much better than having to get out and put in a pin just to back-up. I should be picking it up in a day or two and I will take a look to see if it has the override. It is a 2006 model trailer so I would guess it should have the latest and greatest stuff.

Now if I could just figure out how to unload my boat in the shop so I don't have to take it out in the cold. They have a hoist at the dealer but I would rather just take the trailer down and swap rather than taking my boat out on the sanded roads.

 

[powerboatr]

i had a 5k booat trailer with four wheel disc surge brakes. worked GREAT, especially when we got them bled correctly. it also had a solenoid hooked into teh reverse lights that would lock out brake pressure in reverse so you could back up a hill or down a ramp.
they were all ss steel. put about 10-12k on em before i sold it all

 

[smokyred]

I don't know anything about "surge" brakes, but I do know that we put disc brakes on some of our 16-20ft. flatbed trailers and they work really well, IMO. Really easy to tow with my boss' old F150. Cheers,

Dave

 

[Crumm]

I picked up the trailer today. The disk brakes seem to work pretty good. It was a little hard to tell how much they slow you down since our roads are solid ice today(temp came up a few degrees)but I could feel them working. I didn't wire the back-up lockout in until after I got it home. Good thing the driveway is snow-pack because after you back-up two inches the brakes are locked. I did get the back-up lock wired in after I "slid" it back into the shop.

 

[HTRDDSL]

Good thing about disc brakes is that replacement is easier and I think they would tend to run cooler.

 

[HTRDDSL]

I just read an article in Trailering life. Some of the new Disc brake systems are electric/hydraulic and some people are encountering problems with the brake controllers not being compatible.Apparently some(led type) brake controllers send out a small electric current every 4-5 seconds to confirm the trailer connection so it can indicate it. The electric/hydraulic actuater system reads this as putting on the brakes and applies the brakes accordingly.

Also the voltage is so low that in some instances it's actually damaging the actuater.The problem is being addressed right now. Some of the companies have designed a brake controller that will work with both systems so all you have to do is change the settings to match the trailer.Something to keep in mind if you are looking at the disc brake system that is controlled by a brake controller. In the article it did indicate that the disc system is far superior to the electric magnet system as well as being easier to maintain.