Opinions - surge vs electric

[bruceb58]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

Electric/Hydraulic which is also called electric over hydraulic is a hydraulic actuator that pressurises the brake fluid to the hydraulic brakes. This hydraulic actuator is controlled by a brake controller in the car. It is the best of both worlds because you can control your brakes from inside the vehicle like electric brakes but still have the reliability of hydraulic brakes when dunking in salt water.

I have electric/hydraulic coupled with Kodiac disc brakes and love how they work.

 

[Chewey]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

Bruce, where did you purchase your setup. This is what I want to do as I have used electric brakes on my car hauler for 8 years now and like having the control over them, but I boat in salt water. This looks like the ideal combo.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

I bought the electric/hydraulic unit at:

http://shop.easternmarine.com/
http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.catalog&categoryID=309

You can buy the Kodiaks there or at Champion Trailer Supply. I bought my Kodiaks on Ebay.

 

[mikeneal]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

Pretty much exactly what Bruce said, you have the control and quick response of electric, with the durability and ability to dunk in salt. Surge brakes always have a slight "lag" between the time the tow vehicle applies the brakes and when the trailer starts to apply "it's" brakes. That lag is less then ideal in panic situations. Plus I have heard people in real steep hills have issue with brakes dragging, not an issue here in FLA, but still another advantage.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

...also no backing up issues.

 

[woodee148]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

I'm not going to make any changes to it now, Just going to see how they are and maybe next year once I figure out if it's necessary, I'll upgrade them.

Thanks everyone for some great info!

Woodee

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

As a newbie boater, I also had some of the same questions. Found most answers, including how brakes are released while backing, by looking up the trailer manufacturer's website and clicking "owner's manual" for the model we're getting.

Perhaps the same information is available online for your new trailer.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

If you are in freshwater the surge freebacking drums can give pretty good service, I have a set on my trailer (salt water) but they don't get dunked more than 4 x or so a season because the boat sits on a mooring all season. They have been on the trailer for 4 seasons and still work fine.If I was trailering every time I used it in salt, I'd go with the surge stainless disc for sure.
The Kodaiks are thought to be the best, stainless is pricey but constant problems with drum brakes is no fun. Discs are self adjusting, easy to flush, and easier to service. The only drawback that I can see is discs on a surge system, in a hilly area will run hotter than drums because of the fact that surge brakes will be on all the time going down hill and with discs you always have more drag from the brake pads always touching the rotors. Drums at least the return springs pull the shoes away from the drums.
Electric over hydraulic eliminates that problem with better control. In flat aeas surge brakes can work quite well and are very simple, no electrical issues, no batteries to power the system in case of a breakaway, etc. If you are in a mountainous area you gotta go with the best.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

with the electric over hyd. you could also ad a line lock (ala drag race car) to use as a trailer parking brake if you desired. Even when not hooked to the tow vehicle.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

with the electric over hyd. you could also ad a line lock (ala drag race car) to use as a trailer parking brake if you desired. Even when not hooked to the tow vehicle.

Not sure what you mean here. A line-lock on a drag race car actually prevents the rear brakes from working while the front brakes are applied. What would you be doing with a trailer?

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

well kinda like a line lock.
It can't be electric if your gonna disconnect from the power source (tow vehicle) for a long time anyway.

I put a manual hydraulic ballcock in the brakeline downstream of the master cyl. on the trailer. Now with one person applying the brakes, I close the ballcock. Which keeps the brakes on the trailer engaged until I open the ballcoack and return to normal operation.

In a race car you can do the same if you close the linelock after applying the brakes. I am talking old school manual valve, non-electric solenoid version.

I also have the same setup on my old trail jeep cause the parking brake cables have rusted into dust.

 

[Hitech]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

Our travel trailer has electric brakes and I hate them. I am always fiddling with the controller and they just never seem consistent and smooth.

Try a Prodigy brake controller. Not that expensive and way better.

 

[CatTwentyTwo]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

Thanks Hitech, I have been reading about that model. We are using the Voyager controller now.