electronic brakes on boat trailer?

[fishingdave]

I boat a used dual axle trailer with old surge brakes, since im going to have to replace everything , including brake lines just wondering if it would be cheaper to go with electronic brakes. Does anyone have them? how do they hold up?

thank
dave

 

[Bondo]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

Ayuh,... Water,+ electricity don't mix so well,+ create Problems for each other...

I wouldn't put Electrics on a Boat trailer myself....

 

[rodbolt]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

I am with Bondo on this.
I have seen it tried with limited success.
go back with a nice set of stainless disc brakes and rinse them.

 

[Seon]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

I've checked on this and it appears that electric brakes is a do-able thing without any concerns of "shorting out". Although I haven't yet, but I plan on installing electric brakes on my trailer soon.

Here's a link that I found interesting: http://www.boatus.com/trailerclub/upkeep/electricbrakes.asp

 

[fishingdave]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

thanks for the info, i really dont have the cash to throw down on , disc brakes, for 4 wheels :/. I am just going to staywith drums. I will only be using the trailer twice a year, into the slip out of the slip.

 

[MRS]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

I have used them on two different boat trailers one replaced surge brakes and the second one had no brakes on it when I bought it. Used in fresh water 99% of the time no problems at all with mine any how...

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

I would not hesitate to use electric on a boat.... for fresh water at least... Of course the devil is in the details.... wiring in good shape with heat shrink waterproof connectors will perform and last way better than twisted together with black tape.

On an existing surge system it is probably considerably cheaper and easier to repair what you have.... Also it should perform just fine.... there are drawbacks to surge brakes (as with anything) but for towing twice a year I wouldn't bother changing over

 

[fishingdave]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

I will be using it in brackish water. As of right now im going to need replace, lines, brake assembly, and rebuilt coupler. the trailer can handle 7000 lbs, has a 10k coupler, & 12" brakes. Where is the cheapest place to buy parts?

 

[NetMatrix]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

Electric brakes on a boat trailer aren't really that gear of an idea to go with. My neighbor rebuild his trailer, and changed the brakes over to electric, and had a very sad ending. He used the heat shrink on all the connectors, and also used liquid tape to make sure all connection were sealed up properly. Not all the connectors were able to be properly sealed due to location, and he kept blowing fuses after fuses. The control center for the electric brakes that controls the brakes on the trailer is the one piece that you have to keep dry all the time. On a boat trailer it is a little harder to do than on something like a horse or utility trailer. This is just a little more information to keep in mind, and choose which route you prefer to take.

 

[MRS]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

Electric brakes on a boat trailer aren't really that gear of an idea to go with. My neighbor rebuild his trailer, and changed the brakes over to electric, and had a very sad ending. He used the heat shrink on all the connectors, and also used liquid tape to make sure all connection were sealed up properly. Not all the connectors were able to be properly sealed due to location, and he kept blowing fuses after fuses. The control center for the electric brakes that controls the brakes on the trailer is the one piece that you have to keep dry all the time. On a boat trailer it is a little harder to do than on something like a horse or utility trailer. This is just a little more information to keep in mind, and choose which route you prefer to take.

Thats because he had a short somewhere been running them for at least ten years and no problems. Plus the main control should be in the truck and not on the trailer......

 

[Yellow Yota]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

Thats because he had a short somewhere been running them for at least ten years and no problems. Plus the main control should be in the truck and not on the trailer......

Exactly what I'd say. The only "electronics" on the trailer is a wire and a magnet. If you only use the trailer twice a year, just make sure you rinse out the brakes after each use. If they're drums, pull the adjuster plug out and blast it out with water. Let it dry and then shoot some water displacer in there. Wd-40 should work to keep the corrosion down. Just make sure to wash it out with brake clean before you tow!

I love my surge brakes and wouldn't trade them for electric if I was payed to. I have E-brakes on my car hauler, and while they work very well, they just aren't as smooth as the surge brakes.

 

[MRS]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

Exactly what I'd say. The only "electronics" on the trailer is a wire and a magnet. If you only use the trailer twice a year, just make sure you rinse out the brakes after each use. If they're drums, pull the adjuster plug out and blast it out with water. Let it dry and then shoot some water displacer in there. Wd-40 should work to keep the corrosion down. Just make sure to wash it out with brake clean before you tow!

I love my surge brakes and wouldn't trade them for electric if I was payed to. I have E-brakes on my car hauler, and while they work very well, they just aren't as smooth as the surge brakes.

The short is from the hook up maybe a bad ground? If your e-brakes are not smooth they are not ajusted right my are smooth working but maybe I have been lucky for ten or so years? Plus WD and brake No rinse yes...

 

[q5ka]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

I have no problems with my electric brakes. I only go fresh water but if you are good at washing down the brakes, salt would also not be a problem. Fulton also has made electric with that shark skin for you salt users. If electric are so bad, why do they still work in a bad rain storm? I should be dead or badly injured many times over then since my 20 foot flatbed with 10 thousand pounds of antique tractors has had to stop or panic brake multiple times with their electric brakes on rain soaked roads. I understand the old idea of electricity and water dont mix but there is only an electric magnet and 12 volt DC. The magnet ships completly covered in epoxy. If its not, then that is not even worthy of dry roads as the slightest mud puddle will short it out. Also there is the whole debate going on now if surge brakes are even legal in some areas. Right now they have not stated that they are illegal but you are not able to control them at all from your cab (which seems to be the biggest problem). If my trailer starts swaying, I reach down and activate the trailer brakes. The trailer will straighten up and all is good. If I want the trailer to brake harder or lighter, I adjust it while going down the road. Again, you can not do that with surge. My brakes also work backing down a ramp. I do not unplug my lights before launch and retreive and have not had a single problem. If you personally had issues with your electric brakes, then I would recheck the system or take it to someone who knows electrical brakes because you have a short or bad connection somewhere. If you hear of someone with problems, tell them to do the same thing. They are not for everyone or everything, but they do work as expected if properly maintained or assembled. There are just as many issues with hydro or electric over hydro as there are with electric. Just pick your poison and do proper maintance with any of them and you should have years of happy towing.

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

I like my surge brakes.

Going to be cheaper to keep what you have.

 

[NetMatrix]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

Thats because he had a short somewhere been running them for at least ten years and no problems. Plus the main control should be in the truck and not on the trailer......

I don't know what the problem he had with them were, but the brakes he installed had the unit that had to go on the tongue area that shot the signal to each brake. It was a really weird set up.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

sounds like elec over hyd....

 

[MRS]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

Probably the battery for the brake away system. If you lose trailer locks the trailer brakes.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

...I love my surge brakes and wouldn't trade them for electric if I was payed to. I have E-brakes on my car hauler, and while they work very well, they just aren't as smooth as the surge brakes.

Surge brakes are good for lighter loads, as a braking aid.

However, on car haulers, big boats, heavy campers, etc. surge brakes do nothing to straighten out a potential jack-knife at speed. Nor do they adequately bias for differing loads, nor do they have the safety "break away" capability which can stop a trailer that has come unhitched in an accident. Or, say, if the trailer comes off the ball for any reason, it can keep the trailer from running into your tow vehicle on the slack of the safety chains as you brake to pull over.

I think surge brakes are a nice addition to a load that doesn't require brakes on the trailer, but give me Electrics for anything else.

 

[CR CRUISER]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

We have major problems with the electric brakes on trailers used in salt water. It's not the electrics, magnets or wiring causing the problem. It's the flat surface of the drum that the magnet drags on gets rusted up and greatly reduces the friction that activates the brakes.
I have installed fresh water flushing kits that are used religiously after every dunking. Tried every type of anticorrosion material on this surface. But every year, the drums have to come off and be put on a lathe to remove the rust. Every third brake service the drums need replacing.

Surge brakes are okay on medium size trailers but everything over 6000 pounds GVWR in BC requires cab controled brakes such as electric or electric over hydraulic. As for driveability, the electrics work the best if it wasn't for the rust issue. They activate almost instantaniously with the tow vehicle's brakes. The electric over hydraulic have a slight delay before activating and in an emergency stop situation, that 1/2 to 1 second can seem like an eternity.

As for drum vs. disc hydraulics, it seems to be about 50:50 right now. We get 2-3 years out of the drum setups before having to replace them. The discs are a little longer lived but the cost to replace is considerably more.

IMHO, No matter what brakes you use in salt water, nothing is going to last more than 2-4 years even with constant care and attention. They are expensive to maintane and a royal PITA. I hate them but they are a necessary evil.

 

[lakeerieboater26]

Re: electronic brakes on boat trailer?

I have electric breaks on my boat trailer and they work fine. I had it in saltwater for a week also. Just buy a jug of saltaway and the spray attachment, rinse it when you are done and you shouldnt have any problems.