Opinions - surge vs electric

[woodee148]

My new boat (delivered May 03 /08) will be towed by my truck (2008 gm Sierra 6.0, Vortex MAX). the boat and trailer loaded will be about 5500lbs. I have searched the forum but have not found much info on the surge vs electric brakes. My new trailer (have not yet seen) is galvanized dual axle with surge brakes. My company owns 6 trailers of various sizes and they are all electric. My driveway is sloped up so I will need to disconnect my brakes prior to backing it in.

The dealer is pushing the surge brakes but I can still change it if I want to.

Can I get some opinions on surge vs Electric??

Thanks


Woodee

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

go with stainless disc surge, if wired correctly the reverse light circuit actuates the lockout for backing.
how many of your electric brake trailers get regularly submerged in salt water ?
not many options on pure electric for marine and its not really needed.

 

[woodee148]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

I'm all freshwater, might float the boat down to FL once or twice a year but that's it. I jut sent the dealer an email about the stainless disc surge and the reverse

thanks

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

i don't know where Hamilton is, but if in mountianous area, electric can have and advantage. i use surge in Florida.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

Hamilton, Ontario ????
If so surge is good.

 

[CatTwentyTwo]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

I think you will be happy with drum or disc surge brakes. My boat and trailer weigh about the same as yours. The trailer came with drums on 1 axle and I added the second axle brake kit about a year later. They worked well but required a lot of maintenance in salt water. I converted to stainless disc's a few years ago and they also work very well with less maintenance. Like TD mentioned, if you are in the mountains, surge brakes can overheat going downhill if your truck has good engine braking. 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.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

I use both... boat trailer is surge and travel trailer is electric. I really don't see a big difference when they are working correctly. With electric you'll need a controller (~ $150.00) that is mounted somewhere in the drivers compartment... a wire that runs back to the connection ( 7 pin?) in order to get the "juice" back to the magnets that activate the brakes on the trailer. Rarely ever have to replace anything on the travel trailer.
Surge works independent, except for the forward momentum that activates the brakes. I dunk it in salt 6 months of the year and have to replace assemblies about every 2-3 years.
Granted, I don't dunk the travel trailer in salt, but I can't think that any water is good for a magnet/iron set-up.
Apparently lockouts exist, but I've never heard of a lock-out operating when the reverse light comes on. It apparently will need a special kind of tow vehicle/trailer connection for that to work? That would be an additional factor to consider.
If it was me, I'd stay with surge on a boat trailer.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

here you go on the lockout solenoid, you just use a 5 prong trailer harness.
http://www.championtrailers.com/REVERSING_SOLENOID_VALVES.HTM

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

with surge discs there is a solinoid mounted on the outlet of the master cylinder, takes a 5 pin flat connector that is an industry standard, yopu can buy the adapter for the factory 7 or 9 pin round to 5 pin flat. when the reverse lamps are activated the solinoid is also activated closing of the fluid path to the calipers, hence its an automatic lockout for reverse. you can use the emergency manual lockout in case of electrical failure or backing with a vehicle that doesnt have the 5 pin flat connector.
but most my customer love the stainless discs. they work very well,require almost no maint other than rinsing,pad inspection and occasional pad replacement.
they are self adjusting just like your automobile.
I had them on my shamrock trailer and it weighed in at 3850. my ranger has a tow capacity of 4250 and it actually stopped better with the shamrock behind it than without.
my ranger has difficultly stopping my brakeless bass boat. next summers project is brakes on the bass boat, stainless disc of course.

 

[woodee148]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

tha's great everyone, thanks for your replies. I am looking forward to seeing what my dealer has to say tommorow.
TD, Hamilton is in Ontario south of Toronto, relatively flat

Thanks again

 

[Solittle]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

If you think you might back into salt water, even once, go the surge/disc route. I been down that road many times here in south Florida.

 

[CatTwentyTwo]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

You said your driveway is sloped up, mine is also. If you have to stop facing downhill before you put your truck in reverse, the surge disc brakes will already be engaged. There are 2 types of backup solenoids, blocking and bypass. The blocking solenoid will maintain whatever pressure is on the brakes when you stop, the bypass type will relieve all pressure back into the master cylinder. I would request the bypass type solenoid if I were you.

 

[woodee148]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

This is what my sales rep said

"I went and spoke with our service manager, he mentioned that the trailers that we have been getting from EZ Loader are what they call "Free Backing Breaks" no additional wire harness or solenoid is needed, when you slowly go into reverse the trailer does not engage the breaking system."

Anyone ever hear of Free backing brakes??

 

[tommays]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

Modern DRUM brakes are free backing

There is NO free backing DISK brake without a soliend



They generaly use the cheeper disk brakes from the factory and they tend to have more caliper issues than the better all SS calipers

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

If you go the stainless disc route, do not get the TieDown stainless brakes. I put them on my trailer and took them off after 6 months and put Kodiaks on. The Kodiaks I put on are not stainless but work great. I just make sure that i really rinse them off well after putting the trailer in salt water.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

I have the SS Tiedowns on the trailer now. They've been on 4 years now (salt water only)and I went to bleed them the other day and the bleed valve snapped off.

I picked up a pair of Kodiak CA as a replacement and all I can say is that the Kodiaks make the Tiedowns SS look like toys in comparison. The Kodaiks came with metal ceramic pads which can be replaced with regular automotive pads if or when the time comes. The proprietary pads for the TD SS are tiny in comparison and run $40 a set.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

This is what my sales rep said

"I went and spoke with our service manager, he mentioned that the trailers that we have been getting from EZ Loader are what they call "Free Backing Breaks" no additional wire harness or solenoid is needed, when you slowly go into reverse the trailer does not engage the breaking system."

Anyone ever hear of Free backing brakes??

Like Tommays said....
sounds like they are talking hyd. surge drum brakes. And if your driveway has enough slope to it, they might not be "free backing" when reversing up a steep incline.
If the shoe pull back springs are not strong enough to overcome the fluid pressure being sent by the master cylinder.
The steeper your drive the worse it will be.

 

[mikeneal]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

I have Kodiak SS on all 4 wheels of my trailer and love them. If I have to do all over gain i would go Electric over hydraulic.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

OK... now I'm curious!

"I have Kodiak SS on all 4 wheels of my trailer and love them. If I have to do all over gain i would go Electric over hydraulic."

How come? I notice you're from St. Pete, FL and that means salt. How does salt and electric brake get along?
Interesting thread.
Thx.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Opinions - surge vs electric

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