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Looking for opinions on trailer brakes

Old 05-09-2014, 09:06 AM
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I had Electric Brakes on My Loadmaster trailer and loved them. Simply the ability to dial them in made them worth it. Since that boat/trailer I have had two trailers with surge brakes and I hate them. The surge brakes on my Alumitrail (under my Velocity) didn't have a reverse lock out pin. So when baking up a steep hill, it would engage the brakes. I tried to put it at my Father-in-laws driveway back a few winters ago. Because it kept applying the brakes, the trailer kept sliding into his lawn. Finally I just cracked the bleeder screws and drained the fluid out! Certainly not the best solution, but it worked. Never put fluid in it over the 4 years I owned it. In town towing, I jus use my truck to brake. Now I have another Surge set up under my Concept. Right now, it has no fluid in the system so really don't have any issues. But I guess it has an automatic reverse lock out that works off of the reverse lights??? I don't trailer but a few block so not having any brakes is better for me than fighting with surge brakes.
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Old 05-09-2014, 09:20 AM
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I'm in the process of converting my trailer to electric over hydraulic right now. I can't stand surge brakes!! ..feels like I'm on the edge of out of control every time I come to a stop. Whether that is in town or out on a highway.

I'm sure the surge system needed some TLC, but I've had EOH on previous trailers and they work very nice.
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Old 05-09-2014, 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by easyrider1340
I'm in the process of converting my trailer to electric over hydraulic right now. I can't stand surge brakes!! ..feels like I'm on the edge of out of control every time I come to a stop. Whether that is in town or out on a highway.

I'm sure the surge system needed some TLC, but I've had EOH on previous trailers and they work very nice.
Can you do a write up on parts, install, etc? I need to convert over, the boat is the only surge brake trailer we own and I am not a fan. The control and feel of the EOH is remarkable.
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Old 05-09-2014, 10:49 AM
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Yes !

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/t...ml#post4119572

Originally Posted by VoodooRob
Can you do a write up on parts, install, etc? I need to convert over, the boat is the only surge brake trailer we own and I am not a fan. The control and feel of the EOH is remarkable.
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Old 05-09-2014, 11:08 AM
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I have surge brakes totally rebuilt on two out of three axles on my 29' Fountain on an aluminum trailer. I have but a two mile pull to the ramp on the island where I live.
They work fine but I rarely go over 35-40. My biggest complaint is that I have no brakes backing up. I have to back down my driveway and would love to have braking
capability. When I had the brakes rebuilt it would have been a good time to switch over. Probably a good time to upgrade from drums to disk also...
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Old 05-09-2014, 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by low_psi
I had Electric Brakes on My Loadmaster trailer and loved them. Simply the ability to dial them in made them worth it. Since that boat/trailer I have had two trailers with surge brakes and I hate them. Now I have another Surge set up under my Concept. Right now, it has no fluid in the system so really don't have any issues. But I guess it has an automatic reverse lock out that works off of the reverse lights??? I don't trailer but a few block so not having any brakes is better for me than fighting with surge brakes.
Just redid my surge disc brakes, and yeah, there should be a solenoid behind the m/c that gets wired in to the reverse light circuit to keep the brakes off. I trailered mine with the discs for the first time last night and I don't mind them at all, but I'm only towing 5k pounds.
The one and only advantage to surge is you can tow with different trucks. Boatless friends with full size trucks and towing experience will gladly do the towing in exchange for a ride to Jobbie.
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Old 05-09-2014, 11:33 AM
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If you don't have the 5th pin on your wire harness for backing you can flip the 4 pin over and I believe the power for your running lights will activate the solenoid so that you can back up. I had electric brakes on my myco tandem trailer and they seemed to work fine. My fast load is a tri axle with 2 axles having surge disc. They seem to work fine too. The Allison on my truck helps out incredibly also, I would however like to go with EOH someday I too would like to have brakes while backing down hill.
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Old 05-09-2014, 12:47 PM
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Go EoH!!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]523181[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]523182[/ATTACH]
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Old 05-09-2014, 03:04 PM
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Update.... I returned the Electric backing plates, they sold me the wrong seals anyway, so I had to exchange them. I got a price on the Dexter Electric over Hydraulic set up with battery and breakaway. $640. He told me he could have it by Tuesday. That is the best price I have seen for it yet.
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Old 05-09-2014, 11:09 PM
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I specifically ordered my trailer with straight elect. Going into my forth season love them. They work fantastic.
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