My new Manning trailer came with disc surge brakes, work great. Unfortunately the lock out solenoid is a useless setup, have broken off three in two months, one just fell off on its own, the other two I bumped, but its just a 1/4 brass thread holding it in the master cylinder not strong enough for *hit, just the line hanging on it vibrates and breaks it off I believe. Any other ways to deal with this, deleted the solenoid and trying to back gently but still having it lock up, really sucks when you are nosed up to the curb at the ramp and cant pull forward, luckily my truck has enough as* to push through them, (cant be good though LOL, but when your pissed and cant move) ). So any other ways to override them, thinking about drilling a hole through the hitch and having a pin to stick in there when I need to back up, not sure if it will align all the time though, or weaken the hitch. HELP apprectiated!

My "redneck" solution is a small chunk of 2x3 or 2x4. On every trailer I've towed with surge brakes if you pull forward and have the tonque fully extended either a piece of 2x3 or 2x4 on the flat will fit snugly up under the surge actuator and effectively block it solid so it can't compress and apply the brakes when backing up. Most everyone I can think of needed a 2x4 but I think I had one that needed a 2x3. Not real high tech but very effective I think some of them also have a hole drilled thru the assembly right from the manufacturer as a mechanical override?

a big C clamp will work also, put it on the part that slides and tighten so it will not slide and apply the brakes.

I relocated a mechanical lock out on my trailer and it works great. I mounted it on the inside the rail of my trailer past the tongue jack.

Another nice thing about the mechanical lock out is that it can double as a parking break. When I leave the my trailer on our driveway, I will back up to engage the brakes and then lock it out...kinda nice.

can you elaborate? pics or explain how your doing it?

You are using a "blocking" solenoid....they make a "backflow" solenoid that has a return line to the master cylinder that bleeds of ANY hydraulic pressure back to the tank when backing up. I've replaced mine to backflow solenoids on the last couple trailers and LOVE them!!!!

Here is the one I've ordered and installed several times:

http://www.easternmarine.com/TIE-DOW...lenoid-11253A/

Either convert it to a manual lockout valve or bring a 12" piece of 2x4 and a bungy with hooks. The piece of wood goes between the end of the main tongue tube and the coupler that rests on the ball. Once you look at it, should be pretty obvious that you can throw a 2x4 in there and prevent the coupler from surging. Use the bungy to hold it in there.

Install the replacement in either a protected location, or bend a piece of diamond plate over the top of it to protect it and box it in. Just affix the diamond plate shield with a pair of 1/4 inch bolts through the tongue. In the case of my last trailer I used the tongue jack bolts to affix the shield over the solenoid. I've never had one go bad.

OR just go whole-hog and dump the surge brakes for Electric over Hydraulic.

thats what I did. I used to back my Tiger up the hill of my driveway, i tool an old block of wood and put a eye hook on each end with a piece of wire and a clip on one end, would hook it over tounge so the wire held the wood in place and then backed up. worked perfectly just got tired of the bumping and clanging of the surge and just went eoh last month.

Like Brian said just relocate the lockout. You can use a flexible hose from NAPA or Auto Parts Plus or take your pick. Then move the lockout to a location that is safe.