Electric over Hydraullic Conversion
 

Just finished that over the weekend. This is the CATS AZZ! Much better than getting your 1st microwave. Don't know what I've done without it for all these years.

I've been thinking about installing on my trailer. What kind of trailer do you have and how much did the electric over hydraulic cost.

Alum tri-axle. I'm really not sure on how much it would cost because I had the cab controller and did a trade of services for the electric actuator. All I really purchased was the break away and 7 pole pigtail. wire, etc. It is well worth it. Just messing around in my driveway I was playing with the sensitivity controll and locked the brakes on the gravel. Very well worth the stopping power.

what are you running for a truck controller?

What is the benefit of electric over surge brakes? I may be ordering a new trailer tomorrow, and electric brakes cost the same as surge from the manufacturer.

Damn, last time I saw a Jayhawk was in New Orleans in '03.... lots of sad faces, Let's go Orange........

Too bad there's no flip-off icon!!! :drink: If it weren't for your man with 18ft arms coming out of nowhere to block our 3 pointer, it could have all been different! Oh well, coulda-woulda-shoulda! We'll get there again in the next 2 years.

I would say the main benefit is the trailer will actually stop instead of push you around. If you are getting a new trailer get it with the elec over hyd and you will be very glad you did;)

Tekonsha (spell ck) sentinel I had laying around. Works mint, fully adjustable.

You'll still be running hydraullic but with an electric unit replacing the surge. It may be about an $800 + option. Also need to run 2 wires from the truck. One blue for brake, the black for hot. Both feeding off an automatic breaker. Took me a good part of the day to wire the trk and the 7 pole flat. Would have been alot less time had I used butt connectors -vs- soldered splices.
You definetly need to consider this option. What trl manufacturer are you going with ?

I'm looking at an Instigator trailer out of Houston. My truck has a 7 pin connector and is prewired in the cab. It came with a pig tail that plugs under the dash and just needs to be wired to the controller. The owner of the trailer company said no upcharge for the electric brakes. I think if I do go with a new one, it will have electric.

Make sure your clear on what your actually getting. Hydraulic, Electric or Electric over hydraulic. I don't think you want straight electric brakes (IMO).

You want the Electric over Hydraulic. This will usually run more.

Thanks for the info, I will check it out and be sure!

Exactly. Do not go with "electric brakes". Go with hydraullic disc with the electric actuator. Known as electric over hydraullic.

Anyone have a good writeup on converting Hydrolic to Electric over hydrolic. I have an electric controller in the truck already for my race car trailer. I currently have hydrolic brakes on my 2006 Performance trailer and need to repair them due to a locking brake issue I had over the weekend so figure this might be a good time to upgrade.

-mike

Ok, I just ordered my new trailer with the electric over hydraulic. It was a $500.00 upgrade. It better be worth it, or I'm hunting you guys down!!:evilb:

The trailer is an Instigator. Their website is:

www.instigatortrailers.com

I saw one being delivered at our marina last week and it is a really nice piece. They said I can have it in 10 - 12 days. Then all I have to do is get my boat from the bum trailer to this one. I can't drive it very far with only one axle underneath it. Anybody interested in it? It is a 2000 model Load Rite that needs a front axle with brakes. It is set up for a 24' Superboat right now. Make me an offer!

I paid a couple grand to have mine converted from surge to electric over hydraulic. Best money I ever spent.

No disappointments. Post #1 I said "better than your 1st microwave". You may be too young but the older crowd knows that phrase. Now is a good time to get a compatable cab controller.

I was planning on buying one today or tomorrow. Who makes a nice one? Does it need to be specifically compatible with electric over hydraulic?

Thanks!

Well, I ordered a Tekonsha P3 unit that is supposedly the newest trick stuff. It has a small LCD screen and can be set specifically for hauling with Electric over hydraulic. I probably went a little overboard, but what the heck. I only have to buy it once!

For a new trailer you've made a good choice for the controller. I have an '03 Myco with the brakerite electric over hydraulic system. I originally bought the tekonsha Prodigy and it turns out this controller is not compatible with the electronics in the '03 brakerite system. Spent some quality time on the phone figuring this out with the guy from titan (manufacturer of the brakerite system. Newer cab controllers have a feature which sends a pulse every 4 seconds to ensure connectivity to the trailer. In an electric over hydraulic setup, this beats the crap out of a relay in the pre '04 brakerite systems. The P3 in Hydraulic mode doesn't send this pulse every 4 seconds.

I'd double check with the manufacturer of the electric actuator before you install that.

I was actually on the phone with the Titan people who make the brakerite system on the trailer, Myco pointed me to him. Myco actually tests their NEW trailers with the Prodigy. The pre-04 brakerite units are where you run into issues with the newer controllers. The pulse they send to check connectivity beats up a relay on the older models control module.

The unit on my trailer will be Brakerite system. The P3 is supposed to work just fine with that according to the place I ordered it from. Hopefully they are right!

Just a followup on my brake issues.

Looks like the drums got corroded due to the salt water on em and no way to really flush out the drums. Spoke with Bill who owns Performance Trailers and he was extremely helpful and actually set me up with a conversion from drums to discs on the trailer.

He runs a great place and was soooo accomodating, heck I never even saw him or met him, I dropped off my boat/trailer on the weekend and picked it up on the weekend! He directed me to the surge disc brakes and did a wonderful job on getting them on for me. Also put on a spare tire carrier for me too.

The trailer stops like a champ now. I can't say enough good things about Performance Trailers in Lake George! If anyone reads this thread and is looking for a new trailer, don't hesitate to get one from Bill!

-mike